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Marvel’s Disney+ showSecret Invasionstarring Emilia Clarke, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Cheadle, and other renowned stars aired its finale in 2023. But ever since the show’s beginning, it has been quite a journey for the audiences, and finally, with the ending, it turned out to be somewhat of a catastrophe.
Secret Invasionleft fans with more questions than ever, and that too, not in a good way. Most importantly, the show changed the whole storyline of Don Cheadle’s Avengers character James Rhodes. In the Disney+ show’s last episode, he was seen escaping in a hospital gown, from the pod the Skrulls were keeping him in. So if Rhodes was captured by the Skrulls, then who was it duringInfinity War,Endgame,and all other Marvel appearances?
Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes Escaped the Skrulls inSecret Invasion
Despite having high expectations fromEmilia Clarke’sSecret Invasion, fans were left bewildered by how the show narrated the storyline and eventually ruined the character of one of the most important Avengers – James Rhodes. In the last episode of the Disney+ show, Rhodey was seen escaping in a hospital gown from the captivation of the Skrulls.
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This particular scene in the show raised more questions than answers. Fans were perplexed by the event, as they wondered, ifDon Cheadle’s James Rhodes was captured by the Skrulls, then who was it in all the Avengers movies? This question popped into fans’ minds, especially after noticing him in a hospital gown, for fans traced it back to his paralyzing accident inCaptain America: Civil War.
Following this particular scene, fans believed that Don Cheadle’s Rhodey was perhaps replaced during or immediately afterCaptain America: Civil War, for he was admitted to a hospital. Therefore, this speculation raised further questions like, if James Rhodes was indeed captured by the Skrulls during his time at the hospital, then who was it throughoutInfinity War,Endgame, andThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier?
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The Show Ruined James Rhodes’ Storyline and Fan-Favorite Scenes
If we go by the storyline presented to us by Emilia Clarke’s andSamuel L. Jackson’sSecret Invasion, then Don Cheadle’s Rhodey, is definitely a replacement in the MCU installments. Considering the importance of Col. James Rhodes in the Marvel movies, it seems genuinely infuriating to know that the appearance of Rhodey was actually a replacement.
Not only is Don Cheadle’s Rhodey the most important Avenger in the line-up, but he is also a great friend of Tony Stark, who even appeared during the funeral. So, if indeed James Rhodes was taken by the Skrulls and replaced with someone else, then it changes the whole meaning of the fan-favorite scenes from the MCU installments. Netizens, therefore, lined up onXto share their disappointment in howSecret Invasionruined it all.
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Secret Invasion ruined this for mehttps://t.co/5tltAO1rYc
— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH)June 22, 2025
so if rhodey was truly a skrull since civil war, then he didn’t help save the world. he wasn’t there to become an uncle, wasn’t there for his bff’s wedding and death, and every single one of his loved ones and friends didn’t know him well enough to tell smth was amiss with him.
— lara (@tincanmans)July 21, 2025
So if#Rhodeyhas been a Skrull since Civil War (like the finale implied) then this scene when Tony’s dying basically now means absolutely nothing?
What a way to retcon a really heartbreaking moment.pic.twitter.com/TQSNeetCwR
— Sam 🎬 (@samspeaksmovies)July 06, 2025
So all this time that wasn’t Tony’s best friend at his funeral it was some random alien this fucking suckshttps://t.co/q4JrqvbJ6wpic.twitter.com/3E18ZqcRNB
— Mari 💖 (@ComicLoverMari)June 08, 2025
Rhodey been a Skrull since his incident in Civil War. I actually hate it. To think it was someone else in Infinity War and Endgame
— Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK)July 13, 2025
So this means he was a Skrull since Civil War and that wasn’t Rhodey in Endgame? That destroys his character completelyhttps://t.co/mDS53HWXrd
— Shadow Knight (@shadowknightdk)August 10, 2025
Rhodey needing disability aids after the events of theCivil Warwas one of the most riveting scenes, for Marvel introduced “an Avenger with a disability”. Further, Don Cheadle’s best lines of dialogue, Rhodey’s presence at Tony Stark’s funeral, is now forever changed for the worse, and fans are not happy about it. James Rhodes was one of the most capable and focused Avengers, but now it all seems a facade pulled off by the replacement.
Krittika Mukherjee
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3218
Krittika Mukherjee is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on films, TV shows, and celebrity news with over 3,000 articles published. With an educational background in Journalism, and a keen interest in filmmaking, Krittika blends factual precision with creative flair, when crafting her editorials, or dissecting fan theories.Her coverage often includes news and analyses of critically acclaimed films, celebrity news, and franchises like the Wizarding World, LOTR, DC, and MCU—particularly Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts, Superheroes, and fan theories. As a Wizarding World aficionado, Krittika has spent countless hours exploring hidden backstories, unadapted book moments, spells, and trivias surrounding J.K. Rowling’s lore.An imaginative writer with a way with words, Krittika has worked as an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a web content writer for a year. She brought her experience and expertise to FandomWire to pursue her desire for sipping coffee while dissecting films and tracking celebrity drama.
