The highly anticipated Marvel television series, Secret Invasion, featuring Samuel L. Jackson, has finally arrived in 2023. This show’s plot has been shrouded in secrecy since its announcement in July 2022, sparking ample speculation among fans. Marvel has scaled back the frequency of its interconnected TV shows and films compared to previous years. So far this year, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has released two movies, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, with more exciting releases on the horizon, including The Marvels movie, Echo, Loki Season 2, and Ironheart.
As is characteristic of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, everything is interconnected, and Secret Invasion is no exception. To fully appreciate the series, viewers must remember the events from the 2019 film Captain Marvel. In that movie, audiences witnessed Nick Fury (played by Samuel L. Jackson) and the titular character, portrayed by Brie Larson, making a promise to assist the shape-shifting Skrulls in finding a new home. In the new Disney+ series, which premiered its first episode today, we see the Skrulls becoming restless and plotting to take over Earth through a series of orchestrated fake terrorist attacks, giving the show its intriguing title.
Before diving into Secret Invasion, here’s a quick recap of what happened in Captain Marvel for those who haven’t watched it recently. The story begins in 1995 on the Kree planet Hala, following the journey of Vers, a member of the Star Force suffering from amnesia and plagued by nightmares. During a mission, the Star Force encounters the Skrulls, a shapeshifting alien race capable of transforming into humanoids. Vers is captured by Talos, the Skrull commander played by Ben Mendelsohn, but she manages to escape and crash-lands in Los Angeles, where she crosses paths with Nick Fury.
On Earth, she meets Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), who reveals that Vers is actually a human named Carol Danvers, a pilot who went missing after test-driving a light-speed engine developed by Dr. Wendy Lawson (Annette Bening). Talos informs Vers that the Skrulls are refugees searching for a new home. They were aided by Lawson, a Kree scientist named Mar-Vell, who was working with the Skrulls until she was killed by Yon-Rogg (Jude Law), Vers’ mentor.
During the course of the film, Vers destroys the light-speed engine and absorbs its power, granting her superhuman abilities. This transformation makes her one of the most powerful heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She vows to help the Skrulls find a new home and entrusts Fury with a pager (remember, it’s still 1995) that he can use to contact her if necessary.
Now that you’re all caught up with the events of Captain Marvel, let’s move on to some frequently asked questions about Secret Invasion.
How does Nick Fury fit into all of this?
Nick Fury is Captain Marvel’s closest ally. Throughout the MCU’s history, he has appeared in 11 movies and has played a pivotal role. In Captain Marvel, we learn how he acquires his iconic eye patch (thanks to a cat named Goose, who is actually a Flerken). He is also responsible for forming the Avengers. In Avengers: Infinity War, Fury falls victim to the Blip (the Thanos snap) along with half of the world’s population. However, in Avengers: Endgame, he is brought back when the Avengers reverse the damage caused by Thanos. It’s fitting that the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. finally receives his own standalone project.
In what year does Secret Invasion take place?
Secret Invasion takes place in 2025, five years after the Blip and in the same timeline as recent Marvel projects like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
How many years have passed since Captain Marvel?
It has been 30 years since the events depicted in Captain Marvel took place.
Why are the Skrulls back on Earth?
The Skrulls, as alien refugees, have been waiting for assistance ever since Captain Marvel pledged to help them find a new home. Faced with numerous obstacles, they have apparently decided to take matters into their own hands.
Who else plays significant roles in the new series?
Ben Mendelsohn reprises his role as Talos and reaches out to Fury for help in countering an impending Skrull attack. Joining Jackson and Mendelsohn are two other acclaimed actors making their debut in the MCU: Olivia Colman and Emilia Clarke. Colman portrays an antagonistic M16 agent in Fury’s storyline, while Clarke plays the older version of Talos’ daughter, G’iah. Don Cheadle returns to the MCU as War Machine, and Kingsley Ben-Adir assumes the role of the leader of a Skrull group intent on taking over Earth.
What can we expect from Secret Invasion?
Apart from the exciting new additions to the MCU and the return of familiar faces, the central question revolves around whether the Skrulls will successfully conquer Earth and, if so, how? With the disbanding or demise of the Avengers, a new generation of superheroes is emerging worldwide. It remains to be seen how these new characters will connect the MCU and if the extensive effort to rebuild a league of superheroes will bear fruit.