The biggest shock hidden in the Secret Invasion series finale, aside from just how bad it was, concerned the scene in which the real Rhodey is finally freed from Skrull control. Ever since we learned Don Cheadle’s War Machine had been replaced with an imposter, fans had widely assumed he’d been a Skrull since Avengers: Endgame. But then context clues in his return sequence heavily suggested he’d been out of action a whole lot longer than that.
We assumed we’d have to wait ages for further clarification on the truth about Rhodey, perhaps even in his undated upcoming movie, Armor Wars, but in a surprising turn of events, Secret Invasion‘s director Ali Selim has spilled the beans just two days after the finale’s premiere. While speaking to RadioTimes.com, Selim confirmed that the predominant fan theory on how long Rhodey’s been a Skrull for is bang on the money. Even though it literally chops the hero’s character arc in half.
“Yep. He’s been a Skrull the whole time, yeah,” Selim responded when asked if Rhodey really has been replaced since Captain America: Civil War. The epsiode heavily suggested this as he was depicted in the same hospital gown he was wearing after his injury acquired during the airport fight, plus he was clearly barely able to walk. This means that Rhodey has been a fake for the past seven years, which is practically half of his MCU lifespan.
As you would expect, Selim assured us this will have “massive implications” for the wider franchise. he continued:
“Presumably. I think it’s going to take a librarian to go through and pick apart every Rhodey moment up until Secret Invasion, but there’s a lot to be unpacked now and I think a lot of it will be unpacked in Armor Wars, which is where Don is going next.”
Selim’s comments also seem to confirm our suspicions that Cheadle won’t be seen in the Marvel universe again until Armor Wars gets here, which will probably be sometime in 2025.
