Marvel Studios' Secret Invasion trailer gave fans much-needed insight into the threat Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury will face when he attempts to thwart the Skrull invasion. However, an eagle-eyed fan also spotted a potential hint at a returning Avengers: Infinity War villain.
Based on the comic book storyline of the same name, Marvel Studios' Secret Invasion follows Fury as he attempts to stop the Skrulls from infiltrating positions of power on Earth. The Skulls can do so because of their shapeshifting abilities, forcing Fury to recruit trusted allies such as Martin Freeman's Everett K. Ross, Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill, and Ben Mendelsohn's Talos.
After the Secret Invasion trailer dropped, Reddit user Iron Man Mark LXXXV noticed one shot contained a possible hint at Avengers: Infinity War villain Cull Obsidian's return. The potential clue is spotted at the 1:28 mark when a brief shot of a Department of Damage Control container appears. While the contents of the container are not shown, it is marked as "Specimen Sample: Cull." Considering Cull Obsidian's hand was cut off when he and Ebony Maw battled Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, and Wong in New York during Avengers: Infinity War, it wouldn't be surprising for the government to take it into their possession.
The user speculates the Skrulls may be stealing Cull Obsidian's hand to replicate his DNA and abilities. This means Cull Obsidian wouldn't return, but a Skrull might transform into him to stand a better chance against the Avengers. While the Avengers' absence is mentioned in the Secret Invasion trailer, the Skrulls may view them as a potential threat to their goals. Traditionally, Skrulls can transform into other beings right down to their DNA and replicate recent memories of the person they copy. However, in most comics, the Skrulls cannot copy a character's superpowers or abilities, but Marvel Studios may take creative liberties with their shapeshifting power.
This potential change to the Skrull's shapeshifting powers is potentially supported by a shot where Kingsley Ben-Adir's Secret Invasion character is seen using Groot-like abilities. However, there could be multiple explanations for this shot, so fans must wait and see if Cull Obsidian or any other Avengers villains will return via the Skrulls.
Secret Invasion could have game-changing consequences for the MCU, and Nick Fury's comment about one last fight could mean Jackson's time as the character is winding down. Regardless, Secret Invasion will likely change some things from the comics, so fans should be prepared for surprises.
Secret Invasion premieres on Disney Plus on June 21, 2023.
Source: Iron Man Mark LXXXV/Reddit