When Did James Rhodes Become A Skrull? Here’s Our Most Plausible Theories
Released earlier this summer with lots of hype being built around it, however, Secret Invasion isn’t exactly the most critically acclaimed TV series from Marvel Studios. However, the show did give the audience some incredible and unexpected twists and turns, with multiple familiar characters turned out to be disguised Skrulls, as their first step to take over the world from shadows, one of them being the mighty War Machine, James Rhodes.
As we all know in Captain Marvel, the Skrulls have been living on Earth ever since the 1995 Kree invasion, and shapeshifted into humans to blend into the society. However, as Fury and Carol Danvers fail to keep their promise to find them a new home, a Skrull faction, led by the mischievous Gravik, rebels to take over Earth instead. Therefore, it’s hard to pinpoint the exact timeline when our Rhodey was abducted by the rebel Skrull faction and replaced with an impostor. Let’s browse through these 4 theories about when Rhodes was replaced as a Skrull, and decide for yourself which timeline is the best.
#1. Did Rhodes become a Skrull after Captain America: Civil War?
Source: Marvel
At the end of Secret Invasion, the real James Rhodes is released from the Skrulls’ captivity by G’iah, Talos’s daughter, and is seen afterward wearing his hospital leg braces. This is due to the events in Captain America: Civil War, which takes place nine years prior to Secret Invasion in the MCU timeline. In Civil War, Rhodey was taken out of commission due to a misfire by his own teammate, Vision, and fell from the sky. He survived the nasty fall, but was unable to use his legs afterward, and Tony Stark made his friend a pair of leg braces to walk normally.
Therefore, it’s entirely possible that Rhodes might be kidnapped by the Skrulls right after the events of Civil War, as we all saw how he still participated in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame afterward. Secret Invasion’s director, Ali Selim, also seems to support this theory, and he also suggests that fans should revisit previous movies of the saga to decide for themselves which moments include the real Rhodey, and which didn’t.
Source: Marvel
If this theory turns out to be true, it means Rhodes has been replaced with a Skrull for nine years long, and the War Machine we’ve seen in Avengers: Infinity War, Endgame, and the movies afterward that led to Secret Invasion is actually an impostor. This also leads to some other baffling questions: Was the Fake Rhodey erased during the Blip? Wasn’t the real Rhodey presented in Iron Man’s final moment? If this is true, we might not be able to see Tony’s death the same way ever again.
#2. Was Rhodes replaced after Endgame?
Source: Marvel
This theory seems to be the most plausible of all, as, in Secret Invasion, Fury reveals to have collected the DNA samples from almost everyone who was presented in the Battle of Earth in Endgame. Therefore, if Endgame Rhodey turns out to be the impostor, Fury would have immediately noticed the difference in the sample already. Besides, as we all saw in Endgame, Rhodey did shed some blood in the battle, and it’s the color of human blood instead of Skrull’s green blood, so this theory feels even more likely to be true.
Besides, the fact that James Rhodes was abducted after the events of Endgame would sit better with fans overall, as it wouldn’t devaluate Tony’s sacrifice in the movie, since the real Rhodey was actually there for his friend in his final moment.
Source: Marvel
After the Blip was undone in Endgame, the world was pretty much in chaos, so it would be the perfect time for the Skrull faction to take advantage of the situation to replace some of the big names of the country, including Rhodes. The character also went to pursue his political status afterward, so the Skrulls jumped in and replaced him with one of their own, as having a Skrull in such a position is immensely advantageous to their future plans.
In the TV series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, James Rhodes also gives some words of wisdom about the need for the world to change and grow after Endgame to Sam Wilson, who inherits the Captain America mantle from Steve Rogers. Of course, this could be just a bit of heartfelt advice from one friend to another, however, if this Rhodey is actually a Skrull in disguise, then it’s a whole different matter. This conversation may imply that the Skrull faction has already taken steps in replacing the US government one by one back then, which ultimately leads to the events in Secret Invasion.
#3. Rhodey was abducted just a year before Secret Invasion.
Source: Marvel
Of course, there’s another theory about Rhodey getting replaced after the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, as the time gap between this series and Secret Invasion is one year, which is enough time for the Skrulls to take action. This is another theory that makes sense, however it lacks the surprising effect like the other two. Besides, in episode 6 of Secret Invasion, Rhodes is reported to have been abducted “for a long time”, so we’re not sure if the merely one-year time gap would fit the description or not.
Rhodey will return as War Machine in Marvel’s upcoming project Armor Wars, and maybe then we’ll finally learn the answer about the exact time he got replaced by the Skrull faction. Let us know your opinion about Rhodes’ role in Secret Invasion in the comment.