Jarvis, Aunt May, and the Secret Invasion (Potential Spoilers)

[worstblogever]

Alright, I've seen this mentioned here or there in smatterings over the past few months, with theories thrown out. I did a search, and couldn't find a specific thread about the topic, so lo and behold, it's created now.

This speculation might spoil both Secret Invasion, or upcoming Spidey stories, but I admit, it's all speculative. But not a total shot in the dark...
Alright, Secret Invasion #1-3 has shown us that Jarvis is a Skrull. In fact, some of the New Avengers issues that are Secret Invasion tie-ins have shown us that the Jarvis who was rehired by Tony Stark in New Avengers was, in fact, a Skrull since the team reunited with him tending to Stark Tower/ the Sentry's Tower.

Now, note that prior to Civil War, Jarvis the Skrull paid a lot of mind to Peter Parker's Aunt May. There seemed to be some attraction there, and they even went on a few dates, right? Jarvis even showed up when Aunt May was on life support after being shot by the assassin hired by the Kingpin to check up on her.

Now, I've seen plenty of claims that the Aunt May who was shot was a Skrull, but at what point do you all think the switch happened? Did it happen when she was found by Peter Parker after being held captive of Norman Osborn for so long? Was it in Marvel Knights Spider-Man, when Norman kidnapped her and buried her alive? Was it at some point during the Jarvis/Aunt May courtship at Avengers Tower? Or did he swoop in and pull the switch while she was on life support?

Or is it still really Aunt May?

Again, this has more than a few BND/OMD critics hedging their bets, since if Peter and MJ made a deal with Mephisto for the life of a Skrull imposter, and not really Aunt May at all, it begs the question...

Why was the Skrull Jarvis so taken with one old Earth biddy?

And... this is where you wonder if these details will all work out and make sense, or end up making some major storyline (either BND/OMD, or Secret Invasion) have a major glitch in continuity. Thoughts?

[fanboyspodcast]

For an old broad Auny May has certainly been through alot. If I was her I'd go back to that doctor who first diagnosed me with a "bad heart" and ask for a second opinion.

This whole thing wreaks of soap opera in the worst possible way. I'm still wondering how Aunt May and Jarvis ever built any form of relationship if nobody knew Pete's identity and thus how would May have met Jarvis in the first place...did they hit it off at Bingo?

Marvel would have been better off leaving her in the ground after ASM 400 which is one of the more touching comics I've read. A well told story that honored the character and the rich history behind her and didn't mire it down in this sort of lousy mediocrity.

That all said, I hope she's a Skrull because...WHY NOT! If the Devil likes her and an alien race likes her...then there's something special about that old bag of bones!

G.

[fanboyspodcast]

Oops...site glitched on me.

Damn Skrulls have gotten into our technology too.

G.

[matthewaos]

For an old broad Auny May has certainly been through alot. If I was her I'd go back to that doctor who first diagnosed me with a "bad heart" and ask for a second opinion.

This whole thing wreaks of soap opera in the worst possible way. I'm still wondering how Aunt May and Jarvis ever built any form of relationship if nobody knew Pete's identity and thus how would May have met Jarvis in the first place...did they hit it off at Bingo?

Marvel would have been better off leaving her in the ground after ASM 400 which is one of the more touching comics I've read. A well told story that honored the character and the rich history behind her and didn't mire it down in this sort of lousy mediocrity.

That all said, I hope she's a Skrull because...WHY NOT! If the Devil likes her and an alien race likes her...then there's something special about that old bag of bones!

G.

What the guy saying.

[ZT4]

Aunt May being a Skrull would justify her return since ASM Issue 400's events count word-for-word in MC2 as happening to the REAL May, not an actress.

And to top it off, they ought to reveal Norman's been in collaberation with a Skull faction for years, that's how The Scriers have their powers.

[Matt Linton]

I think a lot depends on if the Jarvis Skrull was a sleeper agent (believing he was Jarvis until activated at specific times) or knew he was a Skrull all along.

