We know Skrulls have powers, but Secret Invasion is preparing the next stage of their evolution with Super Skrulls – here’s what you need to know.
Secret Invasion’s premise is pretty scary: what if there were hundreds of nefarious alien invaders roaming the earth, taking over governments, starting wars and plotting to conquer the planet under the guise of our self-destruction?
Leading this effort is Gravik, a rebellious Skrull leader who is fed up with being an errand boy for Nick Fury. He promises to find them homes, and his excuses are no longer enough – he’s taking matters into his own hands, setting nations against one another to claim our planet.
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As if that wasn’t enough, he has something else up his sleeve: it looks like he’s preparing to transform himself and maybe many others into Super-Skrulls – here’s everything you should know .
Secret Invasion: What are Super Skrulls?
Super Skrulls are genetically modified and enhanced Skrulls that have been given superhuman abilities.
In Episode 2, Pago goes to Dr. Pink Dalton. “You didn’t,” she says. “The harvest wasn’t there,” he replies. “Then it’s time to clean up again. Our DNA choices remain extremely limited,” she says.
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Later, G’iah breaks into a computer and finds records of everyone’s DNA, as well as a list of “harvest DNA samples” from Groot, Frost Beast, Cull Obsidian, and Extremis. When Brogan is being tortured by Sonya, he also reveals that Gravik is “building a machine to make us stronger”.
Given that Gravik used Groot-like abilities in the trailers for the series, it’s safe to assume he’ll be merging his own DNA with Flora Colossus. However, it remains to be seen if other super-powered Skrulls will be featured.
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We’ll update this space with more information as the series progresses.
Secret Invasion: What is Extremis?
The Extremis virus was first seen in Iron Man 3. It was a serum developed by Maya Hansen and Aldrich Killian that gave humans extraordinary abilities, such as the ability not only to heal serious injuries but also to regenerate limbs and other superhuman powers.
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“Extremis improves the user’s physiology by rewriting their DNA. It uses the body’s bioelectricity to activate and chemically recode parts of the brain responsible for repair. This allows Extremis to penetrate the basic operating system of living organisms,” the wiki explains.
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Wonder“When the user’s body chooses to accept it, it gains regenerative healing abilities that allow it to heal any wounds, including previously amputated limbs or even physiological damage. As lost body parts regenerate, wounds take on the appearance of burning embers while limbs regrow in minutes, then cool to normal flesh, blood, and bone. Extremis also enhances physical performance, imparting superhuman strength, reflexes and overall resilience.”
However, Extremis was extremely unstable from the time of its conception. Not only are they easy to spot because of their exploding temperature, but humans can also explode when their bodies reject the serum.
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Killian explained, “In that moment, the body is trying to decide whether to accept extremis or just give up. And if it does, I have to say that the detonation is… quite spectacular. But until then, it’s really just a big pain.”
Secret Invasion: Super Skrulls in the Comics
Super-Skrulls made their debut in the 1963 Marvel Comics in Fantastic Four #18, in the form of Kl’rt, the “original and greatest” of all Super-Skrulls.
In order to defeat the Fantastic Four, Skrull Emperor Dorrek VII commissioned scientists to give Kl’rt the ability to simulate the powers of the superhero team. He became a formidable opponent but ultimately failed. Later, the Illuminati visited the Skrulls to warn them not to come back to Earth, but this resulted in their being captured and their DNA stolen.
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WonderThis was an important step in perfecting the Super-Skrull program: with the genetic modification, they no longer simulated the powers, but were “infused with the memories and powers of the subjects and [they] could not be detected by technology, magic, telepathy, or various superhuman senses.”
Here are some notable Super-Skrulls: Queen Varanke, who combined her powers with Spider-Woman; X’iv, who possesses the powers of Daredevil, Elektra, Cloak, and Dagger; and the Sinister Six Skrull, who possesses the powers of—you guessed it—the Sinister Six, including Sandman, Hydroman, Rhino, Electro, Venom, and Lizard.
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Secret Invasion Episode 3 arrives on Disney+ on July 5th. Check out our other coverage below: