Marvel’s new miniseriesSecret Invasionhas arrived on Disney+r. So, what is to be expected of a new superhero series? More heroes to enter the MCU? New villains to raise the stakes? Are westill feeling that Marvel fatigue? Whatever the case, this miniseries is going to be a crucial part of the MCU. The show will bring back some familiar faces while centering around Samuel L. Jackson’s character Nick Fury. In this six-episode series, Nick Fury recruits Maria Hill, Everett K. Ross, and Talos to stop a renegade group of Skrulls from gaining control of Earth by assuming positions of power all across the world.
Marvel fans who are familiar with the comic book storyline ofSecret Invasionhave a good idea of what is to come. But how do you cram the entirety of the comic story into six episodes? Here’s how: by deviating from the storyline. That’s not exactly a new concept when it comes to the MCU. While the creative team at Marvel Studios wants to keep the appeal of the main universe Earth-616, the MCU is its own distinct universe that has adapted popular storylines to fit the universe they have created. Storylines likeCivil War,Planet Hulk, andHouse of Mhave been drastically reimagined in the MCU.Secret Invasiondirector Ali Selim was eventold not to read the comicsas it was not part of the series. So what story elements are being pulled from theSecret Invasioncomics? What will the miniseries become compared to the comic?
Exploring the Political Paranoia
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed thatSecret Invasionwould not match the scope of the comic book storyline. The comic storyline ofSecret Invasionhas far more characters than the MCU’s crossover filmAvengers: Endgame. Feige also stated that they are not fully exploring the comic story because of the surprisingly limited number of characters in the MCU and the impact on the wider universe. He did, however, want to keep a theme from the comic storyline that ties into the events that happened with the Blip: political paranoia. We have seen this theme presented inFalcon and the Winter Soldier. We saw how the Blip has affected humanity politically, racially, and socially. Feige and the other writers plan to go deeper into that withSecret Invasion.
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The series willserve as a follow-upto the story ofCaptain Marveland as a prelude to 2023’sThe Marvels, which will now open in theaters afterSecret Invasionairs on Disney+. Greater inspiration for this miniseries’ story comes from various Western films and Cold War-era espionage noir novels and films. We have a clearer picture thatSecret Invasionwill be dealing with a more grounded plot compared to the more heroic shows. Cobie Smulders, the actress who plays Maria Hill, has described this miniseries as an “on-this-earth drama” that will be “dealing with real human issues and dealing with trust.” Just like Marvel’s promotional tagline for the comic: Who do you trust?
The Renegade Skrull Invasion
Of course, this wouldn’t beSecret Invasionif the Skrulls did not come from space to take over Earth. This will be another one of the few comparisons between the show and the comics. Unlike the comic book storyline, however, the renegade Skrulls are disguising themselves as those with positions of power across the world. Unlike the comic, the Skrulls will not be disguising themselves as any of the MCU heroes. At least, not that we know of. The fact the Skrulls will beimpersonating people with positions of poweris more concerning than impersonating Captain America or Spider-Man.
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Samuel L. Jackson stated that the inclusion of more Skrulls introduced “a political aspect” because of their ability to shape-shift. When the Skrulls were first introduced into the MCU, it was the Kree that painted them as villainous and spread lies that they invaded planets to conquer them. While Captain Marvel presented the Skrulls as refugees, Secret Invasion looks to show the complex nature of the alien species as not all of them are good while also not all of them are evil. There has become a faction that has grown tired of waiting for Nick Fury to keep his promise of finding them a home. “What happens when people get afraid and don’t understand other people? you may’t tell who’s innocent or guilty in this instance.” This is how Jackson has described the Skrulls forSecret Invasion.
More Focus on Nick Fury’s Character
you may only do so much with six episodes. TheSecret Invasionstory in the comics is very complex with its numerous amounts of superheroes, Skrull, variants of Super-Skrull, and so on. The comic storyline ofSecret Invasionfocuses on a multitude of characters and heroes. The miniseries will be diving into the past of one of the most mysterious characters in the entire MCU:Nick Fury himself. We will finally learn just what exactly he has been doing in deep space. We’ll have the answers as to why it is taking him so long to find a new planet for the Skrulls. And we’ll know what made him the person we know now.
This is one of the biggest deviations from comics, and it just might work out. It was smart to have Fury be the main protagonist forSecret Invasion. Nick Fury is a super spy, and his comic books tended to be angled towards classic espionage stories, somethingSecret Invasionis heavily leaning into. He is the character who has trust issues, and what better way to test that than with villains who can take the form of anyone.
It will be interesting to see if he breaks out of that shell at all. Jackson himself even stated that we will be seeinga more humanized Nick Fury, someone less mysterious and possibly grieving over close comrades. Next to Captain Marvel herself, Fury is one of the few people to have a (somewhat) close relationship with the Skrulls. But even they have grown tired of waiting for Fury to find a solution. What will Nick Fury do when the people he is trying to help are turning against one another? What is at stake for the future of the MCU afterSecret Invasion? Who can we trust?