[agrich]

Most likely Bendis didn't tell anyone else that Jarvis was a Skrull, so the person writing all the Jarvis/Aunt May stuff had no idea. Aunt May ain't no Skrull.

[Mister Mets]

If Jarvis were a Skrull, it would make sense for him to be as close to Aunt May as possible, in the event that Spider-Man could somehow prove useful to them.

I'm pretty sure Aunt May's not a Skrull, if only due to the difficulty of tying that revelation into Amazing Spider-Man's schedule.

[Thursaiz]

Since 'Jarviskrull' had access to everyone's secret identity since New Avengers #1, it is more than plausible that May is a Skrull. That would definitely explain why he made the visit to the hospital to ensure her survival.

Of course, if May is a Skrull, then it has to be explored that MJ might be as well. If they wanted to get close to Peter, that would be the perfect opportunity. I mean, she was the one who wanted the deal with Mephisto more than Peter. The thought of Mephisto putting this whole thing into motion knowing that MJ or May were Skrulls is just delicious :)

That said, I'm hoping that BND is just some Skrull-induced dream sequence.

[SkinFromBone]

It's kind of fun to read the last parts of OMD and pretend MJ is a Skrull.. :biggrin:

[Matt Linton]

Most likely Bendis didn't tell anyone else that Jarvis was a Skrull, so the person writing all the Jarvis/Aunt May stuff had no idea. Aunt May ain't no Skrull.

Secret Invasion has been planned since Avengers Disassembled, and Marvel does summits a few times a year where they lay out plans for the next several months. There's no reason to think the pre-BND Spidey writers didn't know who was and wasn't a Skrull.

[HartyPotter]

It definitely possible that Skull-arvis slept with Aunt May before he figured out that he was a Skrull. Gross, but it was already gross in the first place.

[gorthon616]

Secret Invasion has been planned since Avengers Disassembled, and Marvel does summits a few times a year where they lay out plans for the next several months. There's no reason to think the pre-BND Spidey writers didn't know who was and wasn't a Skrull.

There is "planned" and there is "planned."

It's been noted by Bendis that he originally planned on this being an Avengers-only plotline that somehow was decided to be the next yearly-event later in development. Also Bendis saying in an interview that Skrull identities were kept a secret to other writers for awhile. Something like "I pointed to this character and said 'that's a Skrull' and only me and the artist knew about it" or something like that.

And really given that they are playing the cheap out of "they believe that they are who they are pretending to be" and "have no way of being detected." There really isn't even much of a point in telling anyone who is and isn't a Skrull, because it's not like they would be writing them any differently.

[agrich]

I don't think he'd feel it was important to let Spider-man writers know that Jarvis was a Skrull. In fact, you'd have to think the last thing he'd want would be for another writer to use one of his minor supporting characters in a suspicious way, for fear of spoiling his story.

I know Bendis always planned for there to BE a Secret Invasion storyline, but that certainly doesn't mean he not only knew who all the Skrulls would be but was sharing that information with other writers. I wouldn't say the storyline really hinges on Jarvis being a Skrull. (Besides which, now that the secret plot has been revealed and the invasion is going on, is there any indication that having a Skrull close to Spider-man WAS important?)

[Quesada fanboy]

If Aunt May is a Skrull it would mean :

1) Pete threw away his Marriage to save the live of a despicable Skrull.
(Thats the main reason I verily doubt it !)
AND if she had died and so reverted to Skrull form Earth had been warned sooner than at Elektra-Skrulls Death.

2) Pete beat the Hell out of Kingpin because his man hurt an earth invading alien .

3 Tony Stark sent two Millions to save the Skrull, he before that invited into Avengers Tower.

4) Mr. Li ,sort of shapechanger himself, could be in for the shock of his Life if he ever tries to hurt her.

5) An "as close as could be relative"(to Pete) is much much harder to play than a fellow Superhero or reserved Butler. Did the same people train Skrull-May that trained Actress-May.?

6) An evil shapechanger (Chameleon), shapechanged into Pete, confronted and was tricked by another evil shapechanger(Skrull-May).Shame he didnt see through her Disguise as she did though his.
Oh yes. The TALES OF AVENGERS TOWER.

