Marvel’s Secret Invasion Ep 6 Review
When news went out about Marvel making an MCU adaptation of the Secret Invasion event from the comics, I was optimistic. With all its twists, turns, and impressively climatic ending, it seemed like a good idea. Instead, it wound up misusing its star power and ending on a disappointing whimper. And while Nick Fury ends up regaining his confidence, he’s not even the person to take down Gravik. It’s sad to say, but Marvel might have reached its limit regarding the mini-series format.
G’iah V Gravik Was a Bit of a Misfire
Exhibit A in how the show falls flat at the finish line, we have the final battle against Gravik. Instead of facing Gravik in an abandoned, and radioactive, nuclear power plant, Fury goes to get President Riston to see reason. Meanwhile, G’iah passes herself off as Fury so she can get in close to the machine he’s using to give himself more powers. It ends up working, and the two Skrulls each gain all the powers of the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Thanos’ Black Order, and a bunch of other beings. Now the most powerful beings on Earth, the two clash in what’s supposed to be an epic final battle. What we get, though, is just average for the MCU.
Now, thematically, the fight itself is appropriate. G’iah and Gravik represent the next generation of Skrulls, each with an opposing view on what needs to be done for them to survive. Considering how Gravik also killed her parents, though, it comes as no surprise that G’iah comes out on top; that, and the Mother of Dragons plays her. However, the fight itself isn’t something to write home about and fails to use the full-scale of their abilities. They each have the powers of some of the strongest people to set foot on Earth. They should be tearing up the landscape and reducing buildings to rubble like it’s a shonen anime! Instead, it looks like the budget was put towards the CGI.
Also, it seems disappointing that Gravik couldn’t even tell that “Fury” was G’iah. It could be chalked up to him wanting to gloat over besting the great Nick Fury, but it appears pathetic.
The Ungrateful President Declares Open Season on all Aliens
Meanwhile, Fury manages to get President Riston to see that “Rhodey” is a Skrull via a bullet to the head, saving him and stopping World War III before it can even start. However, instead of being grateful or recognizing the fact that Talos, a Skrull, helped save him, Riston goes off the deep end and does the worst thing possible. He publicly outs the Skrulls’ presence on Earth, which is bad enough. What’s worse, though, is that he pushes for legislation to declare any extraterrestrials on Earth enemy combatants to be killed. Not just the Skrulls, but all aliens! Fury can’t help but make his disgust towards the President known via phone call.
Ignoring the fact that Gravik’s secret invasion tried to wipe out mankind, Riston’s actions paint a bleak picture for the immediate future of the MCU. The bleakest it’s been since the end of Infinity War. His blatantly xenophobic views draw a little bit too close to home, considering how people in real-life are becoming more and more distrustful of each other. In addition, Secret Invasion seems to have Riston disregard the fact that it was Talos, a Skrull, who died saving his life. The President of the United States should be able to remember this and recognize that not every Skrull is their enemy. He doesn’t, though.
Fury Bails on Earth Again
Ultimately, the miniseries ends with Nick Fury leaving Earth once more, this time with Vaara joining him. According to her, the Kree want to negotiate peace with the Skrulls, and they’re both going to see it to fruition. Unfortunately, while Secret Invasion ends with Fury regaining his spymaster status and confidence, that’s the only victory to be found. Earth is generally a much bleaker place than it was at the start of this, with Fury losing two important comrades in the form of Talos and Maria Hill. There isn’t even a post-credits scene hinting at what comes next.
As a whole, Secret Invasion feels like a massive step down for the MCU. It was adapting something that should’ve been absolutely epic and turned it into an attempt at being a spy-thriller that doesn’t live up to its full potential. The actor’s are underutilized, the fighting isn’t that interesting, and it doesn’t even touch on the implications that Rhodey might have been replaced by a Skrull as far back as Captain America: Civil War. We won’t even see his reaction to the fact that his best friend’s dead!
I’m going to be completely honest: you’d be better off just reading the comic books that inspired this miniseries. At least that secret invasion had an appropriate climax.
