First Impressions: Secret Invasion Season 1 (2023)

It has been a while since we have had an MCU Disney+ show and on Wednesday the first episode of Secret Invasion came out and I watched it pretty much straight away. So here are my first impressions, warning there will be spoilers for the episode, so if you haven't watched the episode then do not read this yet. 

Everett Ross is a Skrull, or is he? 

We open the episode with Everett Ross played by Martin Freeman meeting with an agent who has clearly worked out that Skrulls have taken over the planet using sleeper agents. Eventually, this agent recognises that Ross is a Skrull and is killed. After a chase scene, Ross is chased and eventually dies, revealing himself as a Skrull. The question, is how long has Ross been a Skrull? Personally, I believe every time we have seen Ross before has been himself and after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever he was kidnapped by the Skrulls and replicated for their needs. We will probably see him later on the show when he needs to be rescued. 

Nick Fury returns to Earth 

This event sparks the return of Nicky Fury. It has been revealed that he has been off Earth since the events of Avengers Endgame and this major event has seen him return to the planet. It also seems like he is a bit older and battered down since that film and I think the blip really affected him as the character. 

Talos Wife is killed and his daughter G'iah is working for The Skrulls

We learn that since we last saw them. Talos wife Soren was killed by The Skrulls which has totally impacted his life and relationship with Fury. We then see G'iah who was in Captain Marvel grown up played by Emilia Clarke and she is actually working for The Skrulls. We see that she is slightly conflicted but stays loyal to The Skrulls. I expect by the end of the season she will turn on The Skrulls. 

Kingsley Ben Adir plays Gravik and has history with Fury & Talos

It has been a while since we have had a great villain, but it looks like Ben Adir as Gravik could be one. He is intense and compelling but what is more interesting is that he clearly knows Nicky Fury and Talos. It is not revealed in the episode how he knows both these characters but you can assume that it 

will be revealed and it will be fascinating to when it happened. 

The USA & UK are looking into The Skrull 

We have a scene in The White House, where the new president and James Rhodes reprised by Don Cheadle are seen discussing Fury's return and the whole Skrull situation. We also see a scene where the CIA led by Sonya Falsworth played by Olivia Coleman kidnap Fury and they have a conversation about the whole Skrull situation. Both factions are likely to have their own motivations and I wouldn't be surprised if some of them were Skrulls. 

Maria Hill is Killed and potential WW3 is set up

The biggest shock of the episode is that Maria Hill is killed by Gravik who has shape shifted as Nick Fury. It is a brutal death and feels extremely heart-breaking, especially with her believing the Fury was the one who killed her. With her not turning into a Skrull, it is clear that this is actually Mariah Hill who has been in this universe for 11 years which makes it a big death. The Skrulls set off explosions in Moscow while disguised as Americans with the goal of setting up a new war between the humans of the world. 

A Darker Version of the MCU

This show is certainly different to the majority of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is very serious and brutal with its action sequences and death. I really hope the show continues this way and doesn't hold back from this thriller with plenty of twists and turns. 

Overall

Overall, I thought this was a fantastic premier. It is probably the best first episode of any of the MCU Disney+ series so far and I have really high hopes for how Secret Invasion continues to progress.