Secret Invasion Episode 1 Recap & Ending Explained: Created by Kyle Bradstreet, Episode 1 of Secrete Invasion titled ‘Resurrection’ bring back Nick Fury to Earth as a Skrull rebellion is on the rise. Still haunted by The Blip, Fury faces the wrath of all his old confidants, who claim that he is not himself anymore.
The opening episode also introduces us to the show’s main antagonist Gravik – an intelligent, shape-shifting Skrull who is against Earth for taking away their home and his only wish is to wipe Earth off of humans and make it their own.
*Spoilers ahead*
Secret Invasion Episode 1 Recap:
“Ressurection”
For years, Skrulls and humans have peacefully coexisted on Earth, having become allies after Nick Fury offered them refuge following the destruction of their own planet. However, in the opening of “Secret Invasion” Episode 1, Agent Everett K. Ross reaches a secret hideout in Moscow where Agent Prescod has been hiding. Through a thorough investigation, it becomes apparent that the Skrulls are responsible for the recent wave of terrorist attacks worldwide.
While different factions have claimed responsibility for these attacks, Agent Prescod firmly believes the Skrulls are behind them. He implores Agent Ross to bring Nick Fury back to Earth from the S.A.B.E.R. Space Station to address the situation.
Agent Prescod shares crucial information about the Skrulls’ upcoming major attack. Ross promises to investigate further and consider calling Fury back if deemed necessary. However, Prescod’s suspicions grow, leading him to attack Agent Ross. In the ensuing struggle, Ross instinctively fires his gun, resulting in Prescod’s demise. In a state of panic, Ross flees and attempts to escape with the assistance of Maria Hill. Yet, during their pursuit, another individual who transforms into Talos catches up to them. Ross tragically plummets from a building and reverts back to his true form—a Skrull.
After overseeing the completion of the S.A.B.E.R. Space Station, Nick Fury finally returns to Earth. During the Blip, Fury cleverly replaced himself with a Skrull (as revealed in “Spider-Man: Far From Home“) and went into hiding. Talos, his trusted friend, and confidant, informs Fury that his wife, Soren, has tragically passed away and expresses concern over the changes he has observed in Fury since the Blip. However, Fury attempts to divert the conversation by discussing Garvik. Despite his efforts, Talos remains resolute and insists on addressing the matter at hand.
In the next scene, Maria explains Gravik’s sinister plan to Nick Fury, with Talos attentively listening beside them. She reveals that Gravik and a select group have covertly infiltrated nuclear plants across Russia, exploiting the fact that Skrulls are immune to the radiation. Their plan involves staging a scenario where it appears that Russia is launching an attack on the United States, triggering an escalating crisis that could ultimately lead to the annihilation of the human race. Fury, filled with ‘fury’ upon learning this information, decides to take a walk to clear his head.
Meanwhile, Rodney informs the President that Agent Fury and Maria Hill have seemingly gone rogue, as Fury departed from the Space Station without notifying anyone. The US government now perceives them as a potential threat, as Fury’s sudden departure has raised suspicions. It turns out that Fury was entrusted with constructing the most secure Aerospace unit, but his sudden departure has alarmed the authorities.
During his walk around Moscow, Fury is unexpectedly kidnapped by a group of thugs and taken to Special Agent Sonya Falsworth. Their interaction reveals that Fury and Sonia share a history of being old friends and former colleagues who have grown apart over time. The kidnapping takes on a deliberate tone when Fury inquires if Sonia has any knowledge about an incident involving Skrulls in Kazakhstan, as Talos had mentioned earlier. Fury suspects that the Skrull rebellion is plotting a significant event utilizing the resources that they have captured from this said heist. Sonya points out that Fury has become distant and aged since the Blip and suggests that he should return to his secure Space Station project. Before Fury leaves, he plants a chip in Sonya’s office to know about more updates that can help them track the Skrull rebellion.
