The Marvel Comics Secret Invasion event came with the tagline “Who can you trust?”. Skrulls, those green shapeshifters who have plagued the Marvel heroes since the days of Stan and Jack, were back with a vengeance and subtly snuck their way into society replacing key figures including the Inhumans’ Black Bolt and the Avengers’ loyal butler Jarvis. The big revelation of the series was the return of several heroes thought dead (such as Hawkeye’s ex-wife Mockingbird) or long missing (the original Spider-Woman, a third-tier character who Stan Lee created in the early 70s to capitalize on the Spider-Man frenzy). 

 

The current Marvel Studios mini-series of the same name prompts a similar question. Led by showrunner Kyle Bradstreet (Copper, Mr. Robot) Secret Invasion details a cold war between Earth, and SHIELD, and a band of Skrull rebels fighting to make terra firma home sweet home. Unlike the comic book source material, or even previous Disney+ series, Secret Invasion does not lead in with a big bang. No reveals either, at least none that are not already as transparent as the Invisible Woman (and when is that Fantastic Four movie coming anyway?). Instead? Lots of talk. Groundwork? Yes. Setup? Of course. But so much so that when the extremely few explosions occur within those final minutes, they are merely firecrackers and not a Thanos snap. 

 

The premiere begins with Maria Hill (Colbie Smulders) and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) calling Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) back to Earth. Yet, this is not the commanding, eye-patch wearing, full-of-brass SHIELD agent. This Nick is tired and looks old with a scraggly gray beard. He is off his game but does not want to admit that the MCU has moved on without him. Hill and Talos have news for old Nick. A faction of Skrulls plan to violently invade Earth and use their camouflage abilities to the utmost advantage in spreading mistrust and terror.  

 

This first episode, however, is Iron Fist-level boring. Backstory is divulged. Exposition drowns in hyperbole. Hill talks to Fury. Fury talks to Talos. Talos talks to fellow Skrull G’iah (Emilia Clarke). John le Carre’ writing the Avengers? Perhaps. But le Carre’s dialogue would be tinged with deeper subterfuge.  

 

Secret Invasion has the potential to reinvigorate the MCU, which has become rather stagnant since, arguably, WandaVision. And hopefully it will. This series offers the chance to bring back missed heroes (like the Netflix Defenders or, howabout, Tony Stark anyone?) and could even erase some blunders (hey, having She-Hulk revealed to be a Skrull in order to void that entire series? Yes, please). This is a way to return Fury in all his bad-assery back to center stage and re-assemble that initiative of his. Secret Invasion could build to something grand (wouldn’t a mini Avengers reunion be fanboy incredible?). 

 

Or this could become another Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness where all that had gone on before is promptly ignored in favor of dark-tinged action and pithy one-liners. The MCU deserves better. In fact, it deserves the best.  

 

In the comics, Secret Invasion led into the Dark Reign storyline where the Avengers are replaced with their own personal nemesis (Venom as Spider-Man, Bullseye as Hawkeye, Green Goblin as Iron Man… just go with it). Yet that Dark Reign, aptly named, ended and was replaced with a glorious heroic age. One where excitement and adventure were paramount and was led by multi-colored costumes with fantastic superhero names. And that is an atmosphere Kevin Feige desperately needs for his studio right now. Here’s hoping Secret Invasion is that spark.