Secret Invasion finale leaves out one vital detail – and fans want answers

Secret Invasion episode 4
(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Secret Invasion has now come to an end on Disney Plus, bringing this chapter of the MCU to a close. One question, however, still remains unanswered: how long has Rhodey (Don Cheadle) been a Skrull?  

Although we'd suspected it since Rhodey first appeared in the show in episode 2, it was only confirmed in episode 4 that the Rhodey in Secret Invasion was actually a Skrull – he instructed Nick Fury's wife Priscilla to kill him, and we also got a glimpse of the green Skrull face behind his human facade.

The real Rhodey was imprisoned at the Skrull compound, along with the other humans they'd been impersonating (including Martin Freeman's Everett K. Ross). When G'iah Emilia Clarke) frees the prisoners towards the end of the episode, we see that the real Rhodey is in poor physical condition – which led viewers to speculate when, exactly, he'd been captured. 

"BRUH THEY WON'T TELL US HOW LONG RHODEY WAS A SKRULL LMAO," one frustrated Reddit user commented on an episode discussion thread, while other viewers began theorizing just how long we've been following an imposter on screen.

"Considering he was in hospital garb, and G'iah said 'a long time' I'm legit thinking post-Civil War crash landing…" mused one user. "Given this plan from the Skrulls has only been in place since Endgame, I assume right after Endgame was when he was taken," said another. "Probably in the hospital after the battle and got taken there."

While we may not have answers now, Fury will return in The Marvels, which hits the big screen later this year, and Rhodey will appear in the upcoming movie Armor Wars, so the threads of Secret Invasion are not quite tied up yet.

Next up for Marvel, though, is Loki season 2, which is set to hit Disney Plus on October 6. While we wait, make sure you're up to date with the MCU with our guides to Marvel Phase 5 and Marvel Phase 6.

Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related across the Total Film and SFX sections. I help bring you all the latest news and also the occasional feature too. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.