Here's a complete list of the best Easter eggs and comic book references shown in Secret Invasion series!
Marvel Phase Five pushes forward starting off with the first MCU series: Secret Invasion. Now that indestructible Nick Fury is back on his feet on earth, the Skrulls have gradually infiltrated the earth to rebuild their new planet, Skrullos.
WARNING: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Secret Invasion, so READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Table of Contents
- Secret Invasion: Nick Fury Went AWOL after The Blip
- Secret Invasion: Why The Avengers Are Not in Secret Invasion
- Secret Invasion: How Captain Marvel Led To Secret Invasion
- Secret Invasion: Skrull Emperor Drogge and His Skrull Colony
- Secret Invasion: Rhodey References His Vibranium Suit
- Secret Invasion: Classic MCU Villains Return in the Series in an Unexpected Way
- Secret Invasion: The Skrulls Have a DNA Log Book
- Secret Invasion: Nick Fury Is Married
- 'Super Skrulls' Have Made It Into the MCU
- Secret Invasion Referenced a Poem: Late Fragment by Raymond Carver
- G'iah Becomes the MCU's Most Overpowered Character
- Secret Invasion Confirms The Marvels Continues The Skrull Story
Secret Invasion: Nick Fury Went AWOL after The Blip
In the first episode, although Nick Fury has returned to earth, his old comrades have lost a bit of faith in him and his loyalty to the planet. Maria Hill drops the fact that Fury had refused to contact her or anyone else on earth for five years, which was after The Blip had occurred.
We usually see Fury working behind-the-scenes, in the background of some MCU movies and series, which adds on to the mystery behind the man working in the shadows. However, Secret Invasion has offered a little perspective on how human Fury really is, in spite of how invincible he appears to be.
In Secret Invasion Episode 6 aka the finale, Fury did admit that instead of feeling the urgency of having disappeared into ashes (Avengers: Infinity War), he felt the relief of being rid of his responsibility to the Skrulls.
However, since he was actually G'iah in disguise, it is possible that the confession was half true, especially when he had put earth at risk because of his failure to the species.
He was always a man who wanted to be resourceful in helping his home planet, and yet the fact he sought solace staying in S.A.B.E.R. space station instead of coming back home, to his wife and comrades, just showed how vulnerable he really could be, how fearful he was of earth losing to another enemy.
Secret Invasion: Why The Avengers Are Not in Secret Invasion
As the Skrulls infiltrate planet earth in an attempt to secure their ‘new’ planet Skrullos, you may be wondering where the Avengers have gone in the series. During Gravik’s meeting with the world leaders (who also turned out to be Skrulls, too), they worried about the Avengers eventually stopping their plan.
Considering it’s quite unlikely for the Avengers to somehow have disappeared off the face of the earth, Gravik’s response, “You don’t think I thought about that?” indicates he acknowledges their existence and has had a step ahead in executing his plan to take over the earth.
Even Fury himself pointed out how when Talos urged him to call for help from the Avengers team, Fury refused to, in the sense that the Avengers could end up getting impersonated by the Skrulls.
Once the Skrulls get their DNA, this will obviously lead to chaos of using the image of the Avengers to their advantage in destroying earth.
Secret Invasion Episode 4 referenced the Avengers' whereabouts and this was in one of Nick Fury's flashbacks in 2012, when he was having dinner with his wife, and the newspaper he held in hand was during the first Avengers film where they had to take care of the chaos in New York City.
Nick Fury Possessed the Avengers' DNA
In Secret Invasion Episode 5, Gravik had revealed to his Skrull colony the real reason behind his hesitation in fully eliminating Fury off their backs.
As it turned out, Fury had been keeping something quite valuable in Finland that could serve Gravik and his loyal army of Super Skrulls: the 'Harvested' Avengers DNA.
RELATED: Where Are The Avengers During Secret Invasion?
Secret Invasion: How Captain Marvel Led To Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion Episode 2 brought us back to how Captain Marvel led us to Secret Invasion. In case you are unsure where to start in binge-watching important MCU films and series before the Disney Plus series, well, the most crucial film to start off with is definitely the first Captain Marvel movie.
