Episode Three of Marvel’sSecret Invasionis easily the most effective installment of the show that viewers have seen so far. While it still suffers from some of the same lagging plot issues as its previous two episodes, the series’ official midway point offers even more insight into the mindset of the evil Skrull faction.
Not only does this episode focus so heavily on the interpersonal conflict that is at the center of any good spy thriller, but it also offers its best characters the chance to play off each other for more than a few minutes at a time. Now that the show is officiallyhalfway into its six-episode run, it is evident thatSecret Invasionmay not be able to outrun the narrative shortcomings that dragged it down from its first episode. However, one of the main things that set it apart from other projects in recentMCUhistory is how effectively it establishes Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir) and hisSkrull faction as a horrifying threat.
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How hasSecret Invasionchanged the MCU so far?
2019’sCaptain Marvelexcellently subverted expectations in the way that it handled the Skrull people. Once established as a terrifying threat in the comics for their shape-shifting abilities and desire to fulfill some sense of manifest destiny over Earth in their desire for intergalactic conquest, the events ofCaptain Marvelshocked audiences byshowing the Skrulls as refugeesfleeing the warmongering Kree forces. Now, more than thirty years after the events of their cinematic debut, the Skrulls are shown as a disenfranchised people split between those who are looking to survive on Earth and those who are tired of hiding and wish to take the planet as their own by eradicating the human race.
Gravik, the current leader of the rogue Skrull faction, is a villain originally written for this series acting as an amalgam of high-ranking Skrull characters from the comics (most notably the Skrull princess Veranke andthe Super Skrull Kl’rt). Long disillusioned with Nick Fury and his broken promise to find the Skrull people a new home, Gravik is ruthless in his efforts to force the Earth into being that new home.
After Talos revealed that there are a million Skrulls on Earth after the Blip, there is no telling just how many shape-shifting aliens there are under Gravik’s influence and fighting for his cause.Secret Invasionhas shown that a number ofinfluential figures in politics and media are secretly Skrull operativesand, after the end of Episode Three offered a soft confirmation to many MCU fans’ suspicions thatRhodey is also a Skrull, there is no telling how this threat could ever truly be stamped out. With a running theme for the show being “Who can you trust?”, it seems like a waste to have a threat with a thirty-plus-year build-up be resolved in a six-episode limited series.
How impactful was the Secret Invasion run in Marvel Comics?
While theSecret InvasionDisney+ series hasnotable deviations from its source material, it is evident that the show intends to be as game-changing as the original Secret Invasion comic event.
Originally written as an eight-issue limited run in 2008, Secret Invasion injected much-needed tension and chaos into Marvel Comics at the time. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu, The storyline revolves around a secret invasion of Earth by shape-shifting aliens known as the Skrulls who infiltrate human society undetected. At the time of the issue’s release, this infiltration has been ongoing for years with key individuals, including superheroes and political figures, being replaced by Skrull impostors. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the Skulls' quest for domination will be achieved at all costs, with the deep-seated paranoia and mistrust of these heroes from both the readers and the characters themselves being at the root of this global unrest.
This storyline had a significant impact on the Marvel Universe, leading to major status quo changes and massive shifts in major character developments. It explored themes of identity, trust, and the nature of heroism with its repercussions reverberating across multiple Marvel titles. The Secret Invasion storyline is known for its shocking twists and reveals, as beloved characters are unmasked as Skrull impostors. The series also delves into the moral complexities of the situation, as characters grapple with the realization that people they trusted and fought alongside may not be who they seem.
What comes next afterSecret Invasion’s end?
Well, it’s a little unclear. Multiple conflicting reports have muddiedSecret Invasion’s place in the greater MCU timeline. Samuel L. Jackson has stated in interviews that fans will need to be caught up withSecret Invasionin addition toMs. MarvelandWandaVisionto understand the context ofthe upcomingThe Marvelsfilm, which is the next MCU project releasing in November of this year. While this would lead fans to believe thatSecret Invasionacts as a pseudo-prequel toThe Marvels,the death of Maria HillinSecret Invasion’s first episode created a conflicting timeline as Cobie Smulders has been confirmed to appear alongside Jackson inThe Marvels.
Recently,Secret Invasion’s director Ali Selim has stated that he has no concern with the greater continuity of theMarvel Cinematic Universeas he views the established connected web of storytelling as above his pay grade.Secret Invasionis as much of a self-contained story as he could make it given how deep we all are into the greater notion of the MCU, so there is no telling where the story really does go from here. All viewers can do to keep up is watch as events unfold in these last three episodes and hope that the magnitude of this story is handled with the respect it deserves.
