Despite being something of a god figure of the MCU, there hasn’t been many entries in the exponentially expanding cinematic universe that’s actually been about Nick Fury; Samuel L. Jackson’s cycloptic superspy who first popped up way back in Iron Man’s post credit sequence. In fact, I can only really think of three entries in the MCU that have really gotten under the eye patch with The Avengers, Captain America: Winter Soldier and Captain Marvel being the rare examples of Fury being more than an incredibly charismatic puppet master (we don’t count Spider-Man: Far From Home for reasons that should be obvious). But now we have Secret Invasion, the latest bout of Disney+ based, post-Thanos therapy for a beloved Marvel character that’s come after numerous shows that’s seen numerous heroes try and get their head back in the game after getting dusted by a giant, gold space mitten. Not only is this a prime opportunity for us (not to mention Jackson and Marvel themselves) to get a chance to see what makes Nick tick, but we finally get to catch up with the MCU’s slipperiest foes to date – the shape shifting Skrulls.
After abandoning Earth after the events of Endgame, Nick Fury has been cooling his heels in space, working with S.A.B.R.E., the defence service that aims to protect mankind against intergalactic threats, but it seems that the main space-related problem that’s brewing isn’t coming from beyond the stars.
Skrulls are a race of aliens given asylum on Earth thirty years ago after the events of Captain Marvel, but the failure of Fury and Carol Danvers to find them another home, mixed with the fact that both heroes up and vanished after the events of the blip has meant that a sinister, splinter fraction has risen that wants to claim Earth as their home planet.
Right from the get go, no one can be trusted, with a clandestine meeting between Everett Ross and a paranoid informant revealing that the CIA agent is far more green and duplicitous than we initially thought which galvanises Agent Maria Hill to try and get her old boss back in the game.
However, instead of getting the Fury of old, we get an old Fury; a man who was once three steps ahead of the entire game but now walks with a limp and doesnt even wear his signature eye patch and it becomes pretty apparent to all around him – especially acidicly patronising, rival agent, Sonya Farnsworth – that the former S.H.I.E.L.D. head is horribly rusty.
Aided by Hill and old, Skrull ally, Talos, Fury attempts to dismantle a plot masterminded by Skrull extremist Gravik that aims to ignite war between nations, but when it’s revealed that Talos’ estranged daughter, G’iah, is among his troops, the opportunity for betrayal is increased exponentially.
Who can you trust?
The very second we’re graced with title cards straight out of Captain America: Civil War rhay signify that we’re in Moscow, it becomes pretty apparent that we’re in for the type of spy games seen in the likes of Captain America: Winter Soldier and Black Widow, but make no mistake, despite the fact that the show features jade-hued, extraterrestrial identity stealers, comic book shenanigans are kept to the barest of minimums. It’s understandable considering that the source material penned by Brian Michael Bendis sees that said invasion involved a climax that saw a legion of Skrulls descend upon New York City wielding duplicated, mix ‘n match powers created to match might with every superhuman lining up to thwart them, but the fans who still complain that the superlative Captain America: Civil War wasn’t as ludicrously packed as its comic book origin might have the same issue here.
That’s not to say there aren’t a clutch of already established characters. Not only are Colbie Smulders’ Agent Hill and Ben Mendelsohn’s Talos reliably present, but we also get scenes with Martin Freeman’s Agent Ross and Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes; but there’s no hint of Wakanda or even a sniff of War Machine armour here as the show is far more intrigued with subterfuge and shadows than punching a rampaging super-dick through the nearest high rise.
As a whole, it works, as the show – thanks to its multi-formed baddies – does a decent job of keeping you on edge and on the wrong foot as literally no one is who they may appear, but be warned: Phase 5’s first TV outing (which also happens to be Marvel’s first show of the year) starts slow in setting up characters and scenarios that will no doubt pay off later.
There’s actually a fair amount to get through as director Ali Selim’s first episode has to not only re-introduce us to a noticably creakier, greyer, Fury who has somewhat lost the faith after Thanos snapped his fingers, but we also have to catch up with 30 years worth of Skrull history that’s seen the refugee race grow embittered and impatient with their limbo status. Not only is large clumps of their plan ripped from our headlines (paranoia about immigration, tensions with Russia), but we find that Talos’ wife, Soren has died and that his daughter, G’iah, has sided with Gravik in order to preserve her race.
To be honest, while spy stories (even ones with alien antagonists) need slow burn starts to fire up that paranoia good and hot, Secret Inasvion starts you off on such a back foot, it’s tough to adjust to this colder, crueler corner of the MCU where friendly quips are minimal and general feelings of warmth and safety are sternly kept on the down low. I personally like it when the MCU takes the occasional shift into more serious territory and breaks out the spy movie tropes like dark cobbles streets and dialogue scenes that are shot by camera men overdosing on caffeine, but by it’s very nature, Secret Invasion is tough to get a handle on. Alligences are sketchily drawn by design and no gaudily attired hero is suddenly going to drop down from the sky and suddenly clean this up for us so as a result, this first episode plays maybe a bit too cold for those hoping for more rambunctious stuff as the showrunners keep their cards close to their chest.
However, there’s still gold here to cling too. Jackson’s Fury may now prefer reading specs to an eye patch and his aches and pains are visibly catching up to him (there’s a whole “aging warrior” vibe between both him and Talos), but hes still a joy to watch when he settles into his classic Fury vibe whether holding an interrogation by snuggling into a priceless Louis XIV chair or swapping barbs with Olivia Colman’s scene stealing Farnsworth who feels she’s tumbled right out of an episode of Killing Eve.
We’ve a long way to go and many more twists and turns to come, so some lingering questions, fall out from the episode’s explosive climax and some needed fleshing out of the villains are all due over the coming weeks, but episode one of Nick Fury’s big return plays a bit like the aging agent himself: slow to get going.
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