How Did Secret Invasion End in the Comics?

Secret Invasion, the finished series on Disney Plus, is based on a comic series of the same name. But while the general premise, Skrulls infiltrating society, is the same, the comics’ conclusion is very, very different. If you’re wondering how exactly did Secret Invasion end in the comics, here’s the answer.

The End of the Secret Invasion Marvel Comics Series Explained

Secret Invasion, penned by Brian Michael Bendis, was a big, big cross-comic event. The core series ran for eight issues, but other comics, such as The Amazing Spider-Man, all had their own side-stories.

Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four invented a Skrull-unmasking machine, which gave the heroes the edge they needed. Prior to that, they were unsure whom they could trust. With the impostors exposed, the Avengers took the fight to the Skrulls and their leader, Queen Veranke.

There was a massive battle in New York, in and around Central Park, with the Avengers taking on Skrulls and Super Skrulls. When it became apparent that they were winning, Queen Veranke activated her secret weapon, a serum that Skrull Hank Pym had previously injected into Janet Van Dyne, the Wasp.

This turned into her a human bomb, and Thor was forced to kill her. However, Queen Veranke, who had been masquerading as Spider-Woman, was shot and killed by Norman Osborn, the former Green Goblin. That final shot was televised, making Osborn a hero in the public eye.

Seeing this, and recognizing the public support Osborn had, the American president put Osborn in charge of all of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s assets, as part of his Thunderbolt Initiative. Tony Stark, on the other hand, became persona non grata, with the president declaring that they would no longer make use of Starktech.

Could Osborn have been turning over a new leaf? Not in the least. The final page of Secret Invasion had him meeting with Doctor Doom, Loki, the Hood, and others, explaining, “This is how things are going to be.”

How does Secret Invasion Episode 6 Compare to the Comics?

Secret Invasion episode 6 had very little in common with the comics. The big advantage Bendis had with the comics was that budget was a non-issue, and he could also include any superhero he wanted. Even if the Disney Plus series did have a $212 million budget, Iron Man and Captain America are no longer part of the MCU, after Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans made their exit.

The comic had a massive superhero brawl, taking place in the middle of New York, with the bulk of the Avengers present. Episode 6 had a one-on-one fight in the grounds of an old factory, with not an Avenger in sight. Episode 6 did show the kidnapped humans being recovered, something that happened in the comic.

And as in the comic, the president made a terrible, terrible decision. In the show he effectively declared war on Earth’s non-human residents, and in the comic, he put Normal Osborn in charge.

But apart from that, episode 6 of Secret Invasion and the final issue of the comics series are very, very different. So if you’re curious about how Secret Invasion ended in the comic and how it compared to episode 6 of the show, that’s everything you need to know.