Warning: This article contains spoilers for Secret Invasion episode six.
Let’s be honest: despite their big budget action sequences, the incredible star power of their casts, and the oodles of cash that gets thrown around to make their projects, the MCU often doesn’t make sense. This isn’t an inherent criticism of the franchise format per se, but just a simple fact of basing a universe (or multiple universes) off nearly a century of often contradictory source material that relies heavily on a suspension of disbelief. Yet, fans of the franchise and even studio heads seem convinced of the need to tell us all that every action in the universe makes sense and has consequences beyond the film or show they took place in — including earth-shattering revelations like the one that took place at the end of Secret Invasion.
What began as a noir spy drama descended into the usual Marvel confusion thanks to the fact that franchise heads are desperate to keep everything in the same universe, even when a plotline in one show has outcomes that will make the rest of the content that much harder to craft in a way that follows the MCU’s own logic. So, the fact that the President of the United States has openly declared war on the Skrulls should have some far-reaching consequences, especially as Secret Invasion is set around this time, in terms of date. This means that any MCU projects taking place in the near future will also have to deal with the fact that humanity is in an interplanetary war — a fact many fans are certain will be swept under the rug as it’s simply too much to deal with.
As discussed on the Marvel Studios subreddit, Captain America: Brave New World will be taking place in a timeline in which humankind is officially battling the Skrulls (the invasion not being so secret, anymore). Although, like most MCU projects, we don’t know the intricacies of the plot yet, the film is a follow-up to The Falcon and the Winter Soldier television series, so we can look to that show to see some potential storylines. One thing we’re pretty sure won’t be mentioned in any major way is the Skrulls, so it’s not looking good for anyone who thinks we’ll see how the war is affecting the universe. With that said, some fans are sure that the events at the end of Secret Invasion will play a part in Brave New World, albeit in a way that most wouldn’t have envisioned.
Some even joked about the fact the President would have to also brush Skrull attempts on his predecessor’s life under the rug.
Of course, this is all speculation. For all we know, the writers and producers might have some elegant, genius solution that will maintain the integrity of Secret Invasion’s consequences, while focusing on Captain America’s story. However, if the way the MCU bungled the multiverse is anything to go by, it’s likely we’re just going to get a whole lot more confusion.