#SecretInvasion: Was Colonel James Rhodes a Skrull in comics, too?
What's the story
On Wednesday, Marvel Cinematic Universe's Secret Invasion dropped a bombshell on the viewers. In the fourth episode, titled Beloved, it was revealed that Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes is not who he seems, but a Skrull. While some fans saw this development coming (since the Secret Invasion storyline is known for explosive revelations), others were left gasping! Was Rhodes a Skrull in the comics, too?
Context
Why does this story matter?
MCU fans will best remember Rhodes from Iron Man (2008), where he was introduced as Tony Stark's best friend and an Air Force officer. After being portrayed by Terrence Howard, he was replaced by Don Cheadle, who has been reprising the role in multiple MCU projects such as Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Avengers: Endgame, among others.
In comics
No, the comics don't present him as a Skrull
While viewers are blown away by the revelation, some have also wondered whether Rhodes has been described as a Skrull in the comics, too. Though they mention instances of some other superheroes being taken over by impostors, there has reportedly been no instance of Rhodes being one, which makes the reveal all the more shocking. This also births the question: Where's the real Rhodes?
Revelation
How did the revelation happen?
Rhodes's revelation as a Skrull happened in the bathroom when a female Skrull can be seen in the shower freshening up. When she wipes the mirror, in a split second, we immediately see Rhodes in the mirror. The end credits have further revealed that this Skrull's name is Raava, and we can expect to know her backstory in the final two episodes.
Reactions
How are people reacting to this development?
The episode has left people wanting more. One fan tweeted, "The show has me on the edge of my seat. Heavy episode toward the end. Looking forward to the final two episodes," while another said, "Now we know why he was 'lesser of a human.'" Another posted multiple images from previous MCU shows and wrote, "Marvel always does the craziest sh*t in episode four."
Feige's statement
This wasn't his first appearance as a Skrull
Marvel Studios's President Kevin Feige has confirmed viewers' speculations that Secret Invasion isn't the first time we have seen Rhodes as a Skrull. He said, "It was very early days when we pitched this concept to Don, and he very much was into it...we like the idea of fans going back and watching some other appearances of Rhodey and realizing that that wasn't him."