7) Slightly before that Evil shapechanged Skrull-May was confronted by an Evil shapechanged fellow alien (That other Chameleon from the Future) who had shapechanged to Uncle Ben the late husband of the Woman she herself had shapechanged into.

8) All the Time in the Coma she didnt forget her secret Mission and remained in her false form .

9) Would not in this case the Deal with Mephisto be broken. His Part was to fullfill his promise to save Aunt May, not a Skrull. And did Mephisto know or not know he cured a Skrull.

10) Interesting deja vu here with ASM 402"The Battle for Aunt Mays Soul"

[carabas]

Secret Invasion has been planned since Avengers Disassembled, and Marvel does summits a few times a year where they lay out plans for the next several months. There's no reason to think the pre-BND Spidey writers didn't know who was and wasn't a Skrull.
I do not have much confidence that much actual planning happens at these summits.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/Gugenheimer/CW-2.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/Gugenheimer/CW-1.jpg

[Red Lotus]

9) Would not in this case the Deal with Mephisto be broken. His Part was to fullfill his promise to save Aunt May, not a Skrull. And did Mephisto know or not know he cured a Skrull.


what if Aunt May was a Skrull and Peter deal brought the real Aunt May back.

[sonofagun]

I think a lot depends on if the Jarvis Skrull was a sleeper agent (believing he was Jarvis until activated at specific times) or knew he was a Skrull all along.

agreed, although I'm still confused as to why there were sleeper agents and other skrulls just playing the imposter role. Sleeper agents would obviously be impervious to telepathic scans et al because they actually BELIEVED that they were the person that they were apeing, unlike the others who should have been more suspicious because they would have had to be masking their thoughts constantly, in which case we would have been given some SERIOUS clues every time they were around a Telepath (illumainati: Prof X and Black Bolt)

[sonofagun]

Also.... didn't Mephisto kill Mockingbird?

[Cyclopsj316]

Even further questions raised with this issue...

- Does May even remember her time with Jarvis, or vice versa?
- Does May even remember her time with the avengers, or vice versa?

Only reason I ask, is because if nobody remembers pete's identity... There would be no reason for May to be in avengers tower with Jarvis, would there ?

oh, here comes another BND headache...

[Cyclopsj316]

I do not have much confidence that much actual planning happens at these summits.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/Gugenheimer/CW-2.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a288/Gugenheimer/CW-1.jpg

LOL, This is too funny. :biggrin:
Marvel Summit planning at it's best. :tongue:

[Matt Linton]

No, that would be JMS doing his own thing, like essentially repeating Paul Jenkins' Disassembled story for The Other, doing a "Kingpin gets beaten badly in front of his peers by a superhero" story shortly after Bendis did virtually the same story in Daredevil, and portraying Stark and Richards as far more villainous than virtually every other writer during Civil War.

[mikekerr3]

No, that would be JMS doing his own thing, like essentially repeating Paul Jenkins' Disassembled story for The Other, doing a "Kingpin gets beaten badly in front of his peers by a superhero" story shortly after Bendis did virtually the same story in Daredevil, and portraying Stark and Richards as far more villainous than virtually every other writer during Civil War.

Add the editors let him do so so much for planning if an writer can ignore the plans and the editors do absolutely nothing. Plans have no meaning unless they are followed

I think that Stark in Frontline is worse than Stark in ASM, more criminal at least. An editor had to sign off on this and since this was an essential lead in to Joe Q abortion called OMD/BND I doubt that he did not have approve it also.

Richard was not a villain in JMS's version just a moral coward and a weakling.

[DeadXMan]

Skrulls will sleep with anyone. it's that simple.

[carabas]

No, that would be JMS doing his own thing...JMS doing his own thing would not have involved a villainous Stark as he rather like the relationship between the two that he had built.

[Thursaiz]

Obviously when Marvel decided to reboot its flagship title, they must have a plan for some contingencies with Secret Invasion. If not, that is sad. But, until it has played out I will be patient.