Meanwhile, somewhere outside Moscow, a stranded Skrulll walks to a facility known as New Skrullos, where he is welcomed by G’iah (Talos’s daughter), who has turned into a rebel. Beto, the new Skrull, is introduced to the compound where they are free to live in their own skin. She also shows him the facility and offers him to join the rebellion as a Warrior and train under Gravik. The facility remains devoid of humans and is fully accommodated to the needs of Skrulls, including their native food and beverages. Within its walls, a group of rebels, known as warriors, have joined the cause with a more violent approach. Gravik takes these warriors under his wing, instructing them not only to shape-shift into kidnapped humans but also to absorb their memories, ensuring authenticity in their missions.
Meanwhile, Fury, Hill, and Talos review the footage retrieved from Sonya’s office, revealing her vigilant surveillance of Fury’s actions. However, their primary objective at present is to track down Vasily Poprishchin, a Chechen rebel. They possess intelligence suggesting his involvement in a potential attack during the Moscow procession on Unity Day.
Fury emphasizes to Talos the urgency of reaching the potential attack site before Sonya does. Unveiling the Skrulls’ involvement could prompt a widespread genocide targeting their kind, effectively eradicating them from Earth.
Simultaneously, Pagon, Gravik’s most trusted ally in the rebellion, assigns G’iah the task of handling the bomb planted by Vasily within Moscow city. Although it initially appears that Fury and Talos might reach Vasily first, G’iah proves swifter, departing even before they can reach Vasily’s studio for interrogation. While Hill attempts to pursue G’iah on foot, she manages to elude capture.
Following a confrontation with Vasily, Fury, and Talos engage in a deadly combat, resulting in Vasily’s death and him transforming into a Skrull. Talos somehow catches up with G’iah, endeavoring to reason with her regarding the threat she poses if she keeps getting involved with Gravik and the rebellion. However, G’iah remains unmoved by his plea, even after discovering her mother’s death and the potential involvement of Gravik — particularly due to her deep-rooted disappointment in her father. Consequently, G’iah successfully evades her father’s capture and flees to New Skrullos, delivering the bomb to Pagon.
After their failure to obtain the bomb ahead of the rebellion, Fury and Hill find themselves seated in a local pub, engaging in a conversation about the changes Fury has undergone, particularly following the occurrence of The Blip. Maria cautions him that he no longer seems like himself and suggests that if he isn’t fully prepared for the task at hand, he should reevaluate his path and step away. The lingering trauma of The Blip continues to weigh heavily on him, causing a noticeable shift in his demeanor.
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit alleyway, G’iah encounters her father, Talos, having experienced a change of heart. She meets him there to divulge Gravik’s nefarious plans and engages in a heated argument when her mother, Soren’s, death is brought up. Talos reveals that Gravik bears responsibility for her demise, but recognizing that G’iah isn’t yet ready to confront that truth, they shift their focus to the impending attack. G’iah informs Talos of her plan to mark the bombs at the procession with infrared signatures, making it easier for them to track and neutralize the threat.
Secret Invasion Episode 1 Ending, Explained:
Are they able to avoid the attack?
The following day, Fury, Talos, and Hill diligently monitor G’iah’s movements as she heads toward the procession. Regrettably, they miss the crucial handover, and the three bags containing the bombs scatter in different directions. Determined, all three of them give chase to the suspected individuals. However, their plans take an unexpected turn when Fury, tailing someone he believes to be Gravik, witnesses a sudden shape-shift, throwing the mission off course.
Before they can ascertain the intentions of these potential suspects regarding the bombs, it becomes apparent that these individuals were merely decoys, diverting attention away from the true threat. Fury, in a moment of despair, witnesses Gravik triggering the mechanism causing three massive explosions. Although unable to prevent the attack, they engage with the suspects, determined to apprehend them. Yet, Gravik proves to be far more cunning and resourceful than Fury had anticipated.
Is Maria Hill Dead?
The ending of Secret Invasion Episode 1 shows that Nick Fury points a gun at Maria Hill and shoots at her. However, it is soon revealed that Gravik was the one who shot her disguised as Fury through his shape-shifting abilities.
The shot was fatal, essentially killing Hill on the spot. The anguish of this moment is amplified by the tragic realization that Hill’s last thoughts were consumed by the belief that Fury had taken her life. For Fury, who is already grappling with a dark mental state, witnessing one of his closest confidants being killed with the haunting memory of himself as the perpetrator adds an unbearable weight to his already burdened psyche.
