So Bendis has revealed to us, finally, the big thing he has been cooking up for the past couple years. Admittedly, I was surprised, as I thought it was gonna involve The Hood and the supervillains, who have been somewhat missing in the Marvel Universe of late. Instead, it was revealed the strangely acting Elektra is a Skrull...and may have been one for some time.

Now, the idea of a character being revealed as a Skrull at first strikes as a cop-out, and even laughably so. Instead, Bendis actually manages to make it a very frightening idea, and one that may in fact explain away a lot of inconsistencies in the comics. Whilst Marvel denies it will be used as a Crises styled reboot event, I can see it being used to explain many odd behaviours, and even many really dubious resurrections.

On 'Who Can You Trust?'

This is potentially a really good story. I mean, think about it. The whole world could already be lost to the Skrull. And if you ask me, it looks like it has. 

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s heinous actions at the start of the series seem to suggest that the Skrull have infiltrated the organisation and have been amassing WMDs for some time. This is probably why Nick Fury is so deeply undergorund. Meaning, he found something out at around the time of his Secret War. 

Certain characters occasionally acting well out of character...such as Magneto, Xavier, Iron Man...thesekinds of things, it's easy to see why this storyline ca spiral into becoming one of the biggest concepts in some time.

On the Cage's baby

It is not a Skrull...at least not entirely. It's either one of two things:-

1. That last page is a plot device. It is merely to hit home to the reader how hard-hitting an implication the Skrull revelation is. Anyone can be a Skrull. But in this case, the baby is not.

2. It's half Skrull, because either Jessica or Luke is a Skrull. But that will rely more on any changes those charcaters have had in attitude over the years.

There is a third possibility, which could work, but it doubt would be dramatic, and would be a plot hole in that Doctor Strange's spell had no effect in the previous issue. That Jessica and the baby are both Skrull, and that is why she is no longer breast feeding. Because that would be degrading to the two Skrull agents.

As for the aforementioned Doctor, I do not believe he is Skrull, given he has been performing magic all the time, which the Skrull have said in New Avengers: Illuminati #1 they do not understand. As such, no Skrull would be able to do magic, would they. Instantly, this would seem to mean all magic users who are still using magic are not Skrull.

On ret-conning

It has been said that this will not ret-con any of the past big events, like Houe of M, or Civil War. This is good, as both made interesting changes to the Marvel Universe landscape. But also, it means certain characters can be excluded from being Skrull. In particular, Iron Man. Tony Stark is a futurist, and so his actions during the war, whilst making him a dick, are because he genuinely sees this whole thing as a good idea...further things? How about that he sent the Hulk off to get madder and stronger than ever before, and also out of the Skrull's reach? How about amassing an army he is in control of? How about only he can see those names? How about, being a futurist, he will have been preparing for the possibility of a covert Skrull Invasion? 

Scarlet Witch, however, may have been, or still is, a Skrull and it wouln't change House of M. Simply put, I believe the ominous comments made by the Skrull Emperor in New Avengers:Illuminati #1 seem to suggest that the Skrull took what they needed to perfectly mimic someone, powers and all. As such, I posit that Wanda Maximoff was replaced, but her powers were so awesome that the Skrull could not keep control of them, and she went wild, her grip on reality so polluted even she couldn't recall she was a Skrull. However, everything that happened and came out of that series would remain intact.

Suspects

So how about a run down of Skrull suspects? Okay then.

1. Namor - This could explain the Atlatean sleeper agents, and also why in the recent issue of Illuminati why he had a takeover fantasy...could it have been giving away his desire, but not the nature of it?     
2. Black Bolt - Tough to say with this one, I simply would say it's a possibilty. Certainly explain how the Hulk kicked his ass so easily.
3. The President of the United States - This is why he told NIck Fury to do nothing over Latveria in Secret War because presumably, the new ruler was also Skrull. Explains how she survived. And the presidents actions would be peculiar otherwise, wouldn't they?
4. Ares - He is the God of War, and yet a female, fleshy Ultron babe can kick his ass with lightening bolts? Normal lightening bolts, not the lightening bolts of Zeus. Also, would explain the plot holes in Mighty Avengers #1 when Ares says he has a young son, whereas at this point, given weird timelines, Ares should be battling to save his teenage son from the Japanese pantheon at this time.
5. Black Widow - Used to be Nick Fury's most trusted accomplice, but now he is incommunicado with her, and she is a hero that is Pro-Reg? Doesn't make sense. 
6. Wonder Man - No reason, I just don't like him, so hope he is. 

I do not believe any of the New Avengers are Skrull, as Dr. Strange's spell would have revealed that. I could go on forever, but I won't.

One more thing though, which has bugged me. Skrulls have been shown to be able to survive broken necks, and being shot, being 'sploded by Speed, and sliced and diced by Wolverine...but a ninja sword kills one?

If this is not a plot hole...if this is done on purpose...

Elektra is a Skrull...


...and she's still alive.