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This summary includes plot details for the first episode of Secret Invasion. Please do not continue reading if you have not watched it yet.

Occasionally, those who believe in conspiracies are correct…

The scene began with Everett Ross (played by Martin Freeman) sneaking around modern-day Moscow and entering Agent Prescod’s (played by Richard Dormer) office. Prescod had discovered something significant – the recent string of terror attacks across the globe were not the work of separate groups, but instead the same group of Skrulls who were pretending to be different organizations in order to cause maximum disorder.

Ross was skeptical of Prescod’s claim. “They’re trying to deceive you,” Prescod said, sounding like a paranoid drunk at closing time. But it turned out that Prescod was right. He was shot for uncovering the truth. During a chase on foot, we discovered that the person we thought was Ross was actually a Skrull in disguise.

If you are unfamiliar with Skrulls, they are a technologically advanced humanoid reptilian species that once inhabited the planet Skrullos. However, their planet was destroyed by the Kree, a militaristic alien race, during an invasion. Skrulls possess great strength, age at a slow pace, and have the ability to shapeshift, allowing them to mimic any other living being. For further information, you can watch the movie Captain Marvel.

Skrull Ross requested a ride from Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), but was pursued on the streets of Moscow. He eventually plummeted from a rooftop, revealing himself to be a malicious Skrull. His pursuer was actually Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), the leader of the Skrull refugees and a benevolent being. The movie ends.

The Resurgence of Rage

After being absent from Earth for a considerable amount of time, Nick Fury had some catching up to do. The exact duration of his stay on the Saber space station is uncertain – Maria Hill mentioned “a few years” as the closest estimate. (Meanwhile, Samuel L Jackson has only made a brief appearance in the MCU since 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home. With the film set in 2024 and the She-Hulk series ending in 2025, Secret Invasion takes place in mid-2025, indicating Fury’s absence from Earth for a year. However, there seems to be some discrepancy.)

Certain Skrulls believe that Nick Fury has not fulfilled his 1995 promise to provide a permanent home for the refugee Skrulls, which is a significant issue. This sentiment is the motivation behind Gravik and his fellow rebel Skrulls attempting to claim Earth as their own, since they have not been given a safe haven.

Disturbed by what he had heard, Fury decided to take a stroll. It was not a wise choice to do so late at night in Moscow…

Great introduction, Olivia Colman…

Olivia Colman has joined the MCU, portraying the character of Sonya Falsworth. She will be playing the role of an MI6 agent and a former acquaintance of Fury’s, with a knack for witty introductions. “This is quite thrilling: a big, Black man in Moscow – it could either be Nick Fury or the spirit of Paul Robeson,” she remarked, before instructing one of her henchmen to remove Fury’s hood. “Well, that’s a shame… I was hoping for a spectacular rendition of ‘Ol’ Man River’.”

Colman appeared to be thoroughly enjoying herself in this particular scene, and both her and Jackson’s talent were truly showcased – making it a highly entertaining experience.

At this moment, it is uncertain if Falsworth can be relied upon – Fury also had doubts and went as far as bugging her office to monitor her activities.

Double-agent Khaleesi?

Then we met Emilia Clarke’s G’iah for the first time, welcoming Beto (Samuel Adewunmi) to New Skrullos, the rebels’ temporary home in an abandoned nuclear facility (Skrulls are immune to radiation).

She mentioned that there are a total of 500 Skrulls in the resistance group. While becoming a warrior is not required, those who do choose to fight are given the opportunity to leave the compound. This detail may prove to be significant in future episodes. Interestingly, Skrulls who take on human form for their missions continue to stay in that form even while at the compound. This is because the longer they remain in disguise, the more skilled they become at maintaining it. This could potentially be advantageous for any human looking to infiltrate the resistance base. Only time will tell.

G’iah was tasked with retrieving two bags from an art dealer in the city, but on her return to base, she was intercepted by Hill and Talos. It was revealed that G’iah is actually Talos’s daughter, who was unaware of her mother’s death. Prior to this discovery, G’iah was not the most convincing rebel and Pagon (Killian Scott) and Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir) seemed to have their doubts about her. However, this revelation may cause her to question her allegiance even more. She later informed her father about the attack, but it is likely that she will become a permanent double agent.

Fury and Hill discussed his struggle with his beliefs, which led to him seeking refuge in space. He admitted that his crisis followed him to space. The truth is, he has not been the same since the Blip, and it is understandable that being turned to ash would have lasting effects on one’s mental health. He likely has not fully processed the deaths of Iron Man and Black Widow.

Attack, attack, attack

G’iah disguised herself to meet Talos and tell him about the attacks Gravik has planned. Three bombs in rucksacks, to be detonated in the square. Only Fury, Hill and Talos couldn’t stop the bombs going off – the rucksacks were decoys anyway.

Although Gravik successfully completed his mission in the destroyed and freezing square, Fury faced a devastating event. His colleague, Maria Hill, was fatally shot by a Skrull pretending to be Fury. It was always risky for her to follow Fury on his spy missions and it unfortunately resulted in her death. I wonder if this has caused Fury to question his beliefs and faith.

Notes and observations

• Goodbye Cobie Smulders. The Canadian actress had portrayed Maria Hill since 2012, starring in all four Avengers movies, as well as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Spider-Man: Far From Home and the TV show Agents of SHIELD. Despite Hill never receiving a plot that showcased Smulders’ skills, I was not anticipating her departure in this manner.

• Whom was Sonya Falsworth conversing with during the intercepted meeting? It couldn’t have been Agent Prescod, could it? That would suggest that Falsworth was speaking to a Skrull imposter.

• Do you really need three sugars in that small cup of tea, Gravik? Are you trying to portray yourself as a lazy builder?

• I love hearing variations in accents in the MCU, like Erin Kellyman’s Nottingham dialect in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Gravik sounds similar to someone from Pontypridd to me, and Killian Scott’s Pagon speaks with his natural Limerick accent. It’s refreshing to move away from generic accents.

• Taking the Avengers on a shopping spree during their midlife crisis is definitely better than buying a sports car, getting hair implants, or splurging on a fancy watch.

• Unfortunately, Richard Dormer will not continue his role as Agent Prescod. I am a fan of him and would watch him in any project – his voice and expressive eyes are captivating. He has delivered great performances in Blue Lights, as Ser Beric Dondarrion in Game of Thrones, and most notably as Terri Hooley, the proprietor of a record store in Belfast during the Troubles in the highly underrated Good Vibrations. (Some may recognize him as a speaker in the BBC documentary series Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland.)

• Kingsley Ben-Adir is also known for his roles in ITV’s Vera, as a private investigator in the second season of The OA, and as Col Ben Younger in the fourth and fifth seasons of Peaky Blinders. He has been keeping busy, with upcoming projects including a role as Ken in the new Barbie movie and starring in a biopic about Bob Marley set to release next year.

• What is the significance of the little girl holding a brightly colored ball?

The Disney+ platform now features Secret Invasion.

What are your thoughts? Did you enjoy the darker and grittier tone? It’s great to have Samuel L Jackson back on Earth. Share your opinions in the comments section below.

Source: theguardian.com