Major spoilers for Marvel’s Secret Invasion finale, “Home,” lie ahead, so read on at your own risk.
After several weeks, Marvel Studios’ latest small-screen production – Secret Invasion – reached its conclusion. The series centered on Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, as he teamed up with allies to prevent a full-on Skrull invasion from consuming the planet. The quality of the storytelling varied from episode to episode, but the finale did manage to wrap up the story, with Fury emerging triumphant. However, after watching the capper, I’m still left with a concern regarding one of the major characters – James “Rhodey” Rhodes.
What Did Fans Learn About Rhodey Thanks To Secret Invasion’s Final Episode?
Viewers learned, at the series halfway point, that Don Cheadle’s stoic Col. Rhodes was one of the many public figures of Earth who’d been replaced by the villainous Gravik’s sect of Skrulls. Ahead of the reveal, the faux Rhodey had a heated discussion with Fury, which resulted in the then-eyepatchless Fury being fired by the U.S. government. (The twist subsequently added new layers to that scene). So presented with the information that Rhodes had been swapped with an extraterrestrial, it was almost a given that he was being held in New Skrullos with other captives.
That indeed proved to be the case as, during the season finale, young Skrull Gi’ah freed Rhodey, Everett K. Ross and others from their pods. (She was able to do so after empowering herself with the Harvest alongside Gravik and killing him in battle.) So the good news is the man also known as War Machine lives. And that means Nick Fury didn’t lose yet another ally, following the devastating losses of Maria Hill and Talos. However, considering the position Rhodes was in, I’m worried about what that means for past MCU events.
I’m Concerned About The Length Of Rhodey’s Skrull Imprisonment And What It Could Mean For Past Events
James Rhodes is one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s OGs and has been around for some of its biggest moments, from the rise of Iron Man to the war against Thanos. Now that we know he had an alien counterpart, some of his history is thrown into question. I mean, was the real Rhodes actually the one who helped the Avengers take on the Mad Titan in Infinity War and Endgame? Was Sam Wilson actually speaking to the genuine colonel during the Falcon and Winter Soldier series premiere? And those are just more recent events in the MCU timeline. Believe it or not, a few fans are pondering the notion that the character has been out of commission since 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. You can see why in the social media post below:
Hhhhhmmmmm… #Rhodey is wearing a hospital gown. Last we saw that was in Civil War. Curious. #SecretInvasion pic.twitter.com/PkJQRXVNIHJuly 26, 2023
As of this writing, that’s yet to be confirmed by any of the powers that be at Marvel Studios. It’s an idea, however, that should be considered at the very least. The thought of Rhodes having been out of action that long is disappointing, as it would take away from the major moments he’s been a part of. He played a significant role in the last two Avengers movies and had some major scenes. I mean, can you imagine how heartbreaking it would be if it were confirmed that he wasn’t really present for Tony Stark’s death in Endgame? Heck, even his brief convo with Sam in the aforementioned Disney+ show held some emotional resonance. (Yet I wouldn’t be totally upset over that sequence involving a Skrull, to be honest.)
All in all, it’d be a shame if the armored hero’s appearances in other MCU entries were to be undercut by this Skrull reveal. While he’s never gotten a massive amount of the spotlight, James Rhodes has slowly evolved over the years, and that progression should remain intact.
This development also comes at an interesting time, as Don Cheadle is set to reprise his role for (and lead) Armor Wars, which was changed from a TV show to a movie. Like Secret Invasion, that production will put a spin on a classic storyline from the comics. Not many details are known about the plot, but Cheadle teased the War Machine tale, promising that it’s going to dig into Rhodes like never before. Amid the exploration of his psyche, we’ll likely get clarity regarding how long he was held hostage. Hopefully, my concern is just overblown but, until then, I’ll remain somewhat uneasy about the situation.
All episodes of Secret Invasion are now available to stream alongside other MCU fare with a Disney+ subscription. Those who want to know when Armor Wars might finally be released should keep referring to CinemaBlend’s schedule of upcoming Marvel movies.
