Secret Invasion Episode 1 Recap: 9 Most Shocking Reveals

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Secret Invasion season 1, episode 1.Secret Invasion episode 1 starts off Nick Fury's MCU show with some suitably shocking reveals, and with many moments that already contain major implications for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. Secret Invasion covers Fury's efforts to stop an attempt at destroying humanity set in motion to try and allow the Skrulls to take over the Earth afterwards. The stakes are high, especially for a post-Endgame Nick Fury, who is still dealing with the turmoil of the Snap and being a temporary casualty of it.

Given the Phase 5 MCU show is scheduled to have six episodes, events were bound to begin at a break-neck pace. That said, the continual revelations of Secret Invasion episode 1 are likely to surprise even the most prepared of viewers, as the show's premiere introduces new characters and explains what has happened to old characters since audiences last saw them while providing twists, turns, deaths, and betrayal into its first foray. As such, it's safe to say Secret Invasion has been well and truly set up as an action-packed series.

9 Everett Ross Is Revealed To Be A Skrull

everett ross is a fugitive in secret invasion

Secret Invasion episode 1 opens on a strong note, showing Everett Ross in a secret meeting with Agent Prescod, who is clearly immensely distrustful of others, seemingly to the point of paranoia. However, after following Martin Freeman's MCU character in the first scenes of the series, it's then shown that Prescod was clearly onto something, and that viewers have instead been watching a Skrull disguised as Ross attempting to steal confidential information regarding the impending dirty bomb plan the story then covers.

Related: How Long Do Skrulls Live For?

Naturally, this raises the question of whether other previous appearances from Everett Ross have been of the actual character, or his Skrull impersonator. While it seems likely that Ross' doppleganger took on his form simply to gain the trust of Agent Prescod, there's a real chance this has been a much longer affair, which would at the least put his awareness of military secrets in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in a much different light.

8 Gravik’s Secret Invasion Plan Revealed

kingsley ben-adir as gravik in secret invasion phase 5

The information regarding the dirty bomb plan is further explained by Talos and Maria Hill in order to let both Nick Fury and audiences know about the Secret Invasion villain Gravik's plot. Provoked by Nick Fury's "abandonment" of Earth, Gravik ed the Skrull Council and began forming a group of frustrated Skrulls to carry out his plans to start a war between Russian and the United States. By using these bombs under the AAR - Americans Against Russia - terrorist banner, Gravik seemingly hopes to incite tensions between the two countries, potentially prompting a nuclear war that would allow the Skrulls to take over the Earth due to their immunity to radiation.

7 Nick Fury Becomes A Potential Enemy Of The United States President

Secret Invasion President Dermot Mulroney

Gravik's plans aren't the only issue Fury seems set to face in Secret Invasion, as a short scene involving President Ritson and James Rhodes suggests Nick Fury is now also being actively hunted down by US forces. This is because Fury is currently classified as AWOL from his role on the MCU's SABER project, which Ritson believes to be "the most complex aerospace defense system of all time." A conflict with the US government is sure to make Nick Fury's mission even more complicated, especially given he can't inform anyone but completely trusted individuals about what he is up to, lest he risk accidentally informing a Skrull operative instead.

6 Olivia Colman Kidnaps Nick Fury

olivia colman as sonya falsworth in secret invasion

Nick Fury being kidnapped mere moments after being warned that walking around Moscow at night could see him get kidnapped seemed almost so hinted at that it wouldn’t happen. However, this pales in comparison to the reveal that the person responsible for kidnapping Nick was a new MCU figure named Sonya, played by the notably endearing Olivia Colman. Colman uses her ability to play a sweet character to create a jarring figure in Sonya, who is swiftly revealed to have history with Nick Fury in the spy business, and to have gained a reputation for ruthlessness with Fury himself as a result.

5 The Skrull Compound (& Wine) Reveals The Skrull Villains’ Motivation

Secret Invasion episode 1 shows the surprisingly expansive Skrull compound to audiences first through the eyes of Beto, a Skrull who has just been inducted into the group. G'iah drives Beto into the compound, and as she does so, she shows Beto what appears to be some form of Skrull food, telling him that "we grow only Skrull produce here... drink Skrull wine, wear Skrull skins." The implication that there is a Skrull specific wine is surprising enough, but the moment also serves to explain to audiences what the group's motivation is.

Many Skrulls have clearly become jaded with the idea that they have to hide their true selves from human society in order to avoid violence and experimentation. This sets Gravik's plan in a different light, as instead of being done out of sheer hatred, there is the distinct implication within these scenes that his aim to establish Earth as a place where Skrulls can live as themselves. While this doesn't make Gravik's plan to destroy the entire of humanity any less of a villain's tactic, it does show that he's not just a mindlessly evil villain, and serves to add a level of depth to him and the Skrulls following his orders.

4 The Skrull “Shell” Machines Are Shown In Use

The Skrull machines for human "shells" adds a sci-fi horror aspect to Secret Invasion, and immediately re-establishes Gravik as a ruthless villain. It's unveiled that Gravik's Skrull group have a selection of humans held in devices so that they can take on first their form, and then also take their mind for their own. The devices bear a striking resemble to the memory probe used in Captain Marvel on the titular hero, suggesting they're one and the same - though these may well be altered for more intensive purposes.

3 G’iah Reveals How Many Skrull Operatives Are In The Field

nick fury maria hill and g'iah in secret invasion poster with skrull in the mcu

Some viewers may have missed G'iah's very brief mention of how many Skrulls operatives Gravik has out in the field - and despite how quickly it's brought up and then moved away from, this line is decidedly very important. G'iah states there are "at least a hundred" Skrulls impersonating people to try and gain information and further Gravik's plans, which makes Nick Fury's plan to stop him have even lower chances - especially given how small Fury's own team for Secret Invasion appears to be.

2 Gravik’s Attack Succeeds Because Of Decoys

Gravik's plan to bomb Russia appears to be set for failure when G'iah reunites with Talos, as she appears to swap sides through his empathetic approach with her - even telling Talos where and when the bombs will be set in motion. However, it's revealed her information is instead about decoys, meaning Gravik is able to use the bombs in a terrorist attack intended to force Russia and America into war. While G'iah could have theoretically been given fake information if someone discovered she was close to Talos, it seems more likely she intentionally provided him false info to make sure Fury's team would be unable to stop them.

1 Maria Hill Is Dead - Killed By "Nick Fury"

Maria Hill lying dead with blood pouring from her stomach in Secret Invasion episode 1's ending.

Ultimately, it was perhaps inevitable that a spy thriller like Secret Invasion would involve a not inconsiderable amount of character deaths. However, very few people would have imagined that this would entail a long-term character from the Secret Invasion cast like Maria Hill dying in episode 1. But that's exactly what appears to happen at the end of episode, as Maria is shot by Gravik while he is disguised as none other than Nick Fury during the chaos that breaks out after his bombs are detonated.

Given Fury has to leave Hill's body, there is always the potential that she is alive, given the age-old adage that a hero or villain isn't confirmed dead in the superhero genre unless you definitvely see their final breaths. That said, in a series like Secret Invasion, it seems perhaps more likely that a Skrull will impersonate Maria to use this ambiguity for a potent twist. Either way, this moment no doubt shocked audiences, and sets the stakes even higher for the rest of the suspenseful Phase 5 show.