Let’s Talk about Secret Invasion Episode 1-2

The premiere episode of Secret Invasion started by solving the mysteries of Agents Everett Ross and Nick Fury.

We learned that one had been a Skrull for an unknown amount of time. Meanwhile, the other returned home after an extended space trip.

Now, let’s talk about Secret Invasion Episode 1-2, which starts with something the premiere lacked: An explanation.

Past Is Prologue

The story reminds the viewer of the introduction of Skrulls in Captain Marvel.

Enemies of the Skrulls had chased them across the universe, forcing the aliens into hiding. They were fractured and alone.

Fury and Carol Danvers became allies of the Skrulls and their leader, Talos.

As part of their agreement, the humans agreed to find the Skrulls a new home.

The premise of Secret Invasion hinges on the fact that this hasn’t happened yet.

The Skrulls had already fallen into factions. Now, some are in open revolt. We’re dealing with the fallout from that in this series.

First, as a reminder, Captain Marvel took place in 1995, according to the MCU timeline.

After the prologue, this story begins in 1997, making it a sequel to Captain Marvel but a prequel to most of the events in Secret Invasion.

Yes, that’s a strange thing to say about something that happens in a Secret Invasion episode, but comic stories are weird. Just go with it.

The place is Brixton, London, where many Skrulls approach Nick Fury. One of them is Varra, who introduces the agent to an orphan named Gravik.

While the boy is young, we learn that in the wake of his parents’ death fighting the Kree, he escaped imprisonment and flew a ship to safety.

In other words, Gravik is a merciless child of war, which aligns with what we witnessed in the series premiere.

Importantly, Varra appears to have Nick Fury’s ear as well, which will tie into the episode’s big surprise.

A Promise Made But Not Kept

In 1997, Talos rallies his remaining troops, those “who braved the journey here to Earth.”

After Talos speaks, Fury asks the Skrulls to take “the pledge.”

The promise he offers is, “While you work to keep my home safe, Carol Danvers and I will find you a new one.”

Eventually, every Skrull in the room agrees, with the first of them being G’iah’s mother, Soren.

For whatever reason, G’iah and Gravik are already exchanging looks as the children in the room. So, they already have a relationship.

Fury thanks everyone and states, “If you keep your word, I’ll keep mine.”

The camera pans in on Gravik, who takes these words to heart. It’s obvious that terrorist Gravik is harboring a grudge for Fury breaking this pledge.

The episode demonstrates this in several ways. At one point, Gravik confirms he could have killed Fury, but he found the idea pointless.

Instead, hurting the man who has betrayed the Skrulls is more important to him.

Speaking of which, we return to the present and the aftermath of the Skrull terrorist incident.

The Skrull we watched claim the mind of a human last week gets thrown in a van. It turns out Talos is the one who has taken him. Hold that thought.

We cut to a Russian train where soldiers go from car to car as they search for Nick Fury. A gorgeous woman blocks one from entering her room.

After some flirtation, the soldier leaves, and the obvious happens. The woman returns to her natural form as Talos. And yes, he’s harboring Fury.

When someone as famous as Nick Fury gets captured on camera at the scene of terrorist activity, everyone presumes it’s him. Fury is on the run.

Reunions and New Alliances

During their train ride, Talos and Fury catch up after years apart. It becomes clear that Talos feels Fury abandoned the Skrulls as well.

During this conversation, Talos shocks Fury with a revelation. A million Skrulls, “all of us,” live on Earth after Talos sent out the signal.

As the Skrull explains the matter, everyone who isn’t part of Emperor Drogge’s colony has come to Earth. Who is Emperor Drogge? We don’t know.

For the moment, the bigger reveal is that about one out of every 80 “people” on this planet is a Skrull. That’s…disconcerting.

Furious, Fury kicks Talos off the train, which raises questions about how the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent exits the train.

We gloss over that, though. He’s an espionage master, and I’m sure it’s fine.

Anyway, the next cut involves Fury speaking with Maria Hill’s mother and revealing that she’s dead specifically because of him. The mother takes this…poorly.

We’re stripping Fury of all his allies in Secret Invasion, which will make him that much more dangerous later in the series.

Meanwhile, Gravik is consolidating his power and influence. He and G’iah arrive at a clandestine meeting.

Once Gravik enters the room, the other faces are recognizable from quick appearances.

One is an obnoxious news host, while another is the Secretary-General of NATO. Eep!

As expected, the Skrulls have usurped control of many power players in society.

While the conversation starts as a lecture against Gravik’s terrorism, he’s clearly in control the entire time.

