Gripping Twist: Marvel's Game-Changing Approach to Phase 5 Leaves Fantastic Four Fans Begging for More!
Marvel's Phase 5 ingeniously incorporates the Fantastic Four in an epic storyline, Secret Invasion This strategic move not only showcases Gravik's Super-Skrull powers, but also enhances the terror of the Super-Skrulls A game-changing decision by Marvel!
Caution! This article contains SPOILERS for Secret Invasion episode 3.
Marvel Studios made a strategic move by excluding the Fantastic Four from the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 5. The beloved Marvel characters known as the Fantastic Four have not yet made their debut in the MCU. Initially, their rights were owned by 20th Century Fox, but Marvel Studios has since regained control of these characters through their acquisition of the studio. However, due to the pre-established plans for the Multiverse Saga, fans will have to wait a bit longer before these characters are introduced.
Secret Invasion Removed The Fantastic Four From The Super-Skrull Storyline
As a result, Marvel Studios has had to think outside the box when it comes to adapting a specific storyline that prominently featured the Fantastic Four in the comics. The highly anticipated Fantastic Four movie from Marvel is set to be released on May 2, 2025. However, the road to its debut has been filled with challenges. The original director, Jon Watts, known for his work on the Spider-Man trilogy starring Tom Holland, left the project and was replaced by Matt Shakman, the director of WandaVision. Furthermore, due to a series of changes in release dates at Marvel, the casting process for the film has been kept under wraps and has yet to be finalized. All of these circumstances have forced the MCU to justify the absence of the Fantastic Four from their Phase 5 story.
Secret Invasion, the Disney+ series from Marvel Studios, has arrived, featuring Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury as the main focus. In this storyline, Fury is summoned back to Earth to aid Maria Hill (played by Cobie Smulders) and Talos (played by Ben Mendelsohn), in their mission to prevent a renegade faction of Skrulls from seizing control of the planet. The Skrulls, who harbor resentment towards Fury and Carol Danvers for failing to fulfill their promise of finding a new homeland for their species, have become radicalized under the influence of Gravik (portrayed by Kingsley Ben-Adir). Gravik devises a cunning scheme to bolster the Skrulls' capabilities by creating Super-Skrulls in the events of Secret Invasion.
The MCU's versions of Secret Invasion and the Super-Skrulls differ significantly from their comic book counterparts. Secret Invasion in the Marvel Comics involved a grander scale, with numerous Marvel characters participating in the event. One of the most intriguing aspects of the story was the unpredictable nature of Skrull reveals, something that the series cannot replicate. In the Disney+ show, it's unlikely that the Avengers will appear, so the closest resemblance to the comics is the potential reveal of Rhodey as a Skrull.
In the case of the Super-Skrulls, Marvel altered the storyline by replacing the Fantastic Four and introducing a new origin for the Skrulls' powers in the MCU. In the comics, the first Super-Skrull gained his abilities by using a machine to replicate the Fantastic Four's powers. This was done in retaliation against the Fantastic Four for foiling a previous Skrull attempt to conquer Earth. However, in the Marvel series, different characters were chosen instead of the Fantastic Four, as they have not yet been introduced in the MCU. Groot, Cull Obsidian, a Frost Beast, and the Extremis virus were selected as the sources of the Super-Skrulls' powers.
Gravik's Super-Skrull Powers Avoid A Huge Superpowers Problem
While excluding the Fantastic Four from the origin of the Super-Skrulls in the MCU may disappoint comic book fans, it is perhaps best that Secret Invasion did not involve Gravik taking powers from Marvel's First Family for his Super-Skrull experiment. In the comics, the Super-Skrull acquired various powerful abilities, including flight, which was copied from Johnny Storm, the Human Torch. However, in the Secret Invasion series, Gravik and the other Super-Skrulls will not possess the ability to fly, thereby avoiding potential issues with presenting superpowers.
Implementing flying abilities in superhero projects is a complex task, especially considering Marvel's recent visual effects challenges. Additionally, due to the series' more limited budget in comparison to a Marvel movie, the Super-Skrulls' flying sequences might have appeared less impressive, potentially diverting attention from the serious threat posed by the invading aliens. Another concern would have been the visual representation of Mr. Fantastic's stretching abilities, which are already challenging to portray accurately in a film, let alone in a Disney+ show. Marvel has previously chosen to avoid this issue by giving Ms. Marvel energy-based powers in her series. Instead, Groot's powers will serve as a substitute for Reed Richards', allowing for a different, more tendril-like visual representation.
Secret Invasion Makes The Super-Skrulls More Terrifying
In the comics, the original Super-Skrull, Kl'rt, gained his powers from the Fantastic Four through a space beam sent from the Skrulls' planet to Earth. However, once Reed Richards discovered the source of his abilities, the Fantastic Four severed the connection between the beam and the Super-Skrull, leaving him without powers. This method of stopping the Skrulls in Secret Invasion seemed too easy, so the MCU made some changes.
In the MCU, the Super-Skrulls don't acquire their powers through a space beam. Instead, Gravik, a scientist on Earth, developed an experiment that permanently alters the DNA of Skrulls, granting them powers. This poses a greater threat as any Skrull who undergoes the process becomes a Super-Skrull, and with the revelation that there are 1 million Skrulls on Earth, the prospect of an entire army of Super-Skrulls is terrifying for the MCU.
The exclusion of the Fantastic Four as the source of the Super-Skrulls' abilities in the MCU enhances the fright factor of Gravik's Skrulls. In episode 3 of Secret Invasion, Gravik demonstrated that he had already undergone the transformation to become a Super-Skrull, thanks to the powers bestowed upon him by the Extremis virus. This granted him an incredibly fast healing factor, evident by his swift recovery from a knife wound inflicted by Talos. Characters like Wolverine and Deadpool are renowned for their resilience and regenerative abilities, and the Super-Skrulls in the MCU are seemingly headed towards similar invulnerability, all because the Fantastic Four have yet to make their debut.
