Ritson is a character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe who was first mentioned in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and officially debuted in the Disney+ show Secret Invasion. He is the current President of the United States who was the target of an unsuccessful assassination attempt against him by the Skrull Resistance, led by Gravik.
Background[]
Ritson won the 2024 United States presidential election, becoming either the 47th or 48th President of the United States.
Physical appearance[]
Ritson is an older Caucasian man and has grayish-white hair. Being the President of the United States, he often wears a black suit.
Appearances[]
Marvel Cinematic Universe[]
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever[]
After a ship belonging to the United States government was attacked by the Talokanil people, Ritson believed Wakanda was responsible for the attack and considered destabilizing them. However, no action was taken against Wakanda.
Later, it was reported that Ritson had secured a trade deal between the United States and New Asgard.
Secret Invasion[]
A few months later, Ritson was told by Raava, who was disguised as James Rhodes, that Nick Fury had left space from his post at the S.A.B.E.R. Space Station and had returned to Earth. Rhodes also told him that Maria Hill had left him an encrypted message and noted that they were both unavailable. Ritson then told Rhodes to take care of the situation.
After a group of Skrulls called the Skrull Resistance led a terrorist attack in Russia's Vossoyedineniye Square, they framed the group Americans Against Russia. Ritson did not attend the world leaders meeting that was called to interrogate the United States' involvement with the attacks, sending Rhodes in his place.
Multiple days after the meeting, Ritson and Raava flew to England to negotiate peace talks with Russia to prevent a war. As they were passing through the English countryside, Ritson's motorcade was attacked by the Skrull Resistance, who were pretending to be Russian in order to spark World War III. The car Ritson was in flipped over, knocking him unconscious. He was soon found by Fury and was rushed to the local hospital.
At the hospital, Ritson underwent a successful surgery. In his hospital bed, Rhodes approached him and told him that the Russians were working with Skrulls, and showed him aerial footage of the Skrulls' hideout, located in Russia. Rhodes encouraged Ritson to launch an attack, though he was hesitant, as the base was on Russian soil and would be considered an act of aggression by the United States, and a third World War likely would start as a result. Rhodes then told Ritson he would rather risk World War III than the extinction of humanity.
Soon after this, multiple high-ranking members of the United States Armed Forces entered the room to consult Ritson. An admiral was hesitant to launch an attack, as it had not been confirmed the Russian government had ordered the attack against Ritson. Rhodes believed they should launch an attack, and the two argued. To end the debate, Rhodes turned on the screen, which showed Russian tanks occupying the borders of Ukraine and Finland. Rhodes then handed him a speech he had written and told him he needed to let the American people know that Russia was responsible for the attack.
Later, Rhodes received an urgent phone call from Sonya Falsworth, who said Fury was on his way to the hospital to kill Ritson. This caused Rhodes to urgently find a new room for Ritson, who was still in his hospital bed. Confused, Ritson took a gun from a Secret Service agent. Rhodes eventually found an empty room for him, though he was immediately held at gunpoint by Sonya Falsworth, who was hiding behind the door. Fury then appeared and shot tranquilizer darts at the present Secret Service agents, so it was just him, Ritson, Rhodes, and Falsworth. Ritson aimed his gun at Fury, who said that he should instead point it at Rhodes, telling him he was a Skrull. Fury told Ritson that launching the missile would cause his death, while Rhodes told him it would rid them of their enemies. Fury and Rhodes began arguing, leaving Ritson unsure of who to trust. While Fury was trying to convince Ritson to call off the strike, Rhodes quickly stole the gun from Falsworth and was about to shoot it at Fury. Fury reacted quickly and shot and killed Rhodes, outing him as a Skrull. Shocked, Ritson called off the strike.
After this, Ritson went on television and said that he was in the process of trying to pass a bill that would make any creature not born on Earth an enemy of the United States.
Later that night, as Ritson was in a car, he was called by Fury, who denounced his anti-alien comments and told him it was an action that a one-term president would do.
Ritson's remarks had worldwide consequences, as ordinary citizens from multiple countries took it among themselves to kill the Skrulls in hiding, causing a Skrull impersonating media personality Chris Stearns to be revealed. The prime minister of the United Kingdom, Pamela Lawton, was also assassinated by someone who believed her to be a Skrull.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Ritson has no comic counterpart.
External links[]
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