Warning: The article contains spoilers for Secret Invasion episode four.

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Bombarding viewers — i.e., the ones it did manage to attract — with Easter eggs and references isn’t Secret Invasion‘s biggest priority. But when it does include one, it likes to pull the rug from under our feet, as it did with its hidden X-Men tease in the latest episode. But folks, if it is insinuating what we think it definitely is, it is not good news. 

In the episode, wherein we spend a lot of time in Nick Fury and Priscilla’s house (and bearing witness to their rather toxic relationship), we get a nice look at the apartment and one framed picture of the cover of a book written by what we presume the real Priscilla. 

The book in question is Decoding the ‘Superhuman’ Gene. Yes, you read that right. 

Now, this book and its focus on Superhuman genes couldn’t be talking about the likes of Captain America, Hulk, Spider-Man, etc as they were exposed or injected with the radiation, serum, spider-bite, etc. that gave them their powers. The research could be focused on how their altered DNA then passes on to their kids, but the more obvious possibility is that the book is about studies conducted to understand the mutant gene, which is the only species where one exhibits powers because of their mutated genes.

This book could also be talking about the Inhumans, whose latent powers get a kickstart when they are exposed to the Terrigen Mist. Ms. Marvel, whichtoyed with Kamala’s origin story to the point of exhaustion, has already teased that the MCU is ready to usher in either the mutants or the Inhumans. 

So, why is Secret Invasion referencing the X-Men disappointing?

Well, it is the way it handles it. While Ms. Marvel hinted that mutants will be eventually initiated in the MCU, She-Hulk flat-out mentioned a man with claws in the news. And that’s a problem — how is Marvel planning to explain the existence of mutants in the MCU for decades and answer why they were never mentioned before?

The only two ways around the mess were to bring them in from a different reality, or just introduce them now. But She-Hulk seemingly confirmed that the MCU was taking the dumber route of saying the mutants have been here, on Earth-616, all along, were weirdly never mentioned by anyone, just kept themselves to the sidelines for some bonkers reason, and are, for another unknown reason, deciding to make their presence known now.

Secret Invasion might be stressing this nonsensical choice with its X-Men tease. The book by Priscilla means the world is very aware of their existence, to the point that they are a point of interest for curious minds. And in case, the book was written by the real Priscilla who died years ago, then it means the world has been aware of mutants for that long.

While we are all hyped up about the arrival of the X-Men, if this is the route Marvel is choosing for their big debut, they better cook up one hell of an explanation and not just leave it up for interpretation, as they did with their recently stashed-away-for-the-second-time mystery.