Credit: Marvel StudiosNow that Marvel’s Secret Invasion has officially wrapped up its six-episode run on Disney+, eagle-eyed fans have started diving into the series and its connections to other corners of the MCU—and there’s one you might’ve missed involving Olivia Colman’s Sonya Falsworth and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011).
Secret Invasion‘s finale debuted last week to little fanfare from MCU fans, earning it the unfortunate title of worst-rated Marvel show of all time. Even so, the series did introduce many exciting plot points, as well as fresh new faces, to the franchise, including Emilia Clarke’s G’iah and, perhaps more notably, Sonya Falsworth, the wise-cracking British super spy who might just be one of the best MCU characters ever.
The miniseries follows ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) as he returns to Earth after the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019) to help his allies stomp out a dangerous new threat: a group of radicalized Skrull refugees attempting to claim the planet as their own by pitting two of the world’s most powerful governments against each other.
Related: Marvel’s ‘Secret Invasion’ Flops, Disney Forced to Stream it Elsewhere
In the first episode, it’s revealed that Fury has a long and complicated history with Sonya Falsworth, who doesn’t have a comic book counterpart, unlike many of Secret Invasion’s other characters. Although the MI6 agent and Fury don’t exactly see, well, eye to eye with each other, the two set aside their personal feelings to tackle the escalating Skrull conspiracy.
During the finale, it’s implied that Sonya will return in future MCU projects down the line, with the agent having some sort of secret agenda that involves playing nice with the newly-superpowered G’iah. Although Colman hasn’t confirmed whether or not she’ll pop up in the Multiverse Saga, it seems like Marvel is justifiably keen on keeping her around for upcoming films and TV shows.
But before Secret Invasion laid the groundwork for her character, Sonya wasn’t the only Falsworth in the MCU. As a matter of fact, the Falsworth name can be traced back to Marvel Comics and has even been featured in the first Captain America movie, where a James Montgomery Falsworth (JJ Feild) is shown serving alongside Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and his Howling Commandos.
In the movie, James Falsworth was a British officer of the 3rd Independent Parachute Brigade during World War II before enemy forces captured him and his men. After he was freed, he joined the elite special unit of Allied soldiers and stood by Steve’s side until the battalion’s final showdown against HYDRA and the Red Skull. James was supposedly a master combatant with espionage skills, which might explain his connection to Secret Invasion’s Sonya Falsworth.
So, could Sonya Falsworth be the descendant of a man who worked alongside Captain America? Possibly. Secret Invasion doesn’t explore Sonya’s background, so there’s no official confirmation that the spy is related to James Falsworth. Nonetheless, it’s not difficult to imagine their shared lineage, given that both are dedicated English agents who have protected humanity from a number of different threats over the years.
And the Marvel comics make this relation all the more interesting. James is actually a superhero who uses the moniker “Union Jack,” where he basically served as the British version of Captain America. James fought in both World Wars to defend his country’s interests, and also had two children, who also became superheroes: Jacqueline, who had superspeed powers, and Brian, who took the mantle of Union Jack after injecting himself with the super soldier serum.
But despite having many heroes, the Falsworth family also bred villains, James’ brother John, AKA Baron Blood. After the Falwsworth family fortune is entirely inherited by James, John meets Dracula himself in a particularly eyebrow-raising Marvel plotline, and becomes a part of the bloodsucking undead after being bitten. The brothers face each other multiple times in the comic books, though none of this Union Jack-Baron Blood lore has made its way to the MCU as of now. However, with so many characters being brought into the franchise, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them make their way to the screen soon—especially if Marvel wants to keep up the vampire momentum ahead of Mahershala Ali’s Blade (2025).
James Falsworth’s death was recorded in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s files, given to Steve Rogers when he awoke in the 21st century, as shown in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2016). Considering Sonya is presumably middle-aged during the events of Secret Invasion, which takes place in 2025, she could easily be the granddaughter or niece of James. This also wouldn’t be the first time an ally of Cap inspired their family members to become a spy, as Peggy Carter’s (Hayley Atwell) great-niece Sharon (Emily VanCamp) followed in her footsteps by becoming an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
While Marvel has yet to confirm a shared bloodline between Sonya and James Falsworth, this subtle Easter egg seems to be exactly what showrunners were going for when introducing this new character in Secret Invasion. With such extensive family lore in the comics, Sonya is truly a wild card within the greater MCU, and could prove to be either a hero, a supervillain, or even a vampire—depending on what side she takes after most. But for now, here’s hoping we get a Sonya and G’iah spinoff series soon.
Do you think Sonya Falsworth is related to James Falsworth, or is this just a funny coincidence? Let us know in the comments below.