Secret Invasion promised that the heroes we know and love were actually Skrulls, and while we learned Priscilla Fury was one, the most shocking reveal of all was that James “Rhodey” Rhodes, the man who has been present in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the very beginning, is actually a Skrull and has been for some time.
But the question remains: how long has this version of Rhodey been in his place? The answer may be more heartbreaking than you think.
The shock reveal that Rhodey was a Skrull this whole time has been teased since the beginning of Secret Invasion. We not only confirmed this theory but learned that he’s a female Skrull who is acting as the intermediary between Gravik and Priscilla Fury. It was this faux Rhodey who led President Ritson into the line of fire and who tried to encourage a strike on the Skrull base — the base where the true Rhodes still rests.
After G’iah managed to defeat Gravik, she starts awakening the true versions of the millions of people Skrulls have replaced, including Everett Ross and James Rhodes. But Rhodes seems to be a lot more affected by the suspended animation state than anyone else — probably because he’s been under longer than anyone else.
When Rhodey is pulled out of the pod, he’s wearing a hospital gown, which is presumedly what he was wearing when he was abducted and replaced. The last time we saw Rhodey in a hospital gown was when he got an MRI all the way back in Captain America: Civil War. That explains why he’s having trouble walking — when he was abducted, he was getting treatment for a spine injury. It means that Rhodey has been replaced by a Skrull for almost a decade.
This is heartbreaking news for Marvel fans, as Rhodey has long been a fan-favorite, and this extended loss means he’s missed out on so much. While it explains character moments like him discouraging Sam Wilson to pick up the shield in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it means he missed out on some of the most monumental moments in MCU history. The Battle of Earth and the Blip are both unknown to him, and it’s going to be absolutely heartbreaking when he learns Tony Stark is now gone.
But at least we know now that he’s actually himself — and can help in the new fight of humans and Skrulls on the human side this time.
