Secret Invasion's Avengers Hero Won't Wear Their Superhero Suit (Report)

By Jennifer McDonough Updated:
Skrull Avengers Marvel

One star of Marvel’s newest streaming show Secret Invasion has reportedly been confirmed not to don their signature Avengers attire,

Secret Invasion has taken a bit of a back-to-basics approach within the MCU. It’s a political thriller in the vein of the fan-favorite Captain America: The Winter Solider. Only this time out, the six-episode Disney+ series is decidedly light on superheroes.

With word from the show’s director that the proceedings will shy away from cameos, fans might be wondering who, if anybody, will assist Nick Fury in putting a stop to the Skrull infiltrators.

Don’t Expect Rhodey to Suit Up

Don Cheadle as James Rhodes in Secret Invasion
Marvel Studios

Empire Magazine shared in its recent Secret Invasion issue that Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes, a key Avenger, won’t wear his War Machine armor in the Disney+ series.

Moreover, Cheadle spoke on his character’s “adversarial” presence in the series:

“Rhodey’s got a new role in this one. Our very first scene is Rhodey and Nick Fury locking horns. Rhodey isn’t an adversary, but he’s being more adversarial than they have been before. That’s always been Rhodey’s cross to bear. Is he going to stay within the confines of being a military man following the chain of command, or is he going outside the box?”

For Rhodes, “going outside the box” has meant joining the Avengers and regularly stepping into the War Machine suit, even if it meant going against the wishes of the U.S. government.

Rhodey did sign the Sokovia Accords, but eventually, his stance on them wavered a bit, as seen in Avengers: Infinity War when he refused to arrest Steve Rogers at the behest of Secretary Ross.

Will Any Other Superheroes Appear in Secret Invasion?

War Machine in Captain America: Civil War
Marvel Studios

Judging by the way in which Secret Invasion has been handling its characters, it should come as little surprise that War Machine won’t join the fray. The show has stripped back Nick Fury to just his wits and ingenuity and he doesn’t want to involve the Avengers in his fight for fear they could get replaced by Skrulls. 

In fact, many fans strongly speculated that Rhodey himself is actually a Skrull operative.

So, with all that in mind, it’s perhaps quite likely, if not a forgone conclusion, that Secret Invasion won’t bring in someone like say, a Hulk or a Captain Marvel.

However, the show seems to be building towards a Super Skrull. In the comics, the Super Skrull is a very powerful Fantastic Four villain who has each of the team’s abilities. In the MCU, this evildoer looks to be taking on the powers of beings like Cull Obsidian and the Guardians of the Galaxy’s own Groot.

With such a formidable foe on the playing field, it would stand to reason that Fury and Talos would need extra firepower to take out the Skrull threat. A lot of extra firepower. So perhaps the series and the creators behind it are obscuring the inclusion of a few key superheroes that pop in for the final battle. Though this remains to be seen, of course.

Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion drops new episodes every Wednesday, exclusively on Disney+.

- In This Article: Secret Invasion
Release Date
June 21, 2023
Platform
- About The Author: Jennifer McDonough
Jennifer McDonough has been a writer at The Direct since its 2020 launch. She is responsible for the creation of news articles and features. She also has a particular affinity for action figures and merchandise, which she revels in discussing in the articles she writes, when the situation calls for it.