Based on recent set photos, James Rhodes (War Machine) will return in the Disney+ miniseries Captain Marvel, infiltrated Earth by slowly replacing humans in positions of power. By the time the Skrulls’ plot was uncovered, the aliens had replaced many superheroes, stirring paranoia and distrust since no one could tell the difference between Skrulls and humans.

While little is currently known about the plot of Secret Invasion, especially since the Skrulls turned out to want peace in Captain Marvel, some recently released set photos revealed that Don Cheadle should be returning as War Machine. The set photos (via Instagram) showed a prop newspaper, which included a picture of James Rhodes meeting with the MCU’s new President Ritson. This not only confirmed Rhodes’ return, but hinted at the plot of Secret Invasion since the newspaper headline explained that President Ritson would be attending an “emergency summit” with the British Prime Minister.

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It is unclear how large of a role War Machine will play in Secret Invasion. The comic book arc included nearly every major Marvel hero. While this may not be the case with Disney+’s Secret Invasion, there could still be many cameos from other MCU characters yet to be revealed. Due to this, WArmor Wars.

Iron Man and War Machine team up in Iron Man 2

With War Machine’s return in Secret Invasion, the miniseries could include a key event from the comics. After an alien virus infected Iron Man’s technology, making his suit useless, a prerecorded message informed War Machine that his suit had been kept separate from Stark technology, so it was unaffected by the Skrulls’ virus. The message then gave Rhodes directions to a secret satellite, which transformed into a giant Avengers: Age of Ultron, this could feasibly happen in Secret Invasion. This would make War Machine’s return a way to recognize Secret Invasion’s comic book origin and ensure that Rhodes plays a major role in defeating the Skrulls.

In contrast, War Machine’s return in Secret Invasion could be solely in connection to his future within the MCU. Set to release in late 2023 or early 2024, Rhodes will lead the Disney+ series Armor Wars. Dealing with Stark’s legacy, Armor Wars will explore War Machine facing the consequences of Stark technology falling into the wrong hands. Secret Invasion could set up this problem, especially if the Skrulls were able to gain control over Iron Man technology. In this way, War Machine’s return in Secret Invasion could serve as a method to honor the MCU’s comic book past or continue to build toward its future projects.

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