What If... the Avengers Fought the Kree-Skrull War Without Rick Jones?

The Kree-Skrull War, uncommonly long and epic for its day, is still remembered as a classic Avengers story today, and possibly the first classic Marvel storyline of the 70s. Roy Thomas hit it out of the park by going cosmic, raising the stakes, and then throwing in appearances from various Golden Age Marvel(Timely) characters into the mix via Rick's imagination. Of course, it ends with a big deus ex machina, and Rick is the deus in question. So let me ask you this:

What if Roy had to conclude his story without the help of that dodgy literary device?

What If Vol.1 #20 (April 1980)
Based on: Avengers #89-97
The true history: The Earth is caught between the warring Kree and Skrulls. Because of his connection to Captain Mar-Vell, Rick Jones is captured and made a slave by Ronan the Accuser, which eventually brings him to the attention of the Kree Supreme Intelligence. The Intelligence unleashes Rick's mental powers which turn the tide against the Skrulls and stop the war.
Turning point: What if Ronan felt more like murder than slavery that day?
Story type: Crossover Event.
Watcher's mood: Angry baby.
Altered history: Ronan has no patience for Rick and kills him dead. Well, the war rages on, as the Supreme Intelligence can only preserve his body and not boost his mind. Bit of a collector, ain't he?
Captain Mar-Vell goes coo-coo, the Super-Skrull is sent out, and the Skrulls start pointing nuclear missiles at Earth. None of which really has a big impact. However, the threat is enough for Professor X to get all Monitory and start recruiting heroes and villains alike. Yes, Rick Jones' death would have prompted a company-wide crossover event more than 10 years early!
The little dude DID have a knack for befriending super-heroes after all. Despite this call to arms, it's really the Avengers who are knee-deep in it (I guess you'd just have had to buy all the tie-in issues). When Iron Man is badly hurt, Thor brings him back to Asgard for Valkyrie lovin' and healin', and comes home with a host of Asgardian warriors armed with maces and trash talk.
Meanwhile, things are falling apart for both alien races. Anelle, the Skrull Emperor's daughter, is staging a revolution to oust her mad father before he breaks the Skrull bank. And the Supreme Intelligence, seeing Kree forces mismanaged by Ronan, just acts like a big baby.
He's merged his mind with Rick's body, which has given him the power to escape and take down Ronan. So he stops the Kree forces and retreats, putting Mar-Vell in charge during the teething, and on the other side, cutie-pie Skrull girl Anelle takes her father's place and forces a gentler Skrull nation.
Though being propped up as the new leader by a known Kree isn't gonna do much for her image. As for Rick, well, he shall never be forgotten. Kinda like a Bucky for a new generation. (Which of course means that by now, he's come back from the dead.)
Books canceled as a result: None. Rick Jones just never had the clout. And I'd like to say Anelle's assumption to the Skrull throne would have meant no Secret Invasion, but I don't think Bendis would have let a little thing like that stop him.
These things happen: Rick Jones CAN'T die. Even when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, the powers that be found a way to cure him. There is no dying for Marvel's mascot. Period.

Next week: What if the Invisible Girl married the Sub-Mariner?
My guess: No one would see their kids flying around.