Secret Invasion Can Set Up Rhodey’s Best MCU Future (Not As A Superhero)

Marvel’s upcoming Secret Invasion Disney+ series has a unique opportunity to set up a perfect future for James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The exciting series, which is set to premiere this spring, will mark Rhodey’s first appearance since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier almost two years ago. Leading up to Armor Wars, Rhodey’s long-awaited and highly anticipated solo film, Secret Invasion will likely include several hints at the character’s trajectory in the MCU. However, after a long and storied tenure in the Avengers, it may be time for Rhodes to leave War Machine behind and move forward with a different aspect of his career.

Secret Invasion is a vitally important MCU series, adapting the 2008 comic book event of the same name by Brian Michael Bendis. In the series, Nick Fury and his companions will uncover a clandestine Skrull invasion of Earth that has been occurring under humanity’s nose for decades. As a result, many MCU characters will be revealed as Skrull imposters, thereby changing the political landscape of the franchise forever. Rhodes has been confirmed as one of several important MCU characters returning in the series, though the true capacity of his appearance has yet to be revealed. Nevertheless, the early footage for Secret Invasion hints at what his role may be therein.

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Rhodey’s Best MCU Future Is As Vice President, Not A Superhero

Secret Invasion can restore War Machine’s original MCU purpose by making him the Vice President of the United States. When he was first introduced, Rhodey was the Air Force liaison to Tony Stark during his superhero endeavors, acting on behalf of his government to ensure that Iron Man didn’t take matters too far. However, this part of Rhodey’s arc has become diluted over the years, with his Air Force background rarely coming into play during the later phases of the MCU. The first trailer for Secret Invasion hints that this could finally be changing, with several key details hinting that he may already be the Vice President during the series.

War Machine’s Secret Invasion return hints at a massive future for the character in the Multiverse Saga, and becoming Vice President would certainly fulfill this requirement. Rhodey does become Vice President in the comics, fueling rumors that the MCU could be preparing to adapt this storyline. Secret Invasion is already expected to introduce Dermot Mulroney’s President Ritson, hinting at the political aspect of the series. Furthermore, promotional footage reveals Rhodey wearing the quintessential American flag pin on his lapel and flocked by several armed guards, suggesting that he has taken up an important role in the government by the events of the upcoming series.

After replacing Terrence Howard as War Machine in 2010, Don Cheadle quickly became one of the MCU’s most frequently recurring actors. In fact, after Secret Invasion and Armor Wars, Cheadle will have appeared in eleven MCU projects, signaling that his time as a featured player in the franchise may be coming to an end. As a result, Rhodey probably won’t be suiting up as War Machine for much longer, but that doesn’t mean that he won’t continue to appear in the MCU. Rhodey taking a leadership role in a government office would allow Cheadle to continue to cameo in future projects without signing a massive new deal with Marvel.

Rhodey Nearly Became Vice President Much Earlier In The MCU

Although Avengers: Endgame saw Rhodey continue his government service, the film very nearly included a more exciting subplot that would have included his appointment as Vice President of the United States. After the film’s release in 2019, screenwriter Christopher Markus revealed in an interview that one early draft of the script had Rhodey becoming the Vice President during the five-year time jump. This would have fit in with the other surviving Avengers’ storylines during the Blip, which saw many of them move on and start new lives following their defeat in Infinity War. However, the film’s final cut barely addressed Rhodey’s story during the time jump.

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Marvel cut several exciting scenes from Endgame during the early stages of the film’s development, but Rhodey’s Vice President subplot is one that can still occur in the future of the MCU. Markus revealed that the development simply had no “story weight” in the context of Endgame‘s plot and was therefore cut. However, Rhodey’s burgeoning political career is still a storyline that the MCU may elect to revisit in the coming years, especially with his own solo film coming up. Secret Invasion has the chance to salvage this scrapped Endgame storyline and set up Rhodey’s political career for Armor Wars and any other future MCU project to feature the character.

The Avengers Desperately Need A Political Liason

The Avengers would greatly benefit from political representation. Even after She-Hulk revealed that the Sokovia Accords were repealed, the Avengers have a recurring problem with their public image that extends far beyond the United Nations’ feeble attempt at controlling superhuman activity. Unfortunately, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have earned a reputation for putting the world in danger just as often as they save it, always finding themselves one public relations nightmare away from becoming vilified by the global community. Their reputation for not following orders and doing whatever they please makes them dangerous and, therefore, far less trustworthy to the countless citizens caught in the crossfire of one of their many battles.

Rhodey’s appointment as Vice President could go a long way in fixing the Avengers’ damaged reputation. Although Rhodey himself was nearly court-martialed in Infinity War for helping Captain America’s Avengers, he certainly has a much better reputation for following orders than his superpowered allies. Rhodey can help further legitimize the group and help to find a compromise that works for everybody involved. The Avengers would be far more likely to heed the advice of a former group member, and the government would be inclined to make necessary concessions on behalf of the Vice President, marking a significant change in the Avengers’ relationship with the government.

How Becoming Vice President Will Affect Rhodey’s Storyline In Armor Wars

Becoming Vice President would certainly affect Rhodey’s storyline in his upcoming Phase 6 solo film, Armor Wars. In fact, Secret Invasion can connect to Armor Wars by introducing Rhodey’s new position, teasing what it might mean for his future. Armor Wars is expected to see Rhodey cleaning up the late Tony Stark’s legacy by fighting villains that have obtained his advanced technology and are using it for their own purposes. As Vice President, Rhodey would have unprecedented access to the government’s records on these individuals, allowing him to locate and apprehend anyone appropriating Stark’s inventions. However, it may not only be supervillains looking to acquire Stark tech.

Even the United States government itself has dabbled in creating its own suits of Iron Man armor. Iron Man 2 revealed that the military had attempted to replicate Stark’s design, though they were, in Tony’s words, about “a decade away” from success. Now, over a decade removed from this moment, the military may be close to creating more Iron Man suits in Armor Wars. This would put Rhodey in the precarious position of preserving Tony’s legacy from a political viewpoint. Rhodey certainly has a major future ahead of him in Secret Invasion and Armor Wars, and his new position as the Vice President will test the character like never before.

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