Skrull Invasion

Lore & Background

Millions of years ago, in the main Marvel continuity, the Celestials performed genetic experiments on the reptilian ancestors of the Skrulls, resulting in three branches: the Prime, the Deviants, and the Eternals. The Deviant branch, possessing the innate ability to shapeshift, eventually rose to dominance, but contrary to some accounts, they did not wipe out the other branches; both Prime and Eternal Skrulls persisted in various forms. The Skrulls originated from Skrullos as a warlike and expansionist empire, always aggressive conquerors long before the Kree–Skrull War. Their civilization was built on conquest and subjugation, not free trade and mutual cooperation. After Skrullos was destroyed, the Skrull Throneworld was moved to Tarnax IV, with their empire encompassing over fifty worlds. The Skrulls also created the first Cosmic Cube, which later became the Shaper of Worlds; upon attaining self-awareness, he lashed out, destroying two-thirds of the Skrull Empire.

In Their Own Story

The Skrulls became aware of Earth when they discovered a space warp linking Earth and Throneworld. They saw Earth as a world to conquer but were content to hold off a full invasion. In 1958, Skrulls attempted to sabotage Earth's space program, battling the 3-D Man. Later, a small scouting party used their shape-shifting powers to impersonate the Fantastic Four, committing crimes to turn the country against them. The Fantastic Four located the Skrulls and tricked their leaders into believing Earth was full of threats, withdrawing the Skrull fleet. Mister Fantastic directed three of the four Skrulls left behind to shape-shift into cows and hypnotized them to remember nothing. In retaliation, Emperor Dorrek VII dispatched Kl'rt, the Super-Skrull, to Earth to defeat the Fantastic Four. Kl'rt possessed the combined powers of the entire Fantastic Four plus shape-shifting and hypnotism, holding the team at bay until Mister Fantastic jammed the ray powering him. The Super-Skrull later posed as Franklin Storm after transporting him to the Skrull Throneworld, and another Skrull killed Storm by attaching a bomb to his chest. The Fantastic Four later found Warlord Morrat responsible for Storm's murder. Later, Empress R'klll staged a coup, killed Emperor Dorrek VII, and became ruling Empress. The greatest blow came when Galactus consumed Tarnax IV, killing seven billion Skrulls, including R'klll and Princess Anelle. The Skrull Empire collapsed into hundreds of bickering factions, and a civil war began.

Reader's Guide

Understanding the Skrull Invasion is essential for grasping the stakes of conflict in this universe. Players will encounter references to this threat through character dialogue and environmental storytelling that hint at past infiltrations. The lore emphasizes the importance of identity verification during missions. While not every enemy is a shapeshifter, the history of these invasions creates an atmosphere of paranoia that drives narrative tension across different game modes. Fans should look for subtle visual cues in character models or mission briefings that allude to this ongoing struggle against deception. This backdrop enriches the gameplay by adding depth to why certain heroes must work together despite their differences.

Did You Know?

• The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
• The Skrull Empire is located in the Andromeda Galaxy, originating from the planet Skrullos.
• The Skrulls created the first Cosmic Cube, which later became the Shaper of Worlds, and it was the Shaper himself who destroyed two-thirds of their empire.
• Galactus consumed Tarnax IV, though the exact number of Skrull casualties remains unspecified, and Princess Anelle was not killed in that event—she was later slain by the Kree.
• The Kree–Skrull War produced a hybrid child, Hulkling, born of Captain Marvel and Skrull princess Anelle.