In Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion, we learned that in the MCU, the Kree destroyed the Skrull’s homeworld Skrullos, leaving the entire species as a roaming diaspora around the galaxy. It was one enemy that brought them down to the level we first encountered in Captain Marvel. But the Skrull Empire was much more powerful in the pages of Marvel Comics with several different events to cripple them. Despite their long conflict with the Kree Empire in the comics, it was something far bigger and badder that destroyed the home planet of the Skrulls.
The Skrulls’ Journey From Skrullos to Throneworld
Despite Skrulls having been a part of the Marvel Universe since Fantastic Four #2 way back in 1962, the original Skrull homeworld did not appear in print until 2008’s The Incredible Hercules. Skrullos was where the species originated from, somewhere in the Andromeda galaxy. Their shapeshifting powers were the result of genetic tampering by the godlike Celestials. Yes, the very same beings who created the Eternals and the Deviants on Earth. These shapeshifting powers led to civil wars on Skrullos, where the “changing peoples” dominated the rest of the species. Around 100,000 Earth years ago, the Skrull Empire relocated to a new world, Tarnax IV, more commonly known as the Skrull Throneworld.
It was from the planet Tarnax IV that the Skrull Empire truly conquered their galaxy, and eventually set their sights on the Milky Way. The Skrulls conquered thousands of worlds, becoming a major power in the universe, along with the Shi’ar, the Badoon, and the Kree. But despite their long-standing war with the alien Kree Empire, it was not the Kree who destroyed their home planet. It was Galactus, the Devourer of Worlds.
The Coming of Galactus to Destroy the Skrulls
In Fantastic Four #257, writer/artist John Byrne had Galactus’ new herald Nova choose the Skrull Throne World as his next meal. This Nova was a transformed Earth woman named Frankie Raye. She’s not to be confused with Marvel’s other hero named Nova, who wore Nova Corps armor. With her power cosmic, Nova was able to lay waste to the Skrull Empire’s Imperial Starfleet. Or at least the part of it that was present in Tarnax space. Galactus then arrived and consumed the planet entirely. But that wasn’t even the worst thing that happened to the Skrull Empire. Something worse was on its way.
The Annihilation of the Skrulls’ Throneworld
Although the destruction of Throneworld was a huge blow to the Skrulls, they still had thousands of planets in their conquered areas of space. But that too was about to change. An interdimensional invasion from the Negative Zone led by its maniacal ruler, Annihilus, devastated most of the Skrull-controlled space. They called this invasion the Annihilation Wave. The shapeshifting species was now at a fraction of its former power and without a homeworld to call their own.
The Secret Invasion Takes Shape as Skrulls Take Over Other Planets
But an ancient prophecy spoke of a “blue world” that would become the new home for the Skrulls. And many believed that prophesied blue planet was the Earth. This belief was perpetuated by the ultra-religious Skrull Queen Veranke. She implemented a plan to replace heroes on Earth, in preparation for a full-scale Skrull invasion. Veranke actually impersonated the heroine Spider-Woman, and hid among the Avengers for months.
The Avengers thwarted this clandestine infiltration when they and other Marvel heroes teamed up to defeat the Skrulls, repelling the invasion. The Skrulls would later reorganize under a new ruler but Earth would not become their new home. Although we doubt they’re done trying to take the Earth from humanity. It’s only a matter of time before they try again, perhaps in Secret Invasion.