The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been in a rut for the previous couple of years, churning out half-baked films and collection whose sole objective is to become profitable, regardless of inflicting irreparable harm to the franchise’s longevity.
Once I first heard of Secret Invasion, it appeared like simply what the physician ordered to breathe life into the MCU.
Secret Invasion Season 1 Episode 1 re-introduces us to Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and Talos, nevertheless it’s a painfully common hour of TV that utilized exposition to advance the story as an alternative of motion.
Regardless of the story not specializing in the heroes we have grown to like through the years, we’re seeing this story from a a lot totally different viewpoint than earlier than.
Nick could not have superhuman skills, however he is a hero in each sense of the phrase.
Nick, Maria, and others who work with them have been integral to this universe due to their fearless devotion to saving the world.
We have a look at them as unconventional superheroes: They don’t seem to be the individuals plastered everywhere in the media, however they’re the individuals making the choices that may make or break the world’s existence.
Fury: Inform me about Gravik.
Maria: Let’s… Let’s simply discuss you first, yeah? We have been serving to you for all these years to make sure that you saved your promise. However after The Blip, you have been totally different. And you then disappeared. Carol Danvers disappeared.
Taros: And so did G’iah.
Nick: Maintain it. Your daughter? Disappeared too… The place?
Taros: She was younger. Offended that our individuals nonetheless haven’t got a house. Lots of them are upset. I obtained kicked off the Council, pushed into exile.
Checking in with Nick was nostalgic, but when the premiere is any indication, Nick has some deeply rooted points he must work by way of as Secret Invasion Season 1 progresses.
Regardless of his greatest makes an attempt to placed on a cheerful face and inform everybody he is as much as this problem, he is aware of this mission might be his undoing.
From wanting within the mirror at himself to listening to Sonya inform him he was not up for the problem, he’ll face an uphill battle if he needs to save lots of the world and reignite hope for future generations.
Thanos’s snap was a cataclysmic occasion that formed Nick’s present arc. It has been largely a waste of time for the MCU, sending nearly each character’s arc in a miserable course.
For Nick, this is not merely a mission of redemption; it is a mission to show to everybody that the world is not protected, regardless of how the media wish to body it.
Regardless of Nick feeling like he is had a character transplant because the final time we noticed him, it is good to inform a narrative with somebody who’s been a major presence on this franchise through the years.
If we take his actions on “Resurrection” at face worth, the Nick Fury we all know continues to be in there, however he is been battling many internal demons because the snap heard across the universe.
I wasn’t keen on the choice to kill off Maria. You do not deliver again Colbie Smulders for one freaking episode and anticipate followers to be completely satisfied about it.
The seemingly situation is that Smulders will proceed to seem by way of both flashbacks or as Skrulls taking her likeness as a result of will probably be the last word method for them to stay up the center finger at Nick.
The unhappy a part of Maria’s last arc is that Gravik pulled the set off on her whereas posing as Nick. It units a worrying precedent for the rest of the season.
How can viewers belief something on-screen if even characters with the very best intentions might be revealed to be Skrulls?
It provides to the narrative’s depth and paranoia, nevertheless it’s a plot gadget that would put on out its welcome fairly rapidly.
Prescod: Think about a world the place data cannot be trusted. Not very arduous, is it? Information service says one factor, web site says one other. Society begins to fray. All we will flip to are the individuals we care about. However what if these individuals weren’t who we thought they have been? What if those closest to us, those we have trusted our complete lives… …have been another person completely? What in the event that they weren’t even human?
Ross: Agent Prescod, respectfully… uh, what precisely are you speaking about? Prescod: Chaos. And that is solely the start. 5 world terrorist strikes inside the previous yr. Every one claimed by a special group. It is enterprise as typical. That is exactly what they need you to suppose. Argentina assaults Colombia, Colombia assaults the Philippines. A violent chain response consuming the globe. Do you notice that your complete world is at struggle?
Ross: Nicely, the ambiance has been tense.
Prescod: There may be an architect to that stress, Agent Ross. These assaults are escalating. In the event that they hit the soil of the most important energy…
Ross: Oh. So that you… You suppose the identical individuals are behind all of this?
Prescod: Not individuals… Skrulls. Come on, Ross, you understand the tales. This did not begin yesterday. It began 30 years in the past when the Skrulls discovered Earth. Carol Danvers and Nick Fury promised to seek out them a brand new planet. However now… ( Chuckles ) now they do not need simply any planet, they need ours. Look, cannot you see it? All these teams, they’re the identical. Skrulls might be anyone, anyplace, at any time. And there’s solely a tiny handful identified to dwell on Earth. Ross: That is barely sufficient to…
Prescod: To what? You don’t have any goddamn concept what you are speaking about, Ross! There might be 1000’s of them, tens of 1000’s! And you’d by no means know.
