Secret Invasion: Runaways/Young Avengers #3

May 1, 2024 Nick Peron

Secret Invasion continues from Secret Invasion: Inhumans #2…

Months Ago

Xavin was in Super Skrull training with his instructor, Commander Chrell. Only armed with a spear, Chrell is able to evades all the powers of the Fantastic Four with ease. Defeated, Xavin considers himself a failure and not worthy of living up to the legacy of Kl’rt, the original Super-Skrull. Chrell tells the youth that Kl’rt faired no better in his early training session and imparts an important lesson: When up against a superior foe, the Skrull way is to find their weakness and exploit it.

Now

A sect of Skrull religious extremists have invaded the planet Earth and Commander Chrell has been ordered to find Dorrek VIII (aka Teddy Altman, aka Hulkling of the Young Avengers), the next in line of the Skrull throne, and eliminate him lest he gain influence over their people.[1] He has learned that his former student, Xavin, is protecting Dorrek and so he has sent his assassin, X’iv to eliminate them all. Helping to get Teddy to safety are his fellow Young Avengers — Wiccan (Billy Kaplan, also Teddy’s boyfriend) and Speed (Tommy Shepherd). Billy and Tommy want to reunite with the rest of their team, but Xavin says they need to have Teddy send a broadcast to the Skrull invaders and order them to stand down. They figure they can use the television station at Rockafeller Plaza.

However, before they can go there, they are teleported to a nearby park by X’iv. She then uses her cloak to ensnare both Wiccan and Speed. Xavin remembers her from training together and tries to tell her to let their captives go. That’s when his former commander arrives with the rest of the Runaways — Karolina Dean, Molly Hayes, Victor Mancha, Nico Minoru, Klara Prast, Chase Stein, and Old Lace — as his prisoners as well. Chrell threatens to kill Xavin’s bride-to-be, Karolina, unless he eliminates Dorrek for them.[2] Xavin tries to remind his former master that he never believed in prophesy before and questions why he is following this mad invasion.[3] The Commander admits that is still true, but this invasion is not prophecy, but divine will.

By this point, Klara is deeply upset and wants to be somewhere safe. In her emotional state she manages to tap into her abilities to control plants to cause a massive tree trunk to shoot out of the ground and hit Chrell, freeing Karolina and the others. While the Runways and Young Avengers split up to fight on two fronts, Speed is ordered to get Klara and Molly — the youngest of the Runaways — out of harms way. Grabbing the two girls he speeds off and comes back moments later.

Ultimately, the finally battle comes down to faith as Teddy struggles with X’iv. He tells her that the Skrull god spoke to him and said that he doesn’t love her. This alleged rejection causes X’iv to pause long enough for Hulkling to knock her out with a single headbutt. Meanwhile, Karolina joins Xavin in the battle with Chrell. Unable to defeat the two youths, Chrell decides to incinerate them both in a nova flare. However, Xavin is able to trap his teacher in an invisible force field that contains the blaze and Chrell only succeeds incinerating himself.

In the aftermath of the battle, Teddy asks Xavin why he still believes in him when he doesn’t want to take the Skrull throne. He is told that Xavin hopes that some day that Teddy will assume his responsibility and that hope is what keeps him going. Teddy then bows before Xavin and calls him his savior. With the immediate battle over, the Young Avengers are planning on joining Nick Fury and Earth’s other heroes in the final push back in Central Park.[4] When Nico offers the Runaways to help out, Wiccan points out that the last battle took a lot out of them and they should get to safety instead. Nico reluctantly agrees but tells Wiccan to make it out alive because they have lost too many friends recently.[5]

That’s when everyone asks Speed where he took Klara and Molly. He dropped them off in front of Mount Rushmore. There, Klara is enjoying the peace and bountiful flowers while Molly fumes and vows to beat Speed up for pulling her out of battle.

… Secret Invasion will continue in Secret Invasion #6.

Recurring Characters

Runaways (Karoline Dean, Molly Hayes, Victor Mancha, Nico Minoru, Klara Prast, Chase Stein, Xavin, Old Lace), Young Avengers (Hulkling, Wiccan, Speed), Commander Chrell, X’iv

Continuity Notes

This story takes place during the Secret Invasion even which takes place primarily in Secret Invasion #1-8, and various crossover issues listed below. Teddy was revealed to be the son of the Skrull Princess Anelle and the Kree Captain Marvel in Young Avengers #9-12.
Karolina and Xavin were arranged to be married, as explained in Runaways (vol. 2) #6-7.
Chrell claimed to be a non-believer in a flashback that happened last issue.
Central Park proves to be the final battle ground in the invasion, as we’ll see in Secret Invasion #5-7.
Nico is referring to Gert Yorkes, a founding member of the Runaways who was killed in Runaways (vol. 2) #18. She will be resurrected in Runaways (vol. 5) #1.

Secret Invasion Reading Order