We hadn’t heard much about Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the release of Captain Marvel in 2019. Impersonated by the famous Samuel L. Jackson, However, the character played an important role in Phase 1 as he was the origin of the Avengers project. But now the strongman of SHIELD, the intelligence, intervention and counter-terrorism agency in the Marvel Universe, has disappeared after Thanos’ snap in Avengers: Infinity War.
Since then, the head of the secret agents has not appeared in the various contents of the MCU. So, Secret Invasion marks the return of Nick Fury to the front of the stage, at least for the time of a miniseriesThe film is scheduled to run for one season and will air on June 21. So does the series have enough to reignite a craze set around the Marvel Universe with an atmosphere of shifting espionage and mystery? Here are our impressions after watching the first two episodes.
Between espionage and mystery, there is an unprecedented atmosphere in the MCU
To put things in context, Secret Invasion takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. On the SABER space station Nick Fury returns to Earth after learning that a covert invasion by a faction of shape-shifting aliens known as the Skrulls is underway.. To help, SHIELD’s strongman can count on his lifelong allies, like Maria Hill and the Skrull Talos, who have peacefully settled on our planet. Together they must fight against this insidious invasion and save humanity. More than the last Avengers, Watching Captain Marvel is key to understanding what’s happening in Secret Invasion. In this film we discover the Skrulls but also Nick Fury’s relationship with them since the action takes place in the ’90s. Even if the second episode starts with a synopsis of the feature film, we still recommend that you watch the feature film to be up to date.
As a spy series Secret Invasion is about both the mysterious and the weird that the shapeshifting side of the Skrulls goes through. Before an episode, you never know which character you’re really facing, which leads to remaining suspicious in most scenes. And then the show does everything it can to look like a Cold War, both in its setting and in its themes. The beginning of the series takes place in Moscow, while in this context there is the danger of a nuclear war that could destroy humanity. Not surprising, The series ticks all the boxes for a spy movie with infiltration, car chases, interrogations, double agents or conspiracies reminiscent of Captain America: Winter Solider.
Nick Fury finally on stage
Beyond the aspect of espionage, which plays a central role, Above all, Secret Invasion is an opportunity to learn more about Nick Fury. Until then, the latter remained a classy supporting character due to his mysterious side and the fact that he gets his way because he’s always three steps ahead. But a lot of time has passed and the secret agent is only a shadow of himself after being missing for five years because of the solar eclipse. As he descends from the space station he was responsible for building, he realizes that his absence has complicated things on Earth and that his allies blame him for his radio silence. The show is therefore an opportunity to explore this character more closely, especially through flashbacks to understand what led to the current situation, but also other agents such as Maria Hill.
The Skrulls are the other major characters of the series. While we’ve put them aside since Captain Marvel, Secret Invasion is an opportunity to see these aliens front and center again. Without too many surprises There is a certain difference of opinion within this people, between those who want to live with people and those who want to reclaim it for themselves. The contrast between the two camps is interesting for a race that in the past lost its planet precisely because of its overly bellicose will.
After those first two episodes, Secret Invasion continues to deliver a plot full of twists and turns. With its atmosphere of mystery and espionage, the series surprises the viewer several times and seems to keep control for the rest of the events. And then the show is also an opportunity to learn more about the Skrulls and in particular about Nick Fury, who has long since left the MCU. How far all this will go remains to be seen to see if the series has the potential to become Marvel’s Andor.
