Secret Invasion is already covering one of the biggest Skrull story arcs from Marvel Comics, but it may soon delve deeper into the Skrulls’ rich comic book history by debuting Super-Skrulls. The six-episode miniseries is moving pretty fast, and its latest episode, “Promises,” teased Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir)‘s creation of the Super-Skrull. Gravik is leading a large-scale invasion of Earth and is seeking to hasten the Skrulls’ takeover of the planet by framing the U.S. for a terrorist attack on Russia in hopes of sparking a devastating World War III. However, there are still some dissenters among the Skrulls who disagree with his methods. Also, while a million Skrulls on Earth is a lot, it still doesn’t seem like nearly enough to overtake Earth if things don’t go according to plan, especially if the Avengers show up.
“Promises” teases that Gravik is working on an experiment to help the Skrulls’ cause. He has employed the help of scientist Rosa Dalton (Katie Finneran) and their experiment includes DNA samples from various powerful extraterrestrial beings, including Groot, a Frost Beast, and Cull Obsidian. Secret Invasion hasn’t revealed exactly what Dalton and Gravik are doing (yet), but it seems likely they’re working to create a Super-Skrull or to make themselves Super-Skrulls with various enhancements. This scenario seems especially likely considering that Super-Skrulls did play a role in the Marvel Comics arc.
What are Super-Skrulls in Marvel Comics?
The Super-Skrulls were created by Skrull emperor Dorrek VII. Dorrek was the emperor who first began plotting to lead the Skrulls in invading Earth. Although he didn’t live to see the events of Secret Invasion, he was present for primitive attempts at the feat. The first time Dorrek sent Skrulls to scout Earth, they were detected and easily defeated by the Fantastic Four. This inspired Dorrek to create Super-Skrulls that could overpower the likes of the super-powered heroes. Similar to how Skrulls can take on the likeness of another individual, Dorrek sought to enable Skrulls to take on an individual’s superpowers as well.
Through genetic experimentation, he succeeded in creating a device that could empower Skrulls. The warrior Skrull KI’rt became the first Super-Skrull and was endowed with all of the powers of the Fantastic Four. While KI’rt is the most well-known Super-Skrull and came close to beating the Fantastic Four on several occasions, many other Super-Skrulls were also created. By the time the events of Secret Invasion occurred, the Skrulls had perfected their Super-Skrull program. This allowed Skrulls to inherit the memories and the powers of the subjects they impersonated, and countless Super-Skrulls were sent to aid the invasion. The Super-Skrull program would later be continued by the original Super-Skrull KI’rt, who later became emperor of the Skrulls.
Given that the Fantastic Four haven’t made their MCU debut yet, it isn’t likely that the Super-Skrulls Gravik is creating will have their powers. However, they will likely have super strength and durability, qualities that the Frost Beast and Cull Obsidian boasted. Additionally, a promo for the Secret Invasion series shows a glimpse of Gravik with tree-like tentacles extending from his arm, suggesting he’ll mimic Groot’s powers later in the series. The show’s decision to introduce the Super-Skrull concept also creates the possibility of it setting up the main villain in the upcoming Fantastic Four film.
(featured image: Marvel Comics)
