Secret Invasion’s Finale Is One Step Ahead, 2 Steps Back

Secret Invasion’s finale was launched right this moment, and man, did it land flat on all factors. After a lacklustre 5 episodes, I didn’t have excessive expectations for the Marvel Disney+ collection’ sixth, however the round ending and failure to meaningfully have interaction in any emotional beats actually left me chilly.

All Secret Invasion episodes had been directed by Ali Selim, and episode six, “Home,” was written Kyle Bradstreet and Brian Tucker.

We begin out the episode with the reiteration of Nick Fury’s (Samuel L. Jackson) promise to seek out the Skrulls a planet, which didn’t fucking occur—and a reminder that Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir) was elected to Skrull General, which looks like it ought to imply one thing, however contemplating how so many Skrulls turned on him in episode 5, doesn’t appear to matter in any respect. We leap proper right into a home scene with Vaara-as-Priscilla (Charlayne Woodard) and Fury. She asks Fury if he’d have cherished her if she had appeared as a Skrull and wasn’t sporting a human pores and skin. Fury is noncommittal, and both he’s manipulating her or he’s a shit communicator, which is truthfully Fury’s modus operandi this complete collection, if not throughout his total lifecycle within the MCU.

Then we’re again in New Skrullos, as an empty automobile rolls in direction of the doorway. Two Skrulls are taken out by Fury as he launches a one-man assault on New Skrullos, assuming Gravik is there? Which makes… no sense for the reason that United States is actively planning a strike on New Skrullos and if I had been Fury I wouldn’t assume Gravik was hanging on the market as a result of like… what concerning the bluff? And wasn’t he simply in London with Vaara? Already, this isn’t including up.

Back in London, a laid-up President Ritson (Dermot Mulroney) will get War Eagle recommendation from Raava-as-James “War Machine’’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle), while a much more moderate Navy Admiral tells Ritson that they don’t know it’s the Russians, and “President Vladimov” has denied duty. Genuinely, Rhodey is getting determined, and it’s wild to show this beloved character into such an aggressive navy totalitarian. If anybody didn’t understand it was Raava in there at this level, they positive do now. When Rhodes gave Ritson drafted “remarks” for the president to inform the American individuals, I totally misplaced it. This man is pulling shadow authorities shit and never even being delicate about it. You gotta give your self an out if you’re enjoying puppetmaster, Raava, that’s like lesson primary.

We’re again to Fury in New Skrullos, and he runs into the bloody scene of the put-down revolution. He’s additionally coughing, apparently due to radiation, however radiation doesn’t work like that except you’re stepping right into a dwell nuclear reactor, so Fury stumbling round simply seems to be goofy. Maybe it’s a pretence? Maybe this isn’t Fury in any respect? Suicide has by no means been Fury’s go-to plan, and whereas I don’t agree with Maria Hill’s (Cobie Smulders) evaluation in episode one which Fury doesn’t take dangers, this appears foolishly dangerous. I don’t purchase it! Not to say that people have actually gone into this facility as a part of the Skrull substitute program and so they appear to be doing superb. Granted they’re in stasis but it surely’s not like they’re in anti-rad pods or something. They’re nonetheless uncovered to the radiation. God, that is all so dumb.

Sonya Falsworth (Olivia Colman) calls Rhodes and tells him to get Ritson out of the hospital instantly. She’s so mad about Rhodes being a Skrull. Rhodes pulls Ritson to the highest ground and tells his safety crew to go searching, however they’re fairly successfully dispatched by an unknown gunman. To be sincere, Raava has been so aggressive the previous few episodes there’s merely no manner she survives.

But once more, fast lower to Fury, who’s actually within the Super Skrullification machine with Gravik. We get some backstory with Gravik, and I’ve to inform you that whereas I really like Kingsley Ben-Adir, and I can see that he’s working so, so onerous to earn the Marvel Money—completely appearing his ass off—this materials is working him into the bottom, and it’s upsetting to observe an objectively nice actor try and squeeze blood from this stone of a script. Gravik screams about Fury’s failure, and like, I get it, he’s proper, however when are we going to get some accountability, as a result of I’m positive Gravik’s not going to ship?

Fury then admits that he knew throughout the first few years of looking out that there could be no different planet for the Skrulls than Earth (infuriating!), and that Fury’s plan B after this realisation was constructing a house for the Skrulls on Earth. And then the explanation he didn’t even try plan B is that “humans suck.” Which, true, however god, that’s a shitty message, and nonetheless goes again to the truth that Fury principally conscripted a bunch of aliens into his spy ring after which determined to gaslight them for years and allow them to rot in human skins. And we’re supposed to love this man? Fury then palms over the Harvest—this collection’ shiny Macguffin that accommodates the DNA of all of Earth’s heroes and some intergalactic ones too.

So Fury makes an attempt to commerce the Harvest for Earth, which isn’t an incredible deal. Especially when there’s no bargaining chip, no go-between, simply… an previous sick man with nothing left to cover. Except for the truth that that is very seemingly not Fury in any respect, as Fury has carried out one factor constantly this complete collection, which is play on the individuals who underestimate him… or whoever seems to be like him proper now. Gravik inserts the vial into the machine; we see superhero names flit throughout the display, and thank god we’ve watched over 100 hours of the MCU at this level so we all know who all these characters are Thanos, Thor, Hulk, Valkyrie, Winter Soldier, Captain Marvel, and a dozen extra I didn’t catch.

