Warning: The content below contains spoilers for Secret Invasion episode 3. The Marvel Cinematic Universe series Secret Invasion shares similar stakes and tone with the previous MCU movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier. While the stakes are global in nature, the story is a focused spy thriller centered around a select group of characters. This means that although there are implications for the wider MCU, the main emphasis lies on the impact of the series on Nick Fury and his closest allies. With one million Skrulls on Earth and at least 100 covert operatives posing as humans, it is possible that other crucial parts of the MCU have also been infiltrated.
The show reveals that several government leaders are actually Skrulls in disguise, and these leaders hold positions within the Skrull Council. However, Gravik, who has been operating independently from the Council, has been amassing followers, providing refuge for Skrulls in need, and strategically placing his own Skrull operatives worldwide. Additionally, evidence in the series suggests that Skrulls might have had the opportunity to infiltrate Wakanda, which is known as one of the most secure nations in the MCU.
Groot And Cull Obsidian Samples Could Have Been Obtained In Wakanda
The kind of DNA samples discovered in Episode 2 of the show provide significant clues suggesting the presence of Skrulls in Wakanda. G'iah, while examining the scientist's computer, finds references to DNA samples of Frost Beast, Groot, Cull Obsidian, and Extremis. While it is plausible that the Frost Beast and Extremis DNA could have originated outside of Wakanda, considering the presence of a Frost Beast in Thor: The Dark World and the ongoing use of Extremis in the MCU, the inclusion of Groot and Cull Obsidian raises questions.
Without conflicts with the Guardians of the Galaxy or Thanos and his followers in outer space, Skrulls would have had limited opportunities to acquire samples of Groot and Cull Obsidian's DNA. However, one plausible scenario would be the battlefield in Wakanda during the events of Avengers: Infinity War. It is conceivable that a few Skrulls may have participated in the battle at the request of Nick Fury. Despite the Avengers and the Wakandan forces' attempts to thwart Thanos and his allies, they were ultimately unsuccessful. In the chaos following the battle, it would have been easy for a Skrull to escape with DNA samples.
Alternatively, there is a chance that James Rhodes is a Skrull who used his government access to obtain the samples.
Agent Ross Could Have Been Taken By His Wakandan Rescuers
In support of the idea that the Skrulls have infiltrated Wakanda or come into contact with Wakandan forces in reality, a strong piece of evidence emerges in episode 1 of Secret Invasion where Everett Ross is revealed as a Skrull. It is doubtful that Ross has been a Skrull for a significant amount of time since his portrayal as Ross is unconvincing. It is plausible that the last time the audience saw the real Everett Ross was when he was rescued by Wakandan forces, potentially evading imprisonment.
During the moment when Okoye came to rescue Ross in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, it is possible that the real Okoye was not present, or that someone else accompanying her was a Skrull in disguise. This scenario would provide the Skrulls with an opportunity to target Ross, who is hiding in Wakanda, thereby gaining access to a government agent they could impersonate, even if he was seeking refuge from treason charges on the other side of the world.
Does Wakanda Have A Way To Identify Skrulls?
Avengers: Infinity War and the Black Panther movies have highlighted the challenges faced by outsiders trying to enter Wakanda. The Dora Milaje, Wakanda's armed forces, are always prepared to intercept any trespassers. Additionally, Wakandan scientists, led by Shuri, possess advanced scanning techniques that allowed them to assist Bucky Barnes in countering his Hydra programming. Given enough time, they might have even been able to extract an Infinity Stone from Vision. It is possible that Wakanda's knowledge extends to Skrulls or other shape-shifters, and they may have developed technology to identify them. However, this remains uncertain since only a few individuals in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are aware of the existence of Skrulls.
In the comics, there exists a device created by Reed Richards that can identify Skrulls. However, the Fantastic Four, who are associated with this device, have not yet been introduced in the MCU. Moreover, the unique abilities possessed by the members of the Fantastic Four, which are utilized to create the Super Skrull in the comics, are being approximated in the MCU through DNA samples from the Frost Beast, Groot, Cull Obsidian, and Extremis. In the past, many of the notable advancements in technology and weaponry within the MCU have originated from companies owned by Tony Stark.
Wakanda is known for having one of the world's top scientific minds, Shuri, who also happens to lead the country. Given this, it is highly plausible that they could achieve significant advancements by harnessing Skrull technology. Should Wakanda be incorporated into the Skrull storyline in future Disney Plus series or upcoming MCU movies, it's highly probable that Shuri would be the one responsible for developing such groundbreaking technology.
Stream the latest episodes of Secret Invasion every week on Disney Plus.