Summary
Captain Marvel's absence from Earth in Secret Invasion can now be explained as her brave mission to discover a suitable dwelling for the million Skrull refugees, a far more challenging endeavor than initially anticipated.
Danvers faced the daunting task of persuading a tranquil society to embrace the Skrulls, a renowned aggressive warrior race. Compounded with that challenge was the burden of her own guilt for failing to uphold her vow to protect them.
Regrettably, the inability to successfully relocate the Skrull refugees has escalated matters to the point where the United States has declared war on them. This perilous situation magnifies the repercussions of failing to honor their commitment, placing the Skrulls in even greater jeopardy than before.
Captain Marvel's prolonged absence from Earth in the MCU has been addressed in Phase 5's Secret Invasion, which has already provided answers secretly. Despite being the least well-received Marvel Studios' Disney+ TV show, Secret Invasion has brought forth significant revelations that will have a lasting impact on the MCU. Following the events of Captain Marvel in 2019, numerous Skrull refugees capable of shape-shifting were stranded on Earth, anticipating Nick Fury and Carol Danvers to assist them in finding a new home across the galaxy. However, Secret Invasion disclosed that they were unable to fulfill their promise, leading to further inquiries regarding Danvers' disappearance from the MCU.
In a significant departure from Marvel Comics, Captain Marvel showcased the Skrulls in the MCU as peaceful allies seeking refuge after their homeworld, Skrullos, was destroyed. While Nick Fury and Captain Marvel pledged to secure a new home for the Skrulls, Secret Invasion unveiled that not only did they fail to deliver on their promise, but Fury had been exploiting the Skrulls' shape-shifting abilities since the 1990s. The reasons behind Fury and Danvers' inability to resettle the Skrulls initially remained unclear, but a major revelation in Episode 2 of Secret Invasion exposed a much more dire situation than originally suspected.
Captain Marvel's Skrull Task Is Way Harder Than We Thought
Secret Invasion episode 2, "Promises," witnessed Talos's revelation to Fury that, contrary to their initial belief of only a handful of Skrulls residing on Earth, a staggering number of one million Skrull refugees had indeed found refuge among humanity. The revelation of Secret Invasion's million Skrulls left both Fury and Danvers overwhelmed, as relocating a few refugees would have been comparatively straightforward, whereas the task of transporting a million Skrulls offworld presented a much more formidable challenge. In fact, Fury explicitly acknowledges during Secret Invasion that finding a new home for the Skrulls proved to be far more arduous than they had originally anticipated, providing a possible explanation for Captain Marvel's prolonged absence from Earth.
Secret Invasion Justifies Captain Marvel Being Gone For So Long In The MCU
Given Carol Danvers' thirty-year absence, it is highly probable that she had been tirelessly searching for a new home for the Skrulls. Unfortunately, the task proved to be quite arduous, as she was faced with the daunting challenge of relocating a million Skrull refugees. While humanity unknowingly sheltered these extraterrestrial beings, Fury and Danvers aimed to tread a more ethical path, requiring the endorsement of a new society in order to accommodate the Skrulls. However, the Skrulls' fearsome reputation as skilled and dangerous warriors posed a significant hurdle for Danvers, as persuading a peaceful community to embrace an entire civilization of Skrulls seemed to be an uphill battle.
Captain Marvel's absence from Earth could be attributed to her reluctance to face the Skrulls and deliver the disappointing news. She may have experienced guilt for not fulfilling her promise, showing greater empathy towards the Skrulls than Nick Fury, who had exploited them for personal gain on Earth. Following the events of Secret Invasion, it appears that the United States has initiated hostilities against not only the Skrulls on Earth but also extraterrestrial beings in general. This suggests that the failure of Fury and Danvers to uphold their promise might have escalated the peril faced by the Skrull refugees.