Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #3

Secret Invasion continues from Secret Invasion: Front Line #2…

High school students Kinsey Walden, Ali Starck, and Ethan have found themselves in midtown Manhattan during the Skrull invasion of Earth.[1] With Ali seriously injured and bleeding out, Kinsey and Ethan panic over what to do. Kinsey blames herself for dragging her best friend into this situation. That’s when they are confronted by the Young Avengers known as Hulkling (Teddy Altman), and Wiccan (Billy Kaplan), who trying to defend the city from the alien invaders.

Due to the fact that Hulkling is half-Skrull, Kinsey and Ethan do not trust him. Despite his efforts to calm them down. Walton then pulls out the strange clarinet-like weapon she stole from the Skrull disguised as her brother, Hank, earlier that night and threatens the two heroes with it.[2] However, before she can blast the pair, the weapon and Ali suddenly vanish from sight. This is due to Speed (Tommy Shepherd), the Young Avengers’ resident speedster. When he returns Tommy tells Kinsey and Ethan that he brought Ali to a hospital for treatment. He admits that he doesn’t know if she’ll pull through because of her injuries, but at least now she has a fighting chance.

When Kinsey starts explaining how her brother Hank was replaced with a Skrull.[3] This leads to an account of what happened. What they can’t figure out is why Hank was replaced to begin with. That’s when Kinsey realizes that they haven’t seen her “brother” since the car crash. The Young Avengers decide to get Kinsey and Ethan to safety. Along the way, the teens see the full scope of the death and destruction going on around them. Kinsey, eventually gets it in her head the possibility she might be a Skrull herself. However, Hulkling and Wiccan try to convince her that she is not — otherwise why would “Hank” be trying to kill her — but even they can’t be 100% certain.

They end up finding the Initiative and remaining members of the Young Avengers fighting Super Skrulls. Kinsey watches in horror as both the Vision of the Young Avengers, and Proton of the Initiative are seemingly killed.[4] Her screams of anger prompts a giant-sized Skrull to snatch Kinsey off the ground. That’s when Nick Fury and his Secret Warriors — Quake (Daisy Johnson), (Sebastian) Druid, Hellfire (J.T. James), Slingshot (Yo-Yo Rodriguez), and Stonewall (Jery Sledge) arrive. Thanks to Quake’s seismic powers, the Skrulls ends up dropping Kinsey to her apparent doom.

… Secret Invasion continues in Secret Invasion: X-Men #1.

Recurring Characters

Kinsey Walden, Ali Starck, Ethan, Skrulls, Young Avengers (Patriot, Hulkling, Wiccan, Hawkeye, Vision, Speed), Initiative (Diamondback, Prodigy, Proton, Red 9, Stature, Sunstreak), Secret Warriors (Nick Fury, Quake, Druid, Hellfire, Phobos, Slingshot, Stonewall)

Continuity Notes

This story takes place during the Secret Invasion event. The primary tale is told in Secret Invasion #1-8, and the various crossover issues. See below for a full listing.
Kinsey discovered that her brother was swapped out with a Skrull in Secret Invasion: Home Invasion #1. She also managed to steal this stupid looking weapon from him.
Hulkling is half Kree and half Skrull, as seen in Young Avengers #9-12.
We see these deaths from the heroes perspective in Secret Invasion #3. The Vision isn’t really killed and will be back on his feet in Secret Invasion #5. Proton isn’t so lucky, and (as of this writing in November, 2024), he is still considered among the deceased.

Errors

One of the heroes fighting with the Initiative is depicted as wearing a costume similar to what Thor typically wears, and they are carrying some kind of hammer. However, it this is most likely an error on the part of artist Nick Postic. This is due to the status of anyone who could have resembled Thor at this time:
- The real Thor is busy in Broxton, Oklahoma in Secret Invasion: Thor #1-3. He won’t join the fight in New York until Secret Invasion #4.
- Beta Ray Bill was also otherwise pre-occupied in Secret Invasion: Thor #1-3.
- Thor Girl: Was replaced with a Skrull sometime prior to Avengers: The Initiative #1. This impostor was currently in Georgia as part of the 50-State Initiative’s Calvary team. She is exposed and slain in Avengers: The Initiative #18.
- One could assume that this is yet another Super-Skrull and that perhaps they weren’t fighting with the Initiative, but against them.