Can you believe THE Olivia Colman is starring in a Marvel Studios Disney+ show? In the first episode of Secret Invasion, Colman’s character Sonya Falsworth has already proven herself a worthy opponent/friend to Samuel L. Jackson’s battle-hardened yet surprisingly loving Nick Fury, as the two sides go head-to-head to stop the ongoing Skrull invasion. As Sonya Falsworth is likely to have an extensive role in the show, we thought it would be interesting to take a deep dive into Colman’s character, find out whether she has any comic book history, and explore how her character is tied to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Who is Sonya Falsworth in Secret Invasion?
Though little has been revealed thus far, we do know that Sonya Falsworth is an active MI6 agent who shares a history with Fury. Given the nature of the Skrull invasion, it’s no surprise that multiple intelligence agencies would be joining the defensive efforts and that the U.K. would be part of the inner circle. Her banter with Fury suggests they’ve worked together before and respect each other’s service records, but there’s no telling what she’ll do next, and that’s likely why Fury planted a high-tech bug in her office. Samuel L. Jackson has described Colman’s character as “possibly the most dangerous woman in the U.K.” Certainly an interesting choice of words.
Is Sonya Falsworth a character in the Marvel comics?
Surprisingly, no! Sonya Falsworth has no comic book history of her own. Olivia Colman’s character was created specifically for Secret Invasion, and as such, we have no way of knowing what her character is willing to do to stop the Skrulls. This actually makes her more interesting—while the MCU’s character adaptations often differ from their comic book counterparts, there’s always a sense that you already know them and how they might react in any given situation. Sonya Falsworth is an enigma to both the audience and I suspect, to an extent, Nick Fury as well. Bring on the subterfuge!
Does Sonya Falsworth have a connection to anyone else in the MCU?
Despite being an original character created for Secret Invasion, Sonya does genuinely have a connection to the wider MCU. Her surname, Falsworth, has been used in the MCU before. Way back in the 1940s, as depicted in Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve Rogers and his crew of Howling Commandos fought their way through World War II-era Germany, destroying every HYDRA base they could find along the way. One of those commandos was named James Montgomery Falsworth, a British soldier portrayed by actor JJ Feild. Given the MCU’s emphasis on the “it’s all connected” angle, there’s very little chance this is a coincidence. James Falsworth was likely Sonya’s grandfather, and that connection would explain how she got into the intelligence/espionage game in the first place, in the same way Sharon Carter followed in Peggy Carter’s footsteps.
The name Falsworth has a bigger connection to the comics, as well. In the Marvel comics continuity, James Montgomery Falsworth, otherwise known as Lord Falsworth, had a secret identity as the costumed hero Union Jack and served during World War I and World War II. James’ son Brian eventually took up the mantle of Union Jack, too. Though the superhero Union Jack has yet to make an appearance in the MCU, Sonya Falsworth’s character could still be used to canonize the British hero in the future.
Brian’s sister, Jacqueline “Jackie” Falsworth, also became a superhero in her own right, with the power of super speed. In the modern-day Secret Invasion comics, thanks to some convoluted comic book logic, Spitfire becomes young again and joins the British effort against the Skrull invasion. As such, it’s possible the character could show up in a future episode of the Disney+ series.
Spitfire also has a close connection to the vampire hunter Blade; she has vampiric abilities and begins a romantic relationship with him. Given that movie is currently in development, with Mahershala Ali on board for the titular role, it would make sense for Jackie’s character to make an introductory appearance in Secret Invasion, though perhaps she’ll only be name-dropped as an Easter egg.
Olivia Colman’s character being named Sonya Falsworth is clearly no accident, but we’ll have to wait and see how this all plays out and what the wider implications are for the future of the MCU. For now, Secret Invasion is set to provide us with the darker espionage story we’ve been hoping for since the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and I’m all for it.
(featured image: Disney+)
