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Emilia Clarke has recently taken her first steps into the Marvel Universe by participating in Marvel Studios' Secret Invasion. Her casting had spurred fans to quickly speculate about her character's identity.
The combined influence of a marquee name like Clarke's and the Samuel L. Jackson-led Secret Invasion, Marvel Studios' inaugural "event series," led to speculation. However, it was later revealed that Clarke would embody G'iah, the Skrull offspring of Ben Mendelsohn's Talos.
Emilia Clarke's star power was expected to elevate G'iah, first introduced in 2019's Captain Marvel, to a higher tier in the MCU. Alas, the character's arc was seemingly cut short in the third episode of the Disney+ series when G'iah is shot and presumed dead.
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So what does Clarke's future have in store in this juggernaut film/TV franchise?
Warning: Spoilers for episode 3 of Secret Invasion follow.
The fate of Emilia Clarke in Secret Invasion: Is the demise a misdirection?
As episode 4 of Secret Invasion looms, the most plausible scenario suggests that Clarke's G'iah survived Gravik's gunshot, a classic plot twist in espionage thrillers. Supporting this theory is the ample footage from the trailer showcasing G'iah in scenes yet to be aired.
This cliffhanger seems overtly foreshadowed. If G'iah is indeed deceased and the trailer was a mere decoy, it would mean that Clarke's stint in the MCU was limited to a brief three-episode appearance, a disappointing outcome for fans.
Thus, the most probable hypothesis is that G'iah's death is a ruse, though this storyline may dampen expectations for Clarke's future MCU trajectory.
However, assuming Gravik did pull the trigger, trailer clues suggest Clarke's narrative in the MCU is far from over. Given Skrulls' shape-shifting abilities, the focus may shift to the human form G'iah had assumed.
The saga continues: G'iah's conclusion and the rise of Abigail Brand in the MCU
The MCU lore suggests that the longer a Skrull impersonates a human, the harder it becomes to detect them. G'iah has maintained her human disguise for a considerable period, hinting at a high-stakes game of infiltration.
Enter Abigail Brand - a favorite amongst Marvel fans and a significant figure in the X-Men universe. A half-alien, half-human/mutant, Brand's comic book character is renowned for her uncompromising leadership of SWORD, her reluctant alliance with the X-Men, and her meteoric rise within the US Government.
Recently, Brand has led SWORD, recruiting numerous mutant superheroes to join her ranks. This character aligns better with initial expectations for Clarke in the MCU and is an apt choice for a Skrull takeover in Secret Invasion, considering her primary role in warding off alien invasions.
Although G'iah's chapter may have concluded, the saga of Brand could be on the horizon.
Abigail Brand's origin story: Deviating from the X-Men comics in the MCU
One approach to align Skrulls and Abigail Brand in the MCU could involve using the unfolding plot of Secret Invasion to construct Brand's origin story. The narrative could deviate from her traditional association with the X-Men in the comics.
Gravik's super Skrull abilities, including healing via Extremis, have been demonstrated in Secret Invasion. If G'iah had accessed this technology, it could explain her survival from the seemingly lethal gunshot.
With G'iah's likely return in episode 4, there is a possible route to introducing Abigail Brand. A plot twist could compel G'iah to ally with Talos and Nick Fury, successfully thwarting the Skrull Invasion.
A possible outcome could involve Fury appointing G'iah to a position in SABRE (MCU's replacement for the compromised SWORD), where she maintains her human form as "Abigail Brand."
This scenario offers a plausible MCU explanation for Brand's half-alien origins and high-ranking role, effectively leveraging Clarke's star power.
Emilia Clarke's MCU journey: Anticipation for episode 4
The idea of Clarke portraying Abigail Brand has been more than mere fan speculation. The visual resemblance and star power align, and Secret Invasion offers a fitting platform to introduce Brand ahead of other MCU projects, including The Marvels.
An early promotional GIF for Secret Invasion featuring Clarke's character was fueling the theory. Although the GIF showcased G'iah, the metadata revealed the tag "#Abigail-Brand."
This could be a coincidence, but given the ambiguous ending for G'iah, the likelihood of Clarke's continued presence, and the swift removal of the Brand-related metadata from the GIF by Marvel Studios, this speculation holds considerable weight.
Emilia Clarke's MCU journey continues with Secret Invasion episode 4, premiering on Disney+ on Wednesday, July 12.