If you plan on watching the MCU timeline by order, Captain Marvel is on the second top of the list (as of now), given that it happened in 1995. The Captain Marvel movie introduced Carol Danvers, Nick Fury, along with the beginning of their alliance with the Skrulls.
RELATED: What You Need to Watch Before Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion: Skrull Emperor Drogge and His Skrull Colony
The Skrulls were first introduced in the Captain Marvel movie, in which they were the victims in the Skrull-Kree war, but this is actually different in the comic books, where Skrulls are portrayed to be ruthless villainous green-colored creatures who wreak havoc in every step of the way.
Now, in one of the episodes, Talos mentions that there is a Skrull colony being run by Emperor Drogge, which is a reference to its comic book counterpart named Dorrek.
Drogge did not appear in Secret Invasion himself, but seeing as Talos has already mentioned his existence, then it is possible if Secret Invasion Season 2 were to happen, we'd have a chance to highlight the character’s official MCU debut.
Secret Invasion: Rhodey References His Vibranium Suit
Vibranium is the strongest (and most expensive) metal material in the MCU, and James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) did not shy away in mentioning his ‘War Machine’ suit a couple of times in the series.
He may be working for the government, but he makes it clear to Nick Fury and the audiences that he is also still the War Machine, just in a ‘cheaper’ suit than the vibranium.
Secret Invasion: Classic MCU Villains Return in the Series in an Unexpected Way
Secret Invasion Episode 2 highlights Rhodey and Fury meeting up for the first time as they discuss the ‘new’ threats on earth.
As Fury warns Rhodey of the Skrull invasion, they also happen to namedrop two classic MCU villains: Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford) from Captain America and HYDRA from Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Take note that while Fury tried to warn Rhodey of the Skrulls being more powerful than HYDRA, Rhodey reveals that he has known about the Skrulls searching for their own home planet for the past 15 years.
Secret Invasion: The Skrulls Have a DNA Log Book
The Skrulls keep a log of DNA they have samples and collected in a computer and some of the DNAs flashed on screen reference previous MCU creatures we have already known and encountered.
Some of these DNAs include Frost Beast (Thor: The Dark World), Groot (Guardians of the Galaxy), Cull Obsidian (Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame) which is one of the creatures that followed Thanos, and Extremis (Iron Man 3).
Secret Invasion Episode 3 showcases Gravik gaining newfound powers apart from shapeshifting. As he reveals a new serum to enhance their abilities to help them take over the earth, he heals his hand, and the healing process seems similar to how the Extremite did in regenerating its skin and cells.
Secret Invasion Episode 6 featured even more of the other DNAs the Skrulls possessed in strengthening their 'Super Skrulls' plan and this includes Hulk's strength and physique, Korg's, Valkyrie's, and even Ebony Maw (aka the one Tony Stark called 'Squidward' back in Avengers: Infinity War).
Secret Invasion: Nick Fury Is Married
There is no doubt that Nick Fury is not a man of many words. He has a few rare people he fully trusts, and it would seem that not even the viewers have been brought up to speed in his personal life when Secret Invasion Episode 2 reveals he is married to a woman named Priscilla Fury (Charlayne Woodard).
Although many have been speculating Nick Fury is being deceived by another Skrull, Secret Invasion Episode 3 reveals that he is well aware he married a Skrull.
'Super Skrulls' Have Made It Into the MCU
Secret Invasion Episode 3 unveils another mask of Gravik's plans on taking over the earth to rebuild their new 'Skrullos' home planet: the Super Skrulls.
In the Disney Plus series, the Super Skrulls is a scientific project to enhance the current abilities of the Skrulls. Apart from having their shapeshifting abilities, they will also gain the powers and abilities of the person or super they impersonate.
In the Marvel comics, there was one being that achieved in becoming an example as the 'Super Skrull' and that is a Skrull warrior by the name of 'Kl'rt', who was able to gain the powers of each Fantastic Four member to execute the Skrulls' vengeance.
