Marvel’s Secret Invasion Season 1 Episode 1 Review

Marvel’s next live-action series is here to propel the overarching MCU narrative forward. Secret Invasion adopts a darker, more mature tone than its predecessors. It almost feels like it’s taking a page out of the Star Wars™ book, piggybacking off the success of Andor. (Of course, Marvel and Star Wars are owned by the same company.) While I don’t believe Secret Invasion is on the same level as Andor, it has the potential to get there.

Overall, “Resurrection,” the series premiere, is a serviceable opener. It asks us who we can trust and proceeds to show us that we can’t depend on anyone. More importantly, we can’t rely on what we see. Appearances can deceive, especially with the Skrulls and their ability to impersonate humans. “Resurrection” starts and ends with a bang, while the middle act moves more slowly and carefully, with good reason. It lays the groundwork for this story. I love the endearing relationship between Fury and Talos and their playful banter. No one besides Fury gets in-depth character exploration, though, so I hope that changes in future episodes.

I have a few more issues with this outing, but more on that later. Let’s dive into “Resurrection.” 

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Under Attack

We open with Everett Ross in Moscow as he chucks his phone after telling someone not to move. He reunites with Agent Prescod, who reveals his theory that the Skrulls are behind a recent string of global terrorist attacks. Like the MCU, they’re all connected. Ross seems incredulous, especially given Nick Fury’s association with the Skrulls. However, Fury is currently on the S.A.B.E.R. space station, designing a top-notch intergalactic defense system to protect Earth from outside invaders.

Prescod hands a tablet to Ross containing concrete evidence that the Skrulls are culpable. Ross’ demeanor changes. He promises to report Prescod’s findings to Fury. But Prescod isn’t buying it. He tries to choke Ross with a cord. Ross triumphs, though, shooting Prescod in the chest. RIP Prescod. 

Then, Ross departs the building and upon noticing someone’s following him, sends a request to Maria Hill for backup. What transpires next is a chase on foot as Ross evades capture from his unidentified pursuer. Then, Ross leaps between buildings, smacking his head off the corner of the second building and falling several stories to land face-first on the ground below. Ouch. Maria exits her vehicle and trains her weapon on Ross’ pursuer. We see Ross die — well, actually, it’s a Skrull impersonating Ross. Dun, dun, DUN!

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Homecoming

Next, Fury returns home from space at Maria’s request. He reunites with Talos at Maria’s apartment in Moscow. It’s a bittersweet reunion because Soren, Talos’ wife, passed away recently, and Talos’ daughter, G’iah, is nowhere to be found. Talos notes how The Snap/Blip changed Fury. He’s not the same man he once was. The subject changes to Gravik, the leader of a rebel Skrull faction intent on laying claim to Earth. After The Blip, Fury and Carol Danvers disappeared, leaving a rage-filled Gravik in their wake. Thus, Gravik vowed to give Earth to the Skrulls instead of futilely searching for a new home planet.

Fury and Talos regroup with Maria to plan their next step. We learn the Skrulls have set up shop at various abandoned nuclear plants in Russia because they’re immune to radiation. Before the Ross impersonator killed Prescod, the latter had uncovered a plan to detonate a bomb, potentially under the guise of a terrorist attack from AAR, Americans Against Russia. Gravik seems hellbent on starting a conflict between the U.S. and Russia. On the same day Prescod was killed, a weapons cache was raided in Kazakhstan. Obviously, if Gravik succeeds, we can say bye-bye to humanity.

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A Rejuvenating Nightly Stroll

Fury excuses himself, heading outside to clear his head. He encounters a handful of strangers: a little blonde girl with a balloon whose mother pulls her away, then a man and woman making out on a bench. All of them look at him askance. Suddenly, a few men seize Fury and throw him in their creepy van. It’s always a creepy van.

Meanwhile, Rhodey, now a presidential advisor, tells U.S. President Ritson about Fury’s return to Earth. Oh, and they intercepted an encrypted message between Maria and Fury. You know, spy stuff. Ritson orders Rhodey to take care of the situation.

A Tense Reunion

Then, Fury is taken to an undisclosed location. The walls are lined with clocks. Somebody is keen on breaking the Guinness World Record for owning the most clocks. Sonya Falsworth, a high-ranking MI6 agent, awaits him with a grin. We learn that she and Fury have a history.

While chatting, Fury surreptitiously plants a camera in the eye of an owl statue. Sonya wants Fury to steer clear of the Skrull threat. Why? Because he’s not the same man he once was. Listen, we’ve already heard this song. Fury reminds Sonya that he has the most hands-on experience with the Skrulls. He asks her about the weapons cache in Kazakhstan. In true spy fashion, she evades his question. Before departing, Fury urges Sonya to call him if she has an answer about Kazakhstan.

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Home in My Own Skin

Later, G’iah welcomes newcomer Beto to New Skrullos, a haven for Skrulls hoping to live in peace among other Skrulls. She drives Beto to the empty nuclear plant where they reside, but not before handing him some produce native to Skrullos. Yum. After giving Beto the rundown of what to expect, G’iah leaves, claiming someone will show Beto to his quarters. Oh, and it’s best to prove your loyalty to Gravik, who’s responsible for all this.

