Secret Invasion Episode 1 Recap and Ending, Explained: Samuel L. Jackson Enters Phase 5 of the MCU

Disclaimer: This article contains major spoilers from Secret Invasion Episodes 1-2

After seven odd series featuring our favorite Avengers and new superheroes in everything between a sitcom and a spy drama, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is back with a new series. Secret Invasion, directed by Ali Selim, starring Samuel L. Jackson, who returns to play Nick Fury, is expectedly different. Joining them are Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), Special Agent Sonya Falsworth (Olivia Coleman, making her MCU debut), General Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), the recently introduced Skrull Giah (Emilia Clarke), and others. Like most series that have come from the studio recently, it continues the MCU’s trend of groundbreaking storytelling. In episode 6, the espionage thriller is set to feature the conflict between the shape-shifting Skrulls and the Furys. Basically, we can’t trust anyone.

Secret Invasion begins years after the events of Captain Marvel (2019). After that, Nick Fury and Carol Danvers promised the Skrulls that they would find them a home, a promise that was not kept. Turns out, the consequences of lying to a powerful alien race that could be your mother in disguise are huge. There’s barely any superhero action left for off-duty James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) in the first two episodes. It’s a major departure from the popular comic book run that revolved around Skrulls secretly spying on humans in order to use their abilities to take on their form and featured all the major Marvel superheroes out there Did.

Filmfare had the opportunity to watch the first two episodes of Secret Invasion ahead of the show’s release. Here’s everything that went down in the premiere and what happened in the next episode.

What happens in episode 1 of Secret Invasion?

Secret Invasion Episode 1 opens in Moscow, Russia. We see Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) meet with Agent Prescod who tells him that the Skrulls are responsible for terrorist attacks around the world. He urges Ross to summon Nick Fury from the Saber space station to Earth and show him the Skrulls’ plans to support his claims. Ross doesn’t look convinced but agrees to make some calls. When he begins to act suspiciously, Prescod senses that something is wrong and attacks him. After a chase sequence, it is revealed that Ross is a Skrull – Talos. Of course, this brings Nick Fury back to Earth and he joins forces with Maria Hill and Talos to take care of the Skrull rebellion.

Talos briefs Nick Fury on the rebel Skrulls, who have grown tired of waiting for Fury to find a new home for themselves. They have assumed human form and are carrying out terrorist attacks to wipe out humans from the planet. And it seems there are more of them than Fury would like to believe. Talos is ousted from the Skrull Council and replaced by Grevik (Kingsley Ben-Adir), a Rebel leader. Elsewhere, we see James Rhodes talking to the President about Fury’s absence on the space station. The President asks him to deal with Fury, naturally upset that he has abandoned his priorities in space.

Fury is kidnapped while on a picnic and when he arrives at his destination, he is surprised to meet MI6 agent Sonya Falsworth, an old colleague. Meanwhile, we see G’iah who has been living with rebel Skrulls at nuclear power plants that have been shut down for years (Skrulls are not affected by radioactivity), bringing a Skrull into the fold. Here, it is revealed that they have been living as refugees and have been kidnapping humans to affect not only their faces but also their minds. It is important to note that Gaia is the daughter of Talos who has joined Grevik and his cause. The latter has a major stake in containing insurgency.

What happens at the end of Secret Invasion Episode 1?

Amidst all the chaos, Nick Fury, Maria Hill and General Talos are informed of a terrorist threat from an insurgent named Vasily Poprishchin. They need to handle the situation before Sonya arrives, looking for information against the Skrulls. And she’s not that forgiving. Grevik asks Gia to bring the bomb to Vasily. She gets her hands on the bombs before Fury and company get there. Maria fails to stop Jia. Next – Talos tries to stop Jiya and reveals that her mother Soren is dead and tells her to stop working with Grevik. It doesn’t work and Jiya walks away with the bomb.

After another confrontation between Talos and Gaiah, we learn that there are so many Skrulls that it is difficult to determine who is human and who is Skrull in human form. And remember how no one stopped Gia from delivering the bomb? Yes, the bombs went off. During the attack, Gravik disguises as Nick Fury and brutally kills Maria Hill.

So is Maria Hill really dead?

The most shocking part of Secret Invasion Episode 1 is Maria’s death. This character has been on the Marvel roster for years. Taking her out on a show that had every chance to advance her story seems like an odd move. While Grevik kills Maria, Fury feels responsible (as he should). It’s a heartbreaking moment in a show steeped in a lingering sense of loss. Maria trusts him and has been a constant help to Fury since first being introduced in The Avengers (2012). Hill dies in his arms. Not only did Fury lose one of his most important allies, but his presence in Russia complicated things for America as well.

What will happen in Episode 2?

While the first episode is slow in build-up, the next episode moves fast. Without spoiling much, Fury will be left to deal with the aftereffects of the terrorist attack. He must not only deal with his personal loss but also answer for his role in Maria’s death. Episode 2 will also delve into the plans of the rebel Skrulls. More importantly, Fury will be visited by an old friend who will bring unexpected information and intentions.

The first episode of Secret Invasion is currently streaming.

See also: Marvel delays Avengers 5, Fantastic Four and other films. details inside