He hasn't been introduced in the MCU yet, but it is possible for him to appear in the last two episodes of Secret Invasion. Although Fantastic Four has not debuted in the MCU yet, the Skrulls could use other earth's greatest defenders' superpowers.
Secret Invasion Episode 4, on the other hand, showed progress in Gravik's attempt at making the Super Skrulls known.
Although none of the other skrulls have displayed the similar ability, Gravik stands as the representative of what's to become of his colony in the later episodes.
See, Episode 4 exhibited Gravik using Groot's powers, albeit coming from the DNA samples they had in store in the earlier episodes, which allowed him to manipulate similar vines at his will.
Nearing the end of Episode 4, he also showed much more of the extent behind the Extremites DNA. Unlike when his hand was cut by a knife, this latest episode had Nick Fury shooting bullets across his body, only for his body to regenerate.
Not to mention, G'iah came back to life because of the Super Skrulls' DNA. This could mean even bigger trouble for Gravik than he thought.
Secret Invasion Referenced a Poem: Late Fragment by Raymond Carver
It's not an odd or new thing to utilize poetry or any other form of literature into the MCU films or series. But Secret Invasion Episode 4 tied it all down to that one poem: Late Fragment by Raymond Carver.
Episode 4's title is Beloved, which ties to three things: Nick Fury's wife, Talos and the Skrulls, and the poem.
Before Nick Fury confronted his wife of betraying him by being sent to kill him, we get a flashback of the couple at a restaurant back in 2012. They were having a little discussion about Priscilla's newly read poem, in which the both of them memorized together.
The poem goes like this:
And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on earth.
In context, the poet, Raymond Carver, lost his battle to cancer at the age of 50 when he wrote this piece. It was his shortest and yet still one of the most captivating poems he had ever written.
As for how Secret Invasion Episode 4 used it, well, it was an inside thing between the Fury couple.
For Priscilla, the poem was used to convey how she feels she could never belong on earth, or with Nick.
As for Nick, when referenced at present times instead of during the flashback, he was gauging out whether to still trust his wife or not, in spite of being hired to kill him.
Lastly, the poem encapsulated the episode's title and the loss of Talos. Talos barely got the chance to get to know his daughter, G'iah, growing up.
He barely got to prove his side that humans and Skrulls could co-exist amongst one another. And he never had the chance to say goodbye to his last breath.
RELATED: Secret Invasion: Nick Fury’s Wife Explained
G'iah Becomes the MCU's Most Overpowered Character
Secret Invasion Episode 6 was a blast of plot twists and new beginnings for what we can expect after the MCU series ended.
One of those biggest plot twists is that the 'Nick Fury' who came to meet Gravik in private turned out to be G'iah, who had already possessed the Avengers' DNA streaming in her blood.
But that's not all the secrets the Avengers' DNA held. As it turned out, it also carried the superpowers and abilities beyond Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, and Hawkeye.
The Avengers' DNA also carried the abilities from Guardians of the Galaxy's Mantis and Drax, both of which G'iah was also able to manipulate during her fight with Gravik in the series finale.
Not to mention, tying Secret Invasion closely to The Marvels by showcasing G'iah using Captain Marvel's superpowers, officially making her the most overpowered character in the MCU as of writing.
Secret Invasion Confirms The Marvels Continues The Skrull Story
While Secret Invasion is a Nick Fury-centered story, the existence of the Skrulls will continue to where The Marvels will take us.
In this case, it has been confirmed by Marvel that the Captain Marvel sequel has direct connection with the aforementioned MCU series.
Notably, Secret Invasion Episode 6 indicated two things that would set up the future of the Skrulls in the franchise: Firstly, Sonya Falsworth recruits G'iah to become the leader of the Skrulls. Secondly, Nick Fury is taking the Skrulls to the Kree.
If you can recall, though the Kree race was the destroyer of the Skrulls' original home planet, Skrullos, Fury plans on having a peace treaty with the Kree, in hopes the Skrull-Kree find compromise in spite of their history.
This would then lead us to the aftermath, aka, what we can expect to see happen in The Marvels.
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