G’iah watches while a Skrull takes on the identity of a human member of AAR. The Skrull also steals his memories. A line of humans is kept in a stasis of sorts — a fresh batch of identities so the Skrulls can masquerade in public. Meanwhile, the camera Fury planted in Sonya’s office is put to good use. Fury, Maria, and Talos watch while Sonya chats with Derrik, her superior in MI6. She reveals that Vasily Poprishchin, a former Chechnyan rebel, restores pigmented paintings and radioactivated bombs in an art gallery. Our trio decides to pay this gallery owner a visit.

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Fury Is Back

One of Gravik’s followers informs him about Fury’s return while G’iah eavesdrops from afar. Said follower tasks G’iah with delivering stacks of cash to Poprishchin in exchange for a bomb. Fury and Talos, always ahead, swoop in to grill Poprishchin after G’iah makes the trade. Maria waits in the getaway van, where she spots G’iah leaving and looking suspicious. When Fury’s interrogation method fails, Talos saves the day. Poprishchin recognizes Talos, and the pair start fighting. Talos orders Fury to sit this one out. 

Unfortunately, Fury’s not very good at sitting on the sidelines. When he thinks Talos is in danger, Fury shoots Poprishchin a handful of times. After he dies, Poprishchin morphs back into his Skrull self. Maria follows G’iah into an abandoned tunnel, where the pair engage in a scuffle. G’iah flees after knocking Maria to the ground. Talos rushes to her side, helping her to her feet before racing after the suspicious-looking young woman with the red bag. 

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Daddy/Daughter Time

Talos catches G’iah trying to escape via ladder. He pleads with her to stay with him. Then, he tells G’iah about her mother’s death. She died at the hands of G’iah’s boss. However, that’s not enough to persuade G’iah to swing back to Team Talos. She flees, but not before turning into an alley to let out a good cry. Aww.

Later, Fury buys some vodka for a new friend he made at the bar. He engages in a game of chess with Maria. Maria voices what everyone else has been saying all episode: Fury is different. He’s not as sharp as he used to be. She tries to get Fury to tell the truth about why he returned to Earth. Well, didn’t you call him back here? Maria doesn’t believe Fury’s ready for the fight ahead. The Skrull threat is not only imminent, but it poses destructive repercussions. She urges Fury to watch his footing.

While lying in bed, Fury recalls the moment he disappeared during The Snap. We know he was calling Captain Marvel.

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The Night Before

G’iah asks one of Gravik’s followers to postpone the orchestrated bombing on Unity Day because she was followed after retrieving the bomb from Poprishchin. She withholds any mention of seeing her father, thankfully. That night, she meets with Talos in Moscow. She tells him Gravik plans to disrupt the Unity Day celebration the following day with three big ol’ bombs. G’iah is one of three couriers, and she’ll mark her bags with infrared spray. Gravik knows Talos and Fury will be there, so they best get the job done quickly. So, is G’iah officially a Good Guy™ again?

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Unity Day Terror

Next, Fury, Maria, and Talos don stylish glasses to help them detect the aforementioned three bombs. Maria spots G’iah with her two bags, marked with infrared spray as promised. Our trio each follows a courier in the hopes of preventing the bombs from arriving at their destination. Of course, one or two of those is probably a decoy because Gravik is nothing if not meticulous.

Fury notices the courier he’s tailing shapeshifts before his eyes. First, into the little blonde girl with the ball, then the man from the bar, and, lastly, the woman kissing her sweetie on the bench. I love this detail and how the writers methodically plant these characters to interact with Fury throughout the episode. It proves the Skrulls have been watching him all along. At one point, the trio discovers that the couriers are, in fact, carrying decoys.

Suddenly, Fury comes face-to-face with Gravik himself. He nonchalantly detonates a bomb in front of Fury. Amid the melee, Maria reunites with Fury, who shoots her. After another bomb explodes, we see it was actually Gravik disguised as Fury. The real Fury kneels beside his longtime friend, but it’s too late. She dies. Then, someone wearing a checkered coat pulls Fury away from Maria. Something tells me she wasn’t a Skrull because the camera lingers on her to convey just that. If she were, she would’ve shifted back to her original form. Well, this stinks.

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Listen, I might forgive the Maria Hill sacrifice if Marvel spent more time with her. She (and Natasha Romanoff) was given the short end of the narrative stick. It feels like a reliance on a well-worn, overly used comic book trope. The woman dies to further the man’s story or catalyze him into action. Part of me hopes we’ll see her again in some capacity. I also wonder if that was a Skrull who didn’t revert to their original form immediately. However, the episode credits Cobie Smulders as a “special guest star,” so thanks, Marvel, for crushing my dreams.

Maria deserved better. She deserved more character development and juicier stories besides being perpetually attached to Fury’s hip. I was hoping Secret Invasion would do that for her, but alas. I’ll try to reserve full judgment until I watch the rest of the season. Perhaps Marvel will pleasantly surprise me.

I’m also not a fan of Marvel using AI to craft the opening credits. Instead of relying on AI, they could’ve easily hired talented artists to create whatever tone they were going for. It sets a dangerous precedent. Lastly, approximately 3,000 people tell Fury (and the audience) that something’s changed about him since The Blip. Of course he’s different. He freakin’ disappeared for five years and returned, unchanged, to a world that moved on without him. That’s a traumatizing experience that would benefit from therapy.

“Resurrection” has flaws; however, there’s an even mix of positives and negatives. I hope things improve over time.

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What are your thoughts on “Resurrection”? What are your theories going forward? Join the conversation alongside other Marvel fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in the Let Your Spoiler Sideshow: MCU Phase Five Facebook Group, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!