Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for the Secret Invasion episode "Betrayed." Read at your own risk!
Secret Invasion is raising the stakes of the Skrull threat in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and upgrading the Skrulls themselves. "Betrayal" showed once again the Super Skrulls are on their way, and it's thanks in part to a virus that first emerged during Iron Man 3. I'm pumped to see the Robert Downey Jr. movie getting some love, especially with how it adds to the story.
We learned of a new development for the Skrulls when Talos went to talk to Gravik about potentially getting back his daughter G'iah. The talks essentially went nowhere, and when Talos lost his cool, he slammed a knife through Gravik's hand. The Skrull was in pain, but after pulling the knife from his hand, his hand healed after glowing bright red. It would appear that the Skrulls are in possession of the Extremis virus, which debuted in the MCU in Iron Man 3.
For those in need of a refresher, but don't want to revisit the movie with their Disney+ subscription, the Extremis virus was used to great effect by A.I.M during Iron Man 3. Soldiers injected with Extremis had rapid healing abilities, increased speed and strength. Take that with the reveal that Skrulls are gathering info and abilities on other creatures in the MCU and can possibly take on their powers, and the Super Skrulls will likely be in action on Secret Invasion before too long.
Why I'm Pumped About The Extremis Development
One reason I'm pumped for the Extremis development is that it gives hope that G'iah survived being shot toward the end of the latest episode. However, it was shown in Iron Man 3 that chest shots can still be fatal, regardless of whether or not someone has the Extremis virus. If G'iah was shot through the heart, it could be curtains for her regardless. I'm rooting for Extremis to save her, especially since Emilia Clarke was almost in Iron Man 3.
Another big thing to note about the virus is that in Iron Man 3, they were able to track down soldiers infected with the virus by scanning and recognizing their increased heat signatures. Assuming Extremis use is widespread among the rogue Skrulls, this could be a key way for Nick Fury and the others to identify them and take some of the guesswork out of determining who is and isn't a Skrull.
With that being said, we can't assume too much when it comes to the Skrulls. Secret Invasion already confirmed they're gathering attributes of species like Frost Giants, and maybe utilizing their physiology could mask the use of Extremis or prevent some of the more unpleasant side effects that came with the virus. For example, maybe a combination of powers will prevent a Skrull from vaporizing themselves.
I've been waiting for the Skrull threat to ramp up in intensity in Secret Invasion, and this might be the thing that finally pulls some heroes into action. Of course, that may not be the best solution given the Skrull's abilities, and possibly too late to stop given that conversation with Varra and Rhodey at the end.
Secret Invasion streams new episodes on Disney+ on Wednesdays. Catch up now while we're at the midway point, and get ready for what could be an exciting back half.