Ross: Okay, Prescod, let’s play a bit of sport of forest for the timber, lets? Sure, Skrulls can shapeshift. Sure, they’re on the lookout for a brand new dwelling. However, as you say, the one Skrull contact has been by way of Nick Fury. Which means they’re our allies.
Prescod: Then the place is Fury?
Ross: He is on S.A.B.E.R.! God… And if I am gonna deliver him down for regardless of the hell that is, I would like to provide him one thing extra than simply theories, I would like proof. All these different assaults, they’d be nothing in comparison with this.
Prescod: That is the one which units the world on fireplace. I ended submitting experiences on the workplace. Do not know who I can belief anymore. Aside from you…
Ross: Hey, Prescod, look, I am right here to assist. Okay? So… So let me take this and I am going to give the data to Fury.
If we needed to say goodbye to Maria, a minimum of we mentioned goodbye to her whereas she was doing what she does greatest: serving to to save lots of the world.
Honestly, I anticipated one thing horrible to occur to Maria when she was tailing G’iah.
Every part that occurred when Maria began tailing G’iah performed out far too conveniently for my liking. Possibly that was the intention, however there was zero emotion when Talos realized the mysterious particular person was his daughter.
We already knew his daughter had just about gone rogue, however there was an entire lack of emotion when she realized of her mom’s loss of life.
I puzzled whether or not she would assist or hinder her father and Nick’s operation.
Earlier than the Secret Invasion Season 1 premiere, I anticipated G’iah to be considered one of my favourite characters, however she felt extra like a script word to the writers saying, “Introduce somebody who seems to be like that chick from Lady With the Dragon Tattoo.”
It will be grand if the collection begins growing G’iah with Secret Invasion Season 1 Episode 2 as a result of it is a disgrace to waste Emilia Clarke’s expertise.
Talos is attention-grabbing as a result of you may see how a lot he cares in regards to the individuals of Earth, however he is additionally wrestling with how greatest to deal with individuals like Propischchin.
On the one hand, he may have been as cutthroat as Nick and shot him, however on the opposite, he needed to point out some humility to those individuals.
It makes me wonder if he understands why the Skrulls are taking on and doing all these lethal issues.
It appeared like Talos needed to speak to Propischchin, however Nick felt the best approach to deal with him was to shoot him.
Rhodey: We’ve a state of affairs, Mr. President.
Ritson: Regarding?
Rhodey: Agent Fury. We have simply acquired phrase that he is left S.A.B.E.R.
Ritson: What do you imply, “He left S.A.B.E.R.?”
Rhodey: Nicely, I can strive to consider a special phrase. Deserted, departed… Ritson: Agent Fury is increase essentially the most advanced aerospace protection system within the historical past of mankind. He cannot simply go away.
Rhodey: No, I agree, sir.
May we attain a degree within the narrative the place Talos may notice that Earth’s individuals are too heavy on the Anti-Skrull hate, and he’ll swap sides? I do not know, nevertheless it certain is one thing enjoyable to ponder.
The addition of Olivia Colman as Sonya was a stroke of casting genius. Colman obtained a few of the greatest materials of Secret Invasion to date.
Sonya rapidly counted Nick out however failed to acknowledge that he was pondering a number of steps forward of her, even in his present state.
I am intrigued to find out how she’ll react to the bombshell that Nick and his group obtained the intel they wanted by planting the bug in her workplace.
Then once more, given the espionage-y tone the collection goes for, perhaps she knew Nick would plant the bug and helped set the wheels in movement for the lethal encounter on the finish of the episode.
Kingsley Ben-Adir can also be a superb actor, however there’s a lot we do not know in regards to the villainous Gravik that it is difficult to get a learn on him.
“Resurrection” had all of the substances of a profitable premiere, however the execution of those nice concepts did not hit the mark, delivering an episode that felt extra like a prologue for the motion that ought to have transpired.
What are your ideas on Maria’s loss of life? Do you suppose it will stick?
What’s your tackle this hardened Nick Fury? Are you on board?
What did you consider Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, and Kingsley Ben-Adir?
Hit the feedback, and remember to maintain up with our Secret Invasion evaluations because the collection progresses.
Paul Dailly is the Affiliate Editor for TV Fanatic. Comply with him on Twitter.
