Shocking Revelation: Marvel's Phase 5 Unveils Jaw-Dropping Connection to Iron Man's Demise
Marvel's Phase 5 subtly challenges Iron Man's legacy as new revelations in Secret Invasion expose his flawed decision-making, questioning his effectiveness as a superhero Discover how the MCU continues to explore the complexities of Iron Man's character and the consequences of his actions
Spoiler Alert: This post discusses plot details of Secret Invasion. Despite Robert Downey Jr.'s character's demise in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU has cleverly incorporated Iron Man's mistake into the Super Skrull storyline in Secret Invasion. The surprising reveal of the Skrull's "harvest" ties all the evidence together.
In episode 2 of Secret Invasion, Gravik unveils his plan to conquer Earth. He gathers DNA samples from various sources such as Groot, a Frost Beast, Cull Obsidian, and the Extremis virus, which results in the creation of the MCU's version of the Super Skrull. In this adaptation, Secret Invasion replaces the Fantastic Four's origin story from the comics, by incorporating the powers of each member of Marvel's iconic superhero team.
Mr. Fantastic's stretching powers - replaced by Groot's DNA
The Thing's super strength - replaced by Cull Obsidian's DNA
The Human Torch's fire powers - replaced by the Extremis virus
The Invisible Woman's powers - replaced by the Frost Beast's DNA
Secret Invasion's "Harvest" Proves Iron Man Sucked At His Job
The decision to replace the Fantastic Four with the "harvest" makes sense considering their absence in the MCU, but it has consequences. The Skrulls obtaining access to super-powered "artifacts" suggests a failure in the system established to clean up the aftermath of superhero battles. This system, revealed in Spider-Man: Homecoming, was created by Tony Stark himself.
Following the Battle of New York, Stark collaborated with the US government to establish the Department of Damage Control. Its primary purpose was to prevent valuable items from falling into the wrong hands. However, as seen in various instances, such as the capture of the Frost Beast after Thor: The Dark World, the abandoned hand of Cull Obsidian during Infinity War, and the extraction of Groot's DNA in Endgame, Stark's fail-safe to safely remove dangerous technology and artifacts clearly didn't work. Moreover, the theft of the supposedly stabilized Extremis virus from within Stark Industries, right under Iron Man's nose, is an even more significant embarrassment.
The MCU Has Ruined Iron Man's Legacy In Multiple Ways
Iron Man's legacy has undergone various changes and scrutiny since his death. Spider-Man: Far From Home depicted him as an abusive boss and revealed his creation of a robot defense force, despite the danger it posed. The initial intention of Damage Control transformed into a force that oppressed superheroes, and Doctor Strange unveiled alternative methods to defeat Thanos. Adding insult to injury, Stark's technology will fall into the hands of his enemies in Armor Wars. Even the reversal of the Blip in Avengers: Endgame resulted in a humanitarian crisis, causing people to question the righteousness of Thanos. It seems as though Marvel has a peculiar agenda to undermine the once revered founding member of the MCU and The Avengers even in his afterlife. Secret Invasion is just another instance of this disrespect.