If the Skrull gods know what is going on (as layed out in Incredible Hercules) than it is prudent to assume that Mephisto also knows about the invasion. If there is some sort of villain retaliation against the Skrulls, he may be included.

[Matt Linton]

JMS doing his own thing would not have involved a villainous Stark as he rather like the relationship between the two that he had built.

For all we know, he liked the relationship between the two because he knew it would come to an end. People are way to quick to assume that JMS was opposed to everything that happened from Sins Past on based on little to no evidence.

[carabas]

Isn't there a, interview with JMS in the OMD hardcover where he says that he was opposed to Stark and Peter having a falling out or something to that effect?

Mind you, I don't own that book, so this is hearsay. I might have been told baloney.

[DeadXMan]

Isn't there a, interview with JMS in the OMD hardcover where he says that he was opposed to Stark and Peter having a falling out or something to that effect?

Mind you, I don't own that book, so this is hearsay. I might have been told baloney.

buy the book and find out
it's a win win :tongue:

[Matt Linton]

Isn't there a, interview with JMS in the OMD hardcover where he says that he was opposed to Stark and Peter having a falling out or something to that effect?

Mind you, I don't own that book, so this is hearsay. I might have been told baloney.

Could be, and if so I stand corrected. I haven't read the hardcover, either.

[mikekerr3]

what if Aunt May was a Skrull and Peter deal brought the real Aunt May back.

Id May was a Skrul then she will be freed with the rest of the Skrull prisoners, no deal would be necessary. It took huge amounts of PIS to make the deal necessary in the first place along with an almost total ignorance of Marvel Continuity.

[gorthon616]

What if Spider-Man, Aunt May, Uncle Ben, J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie Robertson, Norman Osborn, Harry Osborne, Gwen Stacy, Doc Ock, Eddie Brock, and Flash Thompson are all Skrulls?

Or what if the Skrulls are really humans who have had their memories erased and been given shape-shifting powers?

In other words, don't beat your brains against the walls trying to find clues. This is less a mystery and more a Crackerjack Box. So just finish eating your caramel coated popcorn and nuts goodness and find out what your prize is when you finally get to it.

[worstblogever]

What if Spider-Man, Aunt May, Uncle Ben, J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie Robertson, Norman Osborn, Harry Osborne, Gwen Stacy, Doc Ock, Eddie Brock, and Flash Thompson are all Skrulls?

Or what if the Skrulls are really humans who have had their memories erased and been given shape-shifting powers?

In other words, don't beat your brains against the walls trying to find clues. This is less a mystery and more a Crackerjack Box. So just finish eating your caramel coated popcorn and nuts goodness and find out what your prize is when you finally get to it.

Don't be ridiculous. Spidey's not THAT important. That would be a total oversaturation of Peter's life by the Skrulls, and a complete waste of resources. :rolleyes:

We're speculating man. Educated speculation, here. It's been part of the whole fun of Secret Invasion, trying to connect the dots and guess who is, and isn't a Skrull. I'm not losing any sleep trying to piece together the ramifications, though.

[Quesada fanboy]

Don't be ridiculous. Spidey's not THAT important. That would be a total oversaturation of Peter's life by the Skrulls, and a complete waste of resources. :rolleyes:

OK, But she lived in Avengers Tower for a while, was meant by Stark to live there for a long time. Perhaps the Skrulls needed for some reason one more (absolutely harmless seeming person) within the Tower. A Person that could come and go as she pleased, not restricted by Avengers or a Butlers Dutys.
Besides that Aunt May pushed Pete to his unmasking.
Petes unmasking was meant to push as many Heroes as possible to unmasking.
Unmasking Heroes was meant to make them more vulnerable.
More vulnerable Heroes give the Skrulls an additional Edge.

[Joe Acro]

If Aunt May were a Skrull, you could theoretically chalk up the extreme measures Peter and Mary Jane went to get her back as some form of mind control. Perhaps submitted over several years in subtly, to make the drive subconscious when the assassination attempt came.

And if that were true, the Skrulls weren't aiming for Peter. They were aiming for May.