By the end, the council names him Skrull General, a role whose “war power is total and unchecked.” We’ve got ourselves a villain.

And yes, the Skrull secret council declares war on Earth during this meeting.

Seeding the Skrull Plans

Some events happen during the episode that merit special attention.

First, one Skrull – and only one – refuses to bow to Gravik. He allows her to leave safely and continue in her role, believing he can trust her to act in the Skrulls’ best interests.

Before this Skrull departs, she chastises the others with what I believe is foreshadowing regarding what we should expect next in the story.

“We (the Skrulls) did not end up homeless refugees because we were unwilling to wage war. We ended up homeless refugees because we were too willing.”

After this Skrull departs the meeting, “Shirley” immediately calls Talos and alerts him that the council has voted Gravik Skrull General.

Talos asks for Shirley to set up a meeting between Gravik and him. The subject is allegedly about G’iah. We’ll see whether that’s true.

Also, the one challenge to Gravik’s plans centers on the Avengers. The Skrulls worry that if they raise the ire of Earth’s mightiest heroes, their plans will collapse.

Gravik acts insulted by this, and we later understand why. Once G’iah returns to their base, she scans through their system.

G’iah discovers genetic research being performed on creatures like the Frost Giants and Groot.

There are four different species under study, which means yes, we’re getting a Super Skrull.

Since we don’t have the Fantastic Four in the MCU yet, this Super Skrull will take other powers instead. But I’m 99 percent sure it’s coming.

Also, imagine the rage people are gonna feel when someone subverts Groot’s DNA into something evil.

The Spy Stuff

Remember that spy Talos captured earlier in the episode?

We circle back to that character once again, discovering them in a Russian meat locker.

Also, this seems like a good time to remember that there’s a third player on the board.

Yes, Sonya Falsworth returns and demands that the many Russian mobsters exit the torture scene.

Falsworth’s only question is where the emergency exit is. So, you know she’s gonna do something good.

Once the spy is alone with the Skrull, she poisons him in a manner that’s quite painful to his species.

Eventually, he talks…moments before Gravik attempts a rescue attempt.

Falsworth proves remarkably efficient, gains the intel she needs, and then escapes.

In between, she verifies the existence of evil scientists who are a married couple with the last name of Dalton. They’re the ones creating the Super Skrulls.

Meanwhile, James Rhodes faces a whole lot of diplomatic blowback from Fury’s presence in Russia. Rhodes swears he has no idea where Fury is.

Once a UN meeting ends, Rhodes receives a call from…Nick Fury. Awkward.

The two meet at a private restaurant that’s closed to everyone. The only other person there is Rhodes’s security guy.

Let’s just say that the meeting goes so poorly that Fury breaks the security guy’s arm.

Ultimately, Rhodes fires Fury as a government employee, espionage agent for the United States/Avengers, and any other role.

Fury’s attitude is very much, “You can’t fire me. I’m everybody’s boss.” I loooove him for that.

Still, Nick Fury is no longer an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., S.W.O.R.D., or anything else.

He’s one old man facing the thought of an alien invasion against creatures who can mimic anyone’s appearance.

Speaking of Skrulls…

I almost finished that thought by saying that without the Avengers, Maria Hill, Talos, or S.H.I.E.L.D. connections, Fury has lost everything.

I’m not sure that’s true, though.

The episode ends by showing a Skrull chopping vegetables as she prepares dinner.

Then, Nick Fury enters this home and kisses the same individual, who has since taken on a human form.

Secret Invasion desperately wants to think that a Skrull has replaced Nick Fury’s lover.

I think that’s a swerve, though.

The Skrull in question is Varra, and I suspect Nick Fury and she have been together for a very long time, maybe even since the 1990s.

Remember that joke in Captain America: The Winter Soldier? Fury said that his wife had kicked him out, leading Rogers to quip, “I didn’t know you were married.”

Since Fury is the world’s greatest spy, we weren’t sure whether Fury was lying. He clearly wasn’t.

The only question is whether Varra in the kitchen at the end of the episode is his wife or a replacement.

Either way, this woman won’t allow Fury in her kitchen until he wears his wedding ring, and you gotta love that.

Next episode, we’ll probably learn whether Fury has been married to a Skrull for 20 years or had his significant other Secret Invaded.

Either way, Nick Fury does still have connections that keep him attached to Earth.

As the episode ends, he only looks like a man who has lost everything.

We’re getting strong signals that the old Nick Fury is rising to the surface, though. And I can’t wait to see that guy crush an alien invasion.

 

Thanks for visiting MarvelBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below, and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond-Level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon!

Featured image: Marvel