‘Secret Invasion’: How Long Was Rhodey a Skrull & What Happened to Him?

Rhodey is one of those characters whose journey we have followed in the MCU for over two decades. Thanks to that, we could sense that something was off about him almost immediately in the ‘Secret Invasion.’ His behavior was different, and how he treated people around him felt strange. This could be seen when he talks with Fury condescendingly and disrespectfully. Not long after that, it was revealed that Rhodey was abducted, and a Skrull took his place as President Ritson’s advisor. But let’s see how long Rhodey was a Skrull and what happened to him before and during the show’s events.

Judging by the hospital gown that Rhodey was wearing when G’iah released him from the pod he was held in, it is possible that Colonel Rhoades was kidnapped after the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War’ when he was in treatment after sustaining a serious injury that left him unable to walk. This means that if we follow the MCU timeline, Rhodey was impersonated by a Skrull for almost ten years.

If this is true, Gravik’s plan to infiltrate high positions globally has been in motion for many years now, and no one seemed to notice. There is also a fact that Rhodey probably has no idea about anything that happened in the last ten years, and considering all the tragedies that occurred, it will be hard for him to accept all that.

Raava impersonated Rhodey for a long time before she was revealed as Skrull

Gravik’s plan to create Super-Skrulls, impose dominance over Earth, and create chaos among political elite powers was in motion for some time, even before the storyline in the show began.

That was apparent from the moment we realized that Skrulls have their secret agents in high places all over the globe, including in the Office of the President of the United States, where one of the rebel Skrulls, Raava, infiltrated the White House and manipulated President Ritson on Gravik’s orders.

That was part of Gravik’s plan to start a war between the USA and Russia and ultimately cause WW3. Even before it was revealed that Raava was impersonating Rhodey, there were some instances where it was obvious that this was not the Avenger we are used to.

Over the years, Rhodey was always calm and rational, treating others with respect, especially those above him. So, it did not make sense that he would treat Fury the way he did and take joy in telling him that his days as a spy were over. The two of them were together through a lot, and none of the Avengers would ever treat Fury that way. Fury also partly knew that was not the real Rhodey, and his hunches later proved true.

However, the remaining question was what happened with the real Colonel Rhodes and where he was. The final episode revealed our speculations about that when Fury urged President Ritson not to trust Raava because she is a Skrull and is working for Gravik. The President was convinced when Fury blew Raava’s head with a gun.

Rhodey was kidnapped and kept in a pod beneath the Skrull compound

We’ve theorized that the Skrulls might have kidnaped Rhodey even before it was revealed. That proved to be true. As Fury and Sonya sneaked into a hospital where President Ritson was, Fury explained everything to POTUS.

The person who posed as Rhodey all this time was a Skrull, and she did not have good intentions. If President Ritson had listened to Raava and completed the strike on Russian soil and New Skrullos, he would’ve killed many innocent lives, including the real Rhodey and some of the world’s greatest minds.

Fury explained that the Skrull rebels kidnapped dozens of world officials and Colonel Rhodes. They were kept in pods beneath the Skrull compound. That meant if the USA were to strike that territory, they would kill them all. In the meantime, G’iah defeated Gravik and released all the kidnapped people in the compound. A real Rhodey was among them, struggling to walk because of his injuries during ‘Captain America: Civil War.’

G’iah explained to him that he had been held hostage for a long time, and the military helped him get out of the compound safely. And even though it was not specifically mentioned what it means ‘for a long time,’ judging by the clothes Rhodey was wearing, it is safe to assume that he was abducted after the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ when he was on rehabilitation for sustained injuries. And if that was the case, the Skrulls kidnapped him almost ten years ago.

This proves that Gravik’s plan was well-organized and a long-time plan. He kidnapped the crucial people and replaced them with his followers to be one step ahead of major political power players. His plan would most likely work if he did not have Nick Fury as his opponent throughout this Secret Invasion.

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