Here’s What You Need to Know Before Watching Secret Invasion

Marvel’s Secret Invasion is almost here to not-so-secretly invade our lives and Disney+ watchlist. We haven’t seen Samuel L. Jackson’s badass former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. since 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, which revealed an essential connection to Secret Invasion.

Not much is known about the premise, but we know this: Fury will band together with Maria Hill, Talos, Sonya Falsworth, and Everett K. Ross to defend Earth from a covert Skrull invasion. The question remains whether the Fury we’ll see is the real Fury or a Skrull. That seems to be a significant theme in the series — who’s a Skrull and who’s not — as it blurs the lines between reality and deception. We also know Fury is a wanted man who refuses to call on the Avengers to help because he feels he must save the world alone.

The trailers give me major Captain America: The Winter Soldier vibes with their innate espionage tone and more somber feel. I’m digging it. Before the miniseries’ highly anticipated premiere next week, let’s dive into what you should know.

---

What Marvel Projects to Watch Beforehand, by Character

Nick Fury

If you want to make it a bona fide MCU movie marathon, you can watch Samuel L. Jackson’s Marvel filmography. This includes the end-credit scene in Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), the end-credit scene in Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2o11), The Avengers (2012), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), the end-credit scene in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019).

The last one is especially relevant to Secret Invasion. If you recall, there’s a scene in Far From Home where Fury and Maria Hill are actually Talos and Soren (whom we met in Captain Marvel) in disguise. The Skrulls impersonate the famed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to eradicate the Elementals (illusions created by Quentin Beck). Meanwhile, Fury commands a Skrull ship. Fury was on a spaceship in The Marvels trailer as well.

Out of the aforementioned projects, though, Captain Marvel is the most connected to Secret Invasion. This film is the official introduction to the Skrulls. It’s also where we meet Talos, who plays a significant role in the upcoming Marvel miniseries. Should you choose to have your Fury marathon in chronological order, it would be best to start with that flick since it’s set in the ’90s.

Maria Hill

To brush up on your Maria Hill knowledge, you can watch much of the above list save anything pre-Avengers (2012). Hill also appears in three episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (as does Fury), although that series isn’t considered canon. 

Everett K. Ross

Everett K. Ross appears in Captain America: Civil War (2016) as a CIA agent. His arc continues in Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022). We learned in Wakanda Forever that his ex-wife is Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, the CIA director assembling the Thunderbolts. She had Ross arrested for giving classified intel to Wakanda. However, he evaded prison and escaped, thanks to his Wakandan allies.

James Rhodes

Good ol’ Rhodey. He’s back for Secret Invasion, but it appears it’s more in a political capacity than a War Machine one. For your requisite Rhodey rewatch, you can start with the first Iron Man (where Terrence Howard plays him). Then, you can continue with Iron Man 2, Iron Man 3 (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), where he makes a brief appearance alongside Sam Wilson. 

In Secret Invasion, he interacts with Fury as the president’s advisor, reminding the latter of the gravity of his situation. After all, Fury is the most wanted man in the world. 

Skrulls

Obviously, Captain Marvel will provide the most context regarding the Skrulls (besides the Secret Invasion comic book series). There’s also another surprising Skrull appearance in the finale of WandaVision (2021). One Skrull infiltrates the FBI to recruit Monica Rambeau for an undisclosed mission. This will undoubtedly lead us to The Marvels, wherein Monica works alongside Fury in space.

---

Introducing the Newbies 

Special Agent Sonya Falsworth

Sonya doesn’t exist in the Marvel comics, but she might boast a connection to the Howling Commandos from Captain America: The First Avenger. She shares a surname with James Montgomery Falsworth, AKA Union Jack. There’s a good chance they’re related. We know that Sonya is an MI6 agent who’s an old friend of Fury’s. Based on the trailers and clips, she’s heavily invested in counteracting the Skrull invasion.

G’iah

G’iah is the Skrull daughter of Talos and Soren. The last time we saw her was as a little girl in Captain Marvel when Carol Danvers, Maria Rambeau, and Fury helped reunite her with Talos. G’iah later befriends young Monica. G’iah’s role in the comics is more sinister, as she lives on Earth with her partner Klrr and their children while disguised as an ostensibly normal American family to pave the way for a Skrull invasion. Whether the series takes that route with her character remains to be seen. It could plant the seeds for G’iah’s betrayal by having her clash with her father.

Additionally, in the trailer, we see G’iah blame Fury for everything that’s transpired on Earth. That might also be the tipping point for her.

Rebel Skrull Leader Gravik

Like Sonya, Gravik doesn’t boast comic book roots. All we know is he’s the rebel leader of a Skrull faction that spearheads a secret invasion (title of the show!) of Earth to mine its resources. We see him utilize his shapeshifting abilities quite well in the trailers and clips. In the latest trailer, he extends his arm to attack, almost reminiscent of Groot’s tree-like limbs.

Mr. President

Dermot Mulroney plays the new President of the United States. Not much is known about him save James Rhodes, AKA Rhodey AKA War Machine, serves as his advisor. There’s also a moment in the latest clip showcasing Fury purportedly shooting down a helicopter containing the president. However, there’s a good chance that’s a Skrull parading as the prominent U.S. leader.

Two Unknown Characters

Carmen Ejogo and Christopher McDonald play as-yet-to-be-disclosed characters in Secret Invasion, although it’s surmised that the latter portrays Christopher Stearn, a non-comics character.

---

We Might Get a Taste of Fury’s Backstory

Fury has remained an enigma throughout his tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the trailer, we see him visit his father’s grave alongside Sonya. Of course, we know our Nick Fury is actually a junior.

His father, Colonel Nicholas Joseph “Nick” Fury Sr., is affiliated with the Howling Commandos and served as S.H.I.E.L.D.’s second director. Fury also mentions his mother in a remark about how she told him he was “special.” These trailer bits, hinting at Fury’s familial connections, could certainly yield fruit by way of insight into his past. Here’s hoping.

---

Secret Invasion hits Disney+ on June 21. How excited are you to reunite with Nick Fury? What are your theories about what might happen? 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!