Secret Invasion

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Lore & Background

The narrative centers on Gravik, a rebel Skrull leader who has broken away from Talos. Operating out of a decommissioned radioactive site in Russia, Gravik believes infiltrating Earth is the only way to secure resources for his people, though he views most fellow Skrulls as idiots. He leads a council including characters like Chris Stearns and Rosa Dalton, while recruiting figures like Beto and Pagon. Talos's daughter, G'iah, initially works for Gravik but resents Nick Fury for failing to find the Skrulls a new home after their promise in Captain Marvel. Meanwhile, Fury returns to Earth worn out by his time in space and haunted by past sins, finding himself in a cat-and-mouse game with James 'Rhodey' Rhodes, who has been replaced by the female Skrull Raava.

In Their Own Story

The series begins with Nick Fury returning to Earth after years away, teaming up with Talos to investigate suspicious activities. They discover Gravik's plot to replace world leaders and heroes with Skrull impostors. Key moments include the revelation that President Ritson is human while Rhodes has been swapped for Raava, who serves as an advisor to him. Fury and Sonya Falsworth, a high-ranking MI6 agent and his 'frenemy,' work together to expose the conspiracy. The conflict intensifies as Gravik's forces execute their plan across multiple nations. In the final episode, Pagon assumes the form of his human counterpart, and the real James Rhodes is released from a Skrull containment pod, marking the end of the immediate invasion threat.

Reader's Guide

Viewers should note that this is the first series in Phase Five of the MCU. The creative team changed significantly during production; originally led by head writer Kyle Bradstreet and director Ali Selim, much of the team was replaced, with Brian Tucker taking over writing duties and Thomas Bezucha exiting before extensive reshoots took place from mid-June to late September 2022. Critics praised Jackson's and Mendelsohn's performances but criticized the pacing, visual effects, and specifically the writing of the finale. The cast includes Emilia Clarke as G'iah, Olivia Colman as Sonya Falsworth, and Kingsley Ben-Adir as Gravik, alongside returning MCU actors like Cobie Smulders and Martin Freeman.

Did You Know?

• The character Chris Stearns, a Skrull posing as an FXN news host, was based on real-life newscaster Tucker Carlson.
• Extensive reshoots for the series took place from mid-June to late September 2022, after much of the original creative team had been replaced.
• The real James 'Rhodey' Rhodes is ultimately released from his Skrull containment pod at the end of the six-episode run.
• Emilia Clarke's character G'iah was previously portrayed as a child in Captain Marvel by Auden L. Ophuls and Harriet L. Ophuls.