Warning: The following contains spoilers for Secret Invasion Episode 2. Since the release of Secret Invasion’s second episode, fans have been questioning whether James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle) is secretly a shape-shifting Skrull. One particular scene has left fans of the MCU desperately searching for clues about Rhodey’s deceptive identity.
The scene in question is when Rhodey meets with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to discuss the Skrulls’ infiltration of Earth. During this conversation, fans detected that Rhodey didn’t seem to be acting like himself. Cheadle’s first appearance in the MCU as Rhodey was back in 2010’s Iron Man 2, meaning that fans have had plenty of time to get to know the character’s usual persona. Because of this, fans have been arguing that Rhodey’s strange behavior could be evidence of his secret Skrull identity.
Secret Invasion’s premise centers around Nick Fury’s discovery that Skrulls have been secretly infiltrating Earth. In order to execute this takeover, Skrulls have been disguising themselves as key figures, including the UK’s Prime Minister and the Head of NATO. The show’s unnerving feel arises from the fact that anybody could be a Skrull. Secret Invasion advises you to trust no one. In the show's opening scene, a reoccurring MCU character, Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman), was revealed to be a Skrull. This means that it's possible for Rhodey to be a Skrull in disguise.
Why do fans believe that Rhodey is a Skrull?
As an Avenger, Rhodey’s appearance in a political position was the first matter of concern for fans. Secret Invasion places War Machine as the US President Ritson’s right-hand man. The Avengers are known for disobeying political figures – something which Rhodey himself was seen doing during Avengers: Infinity War. This means that Rhodey’s continued adoption of a political role appears highly out of character. In contrast, a Skrull’s acquisition of a political role would be more logical as it would be the perfect opportunity to advance their infiltration of Earth.
Another focal point arose from Rhodey’s controversial comment in relation to bombing Slovakia. During the summit, a representative from Slovakia begins to question Fury and Maria Hill’s whereabouts, prompting Rhodey to comment: “if Slovakia rolls its eyes at me one more time, I'm gonna put on the suit and carpet-bomb it". Whilst this was intended to be a joke, it still seems like an incredibly uncharacteristic thing to say.
Fans noticed that the way Rhodey spoke to Nick Fury was also highly out of character. For example, during the pair’s heated conversation, Rhodey refers to Fury simply as ‘Nick’. Fans will know that Fury strongly objects to people referring to him on a first-name basis – with the exceptions of Tony Stark and Maria Hill. In the 2019 film Captain Marvel, Fury himself confirms this by telling Carol Danvers: “Everybody calls me Fury. Not Nicholas, not Joseph, not Nick. Just Fury.” Audiences immediately took to social media to comment on the unusualness of Rhodey using ‘Nick’, remarking that the character would never normally treat Fury with such blatant disrespect.
In the accumulation of Fury and Rhodey’s confrontational discussion, Rhodey fires Fury from his role as head of S.A.B.E.R. Fury cannot believe that Rhodey would make such a decision and fans reciprocated the character’s shock. After laughing in disbelief, Fury comments: “They sent you to fire me?” Before Rhodey retaliates with: “Nobody sent me, I volunteered”. It’s difficult to grasp that Rhodey would turn on Fury in this way - unless he is actually a Skrull. It’s logical that the Skrulls would want Fury out of the way in order to simplify their invasion of Earth, increasing Rhodey’s likelihood of being a Skrull.
Rhodey’s premature suggestion to call in the Avengers further increased fans’ suspicions. As Fury reiterates, calling in the Avengers to try and defeat the Skrulls’ invasion is incredibly risky, as it means that the Skrulls could easily duplicate the Avengers’ DNA to impersonate them. It’s difficult to believe that Rhodey would be oblivious to the risks of getting the Avengers involved. Meanwhile, the Avengers’ presence would be the perfect opportunity for the Skrulls to gather their DNA, confirming Fury’s fears that the shape-shifting aliens would frame the Avengers as terrorists.
Additionally, the way in which Rhodey references Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) rang alarm bells. As established throughout the MCU, Rhodey and Maria are close friends. Yet, throughout his exchange with Fury, Rhodey references Maria's death with a sense of complete detachment. Instead of referencing his friendship with Maria, Rhodey simply refers to the character from a professional perspective.
Earlier in the scene, Rhodey also made a nonchalant reference to Maria’s dead body, stating that: “I just spent all the political capital I had in getting Maria Hill’s body back from the Russians". Fury responds in disbelief to this statement, asking: “Are you really talking to me about politics right now?” The coldness with which Rhodey refers to Maria Hill’s tragic death further confirms the character’s unusual behavior.
Audiences have also noticed that throughout Rhodey and Fury’s exchange, Rhodey is sitting beneath a fire exit sign, which includes an arrow pointing downward. Viewers are speculating whether this is a warning sign from Marvel. The arrow is pointing Rhodey out, signifying that not all is as it seems.
If the theory is true, how long has Rhodey been a Skrull for?
Whilst it’s unclear exactly when Rhodey potentially became a Skrull, it’s unlikely that he has been a Skrull throughout the entirety of his MCU appearances. Fans have been familiar with Cheadle’s portrayal of War Machine since 2010, which is why his recent behavior suddenly appears so different. The most likely scenario is that Rhodey became a Skrull after Avengers: Endgame. Endgame helped to establish War Machine as a valuable part of the team, making him a crucial target for the Skrulls' invasion.
Rhodey’s brief appearance in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier emphasized his involvement in politics. After the series’ first episode premiered, fans were left confused as to why Rhodey was still working for the government after he actively disobeyed them in Infinity War. His continued involvement in politics appeared rather inconsistent but could be explained by Rhodey already being a Skrull at this point. Whilst War Machine only had a brief cameo in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it’s plausible that this was Rhodey’s first appearance in the MCU as a Skrull.
If Rhodey is a Skrull, what would this mean for Marvel’s fifth phase?
If Secret Invasion ultimately unveils Rhodey as a Skrull, it’s definite that the stakes would have been raised for Marvel’s fifth phase. By transforming a trusted and familiar character into a Skrull, phase 5 will be characterized alongside a sense of distrust. If Rhodey is a Skrull, then who else is?
Audiences have also commented that if Rhodey is a Skrull, then this would be the ideal setup for Marvel’s upcoming movie Armor Wars. The anticipated movie is set to feature War Machine in the spotlight. It’s speculated that the movie will entail Rhodey desperately fighting to prevent Iron Man’s technology from falling into the wrong hands. If Secret Invasion does confirm Rhodey’s Skrull identity, then it’s plausible that Armor Wars could feature the Skrulls attempting to obtain Stark’s technology. With a release date set for 2024/2025, it would be the perfect follow-on from Secret Invasion.
With Secret Invasion being released weekly on Disney+, all fans can do for now is eagerly await James Rhodes’ fate. If War Machine is revealed to be a Skrull, then this would be the perfect dark twist for Marvel. However, if Rhodey is not a Skrull then it’s likely that Marvel would be under fire for Secret Invasion’s inconsistent writing. Secret Invasion has already faced criticism for Maria Hill's sudden death in the show's first episode, so it would be unfortunate for Marvel to face further controversies. Regardless of the outcome, all Secret Invasion viewers have been saying the same thing – that Rhodey and Fury’s confrontation has been the most engrossing part of the series so far.
Secret Invasion is available to stream on Disney+ with new episodes dropping weekly.