Gravik flips the swap on the Super Skrullification machine whereas Fury remains to be within it and actually that is so suspect, they may not have been clearer about the best way that Gravik can be undone by his personal creation, very similar to Fury in a second of tried round storytelling. I’m already drained.

The machine turns off and we get full Skrull Gravik, who’s the beefiest Skrull I’ve ever seen, as a result of apparently getting superpowers has the identical unintended effects that that they had again within the Forties when Steve Rogers grew to become superhuman. He instantly tries to kill Fury, however Fury fights again with powers after which, the reveal: it’s G’iah (Emilia Clarke)! She hasn’t carried out a lot for a number of episodes, so it’s no shock to see her again, however it’s fairly bizarre how there’s simply a number of teleporting round.

Also, as an apart, I do know that this sequence the place G’iah and Gravik combat is meant to underline that G’iah can management these powers higher (in some way?) however she seems to be goofy as hell with only a full-sized Drax arm coming out of her physique. At least with Gravik in full shirtless beefcake mode the CGI flows higher.

Back within the hospital, Sonya flips on Raava-as-Rhodes, pulls a gun, and is seemingly going to attempt to inform Ritson what’s up. By this level Fury’s proven up on the hospital and Ritson will get a rundown on absolutely the wildest conspiracy idea I’ve ever heard—that shapeshifting aliens have kidnapped the world’s best minds, have them in pods, and except the nuclear assault is named off proper now everybody will die. Skrulls sounded extra seemingly than this bullshit. “Don’t kill the pre-eminent people in pods underneath the abandoned Russian base” appears insane to me, as an argument. Not nuking individuals must be sufficient.

We’re again to the Super Skrull combat, which I do know was a ache within the ass to do VFX for, however there’s something completely ridiculous about this sequence the place two very, very gifted actors change into dolls with completely different legs and arms hooked up. It appears Marvel can’t resist a large blow-out-the-budget combat it doesn’t matter what sort of story they’re telling. I dunno, man. I simply don’t assume you may name this present grounded when you have got two Super Skrulls utilizing actually Every Power within the MCU encyclopedia to combat one another. At least the combat solely takes a couple of minutes, extra MCU movies ought to take be aware. Oh, Gravik dies, naturally. It’s a really boring loss of life and no person on display cares.

Then, Ritson tells the American public concerning the shapeshifting aliens, and declares them enemy combatants, promising to seek out them and kill each final one in all them. Which, to be sincere, is strictly what I might count on from a president, but it surely actually feels as if we’ve arrived on the worst attainable choice for this ending. Next, G’iah releases all of the trapped prisoners, and there are actually no surprises with who the Skrulls have been imitating. G’iah runs into Falsworth, who provides to assist G’iah get the assets she wants to guard her individuals and keep secure. G’iah is unimpressed contemplating her dad’s long-standing love affair with Fury, and Falsworth instantly says “let’s leave love and friendship out of this,” providing a quid professional quo, however by no means truly saying what she desires from G’iah? G’iah heads to an underground bunker the place lots of of individuals have been put right into a sleep stasis utilizing Skrull tech. Spycraft, it appears, remains to be what the Skrulls are going for use for.

So now we’re on the closing denouement of the collection. Fury calls Ritson, and we see Skrulls assassinated by vigilantes… but additionally harmless individuals dying for the crime of being suspected of being Skrulls. Fury ends the collection by strolling in direction of the very same SABER mild that transported him down earlier than he’s intercepted by his spouse. Priscilla, lady, you’re too good for this man. Why are you chasing this asshole who left you for like three years to fuck off into house? You can do higher!

Now, for no purpose in any respect, the Kree are “open to peace talks” with the Skrulls?? WHY? HOW? WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN? God, right here it’s, lastly an attention-grabbing plot, a captivating story that I might have truly cherished to have seen on display and it’s actually simply an epilogue be aware. None of this is sensible, and it looks like such an apparent arrange for The Marvels that it makes me need to tear my hair out. None of this reveal is nice! What is the purpose? Why is Fury abandoning the million or so Skrulls on Earth? He nonetheless has to make this proper and he’s simply pretending just like the Skrulls who can be compelled underground will need to have something to do with him and this bullshit “peace treaty!” Talos could be so upset in you, Fury.

Then Varra transforms and tells Nick that she loves him. They kiss, as if this can be a big romantic second, some sort of sweeping gesture, and I’ve to inform you I’m unmoved! I don’t care about Fury’s romantic entanglements! This is boring! The completely happy/extraordinarily dysfunctional couple goes to house collectively, fucking off Earth solely.

Honestly, this entire total collection looks like an intermission. A really boring, staid, unhappy intermission the place all that’s actually achieved is killing Talos and Maria Hill. The level of Secret Invasion is content material. The level is that it’s a narrative and Marvel can inform it, however it will possibly’t truly have an effect on the bigger MCU in any manner that issues, so it’s crammed with quickie deaths and low-cost imitation video games. What’s actually modified? Nothing, besides that now everybody is aware of there are Skrulls on Earth. But they’ve traded Fury and Talos for Falsworth and G’iah, and Gravik is an inconvenient blip.

There was such potential for Secret Invasion and the final episode renders the whole collection forgettable, a footnote that may be summed up in two sentences, the place nothing feels modified. If there was ever a collection that most likely might have been a part of an e mail chain moderately than the topic of a pitch assembly, that is it.

All episodes of Secret Invasion are actually streaming on Disney+.

This piece was written through the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labour of the writers and actors at present on strike, the film being lined right here wouldn’t exist.

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