The Ultimate Spy
Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, has always remained an enigma, and there’s a good reason for it: he’s the epitome of a spy. He’s not the type of person who easily blends in, especially considering his background as a Black man raised in the Jim Crow South, where he was exposed to a blend of blaxploitation and conspiracy. It’s unrealistic to expect him to conform to societal norms.
Fury’s unique ability lies not in shape-shifting, but in his skillful code-switching. He doesn’t outright lie; rather, he strategically withholds information. While he may share personal anecdotes, like the memorable story about his grandfather in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, he always has a purpose behind his revelations. Despite the glimpses we’ve had into his life over the past decade, we still know very little about what truly motivates Fury. Fortunately, Secret Invasion aims to change that.
This new Marvel series marks Fury’s first-ever solo adventure, and appropriately, it’s just as full of twists and turns as the character himself. Marvel has explored politics and espionage to varying degrees of success throughout its 15-year history. However, Secret Invasion is the closest the franchise has come to achieving a “prestige” feel in a long time, effectively blending conspiracy, pulp storytelling, and a sense of paranoia reminiscent of The Winter Soldier. While it initially stumbles a bit, possibly due to its efforts to reestablish the conflict from Captain Marvel, once the pieces fall into place, it becomes a satisfying slow burn with thought-provoking commentary on our world.
Unveiling Fury’s Secrets
Set several years after the events of Avengers: Endgame, Secret Invasion follows Nick Fury’s post-Thanos endeavors. With the threat of Thanos finally vanquished, Fury has dedicated himself to constructing S.A.B.E.R., an organization akin to a space-based version of S.H.I.E.L.D. However, there’s a sense that Fury is evading his responsibilities on Earth by hiding away, avoiding the pressing matters at hand. It has been three decades since Fury made a promise to Talos, the Skrull leader portrayed by Ben Mendelsohn, to assist their search for a new home after being displaced by the Kree. Yet, Fury remains no closer to fulfilling his pledge, leading to a tense cold war brewing between humans and the alien community within their midst.
Talos’ daughter, G’iah, played by Emilia Clarke, has now grown up alongside other Skrull refugees and shares the frustration caused by Fury’s failure and her father’s reluctance to confront him about it. She has aligned herself with Gravik, a radical rebel leader portrayed by Kingsley Ben-Adir, who shares a personal history with Fury. It is Gravik who tempts Fury out of his secluded fortress in the sky, offering him a front-row seat to the covert coup he is orchestrating behind the scenes.
As Gravik manipulates global superpowers into conflict, simultaneously implicating Fury in his machinations, Talos finds himself caught in the middle. The dynamic between Talos and Fury becomes one of the standout aspects of the series, as it represents a rare instance where Fury opens up to some extent. Talos, too, holds nothing back, showcasing a playful brotherly bond and a long-standing loyalty that has developed over the years. However, beneath the surface, a quiet resentment simmers—a strained allegiance as their respective worlds teeter on the edge of collapse.
A Fresh Twist in Secret Invasion
The inclusion of Samuel L. Jackson as an executive producer greatly benefits the series. For the first time since The Winter Soldier, Marvel acknowledges the fact that Fury is a Black man navigating a world tainted by intolerance. Unlike the shape-shifting Skrulls, he cannot simply escape his identity, which adds to his brilliance as a spymaster. This aspect also brings his relationship with the aliens into sharper focus.
Ben Mendelsohn delivers an absolutely brilliant performance as Talos, delving deeper into the pathos only briefly touched upon in Captain Marvel. He is just one of the many outstanding performers in the series. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Emilia Clarke, and Olivia Colman each bring their A-game and perfectly embody their characters. Colman’s Special Agent Sonya Falsworth feels like an exhilarating fusion of her roles in Fleabag and The Crown. The only disappointment lies in Cobie Smulders’ underutilization, as her character Maria Hill has been drifting on the sidelines since her introduction in The Avengers. It’s a missed opportunity for Secret Invasion to give her a meaningful role, especially in what is likely to be Fury’s greatest moment.
Don Cheadle also makes a return in a more antagonistic role as James Rhodes. Through his contentious scenes with Fury, Secret Invasion delves into the complex issues that Black men in positions of power face and explores the different ways they can be addressed. The series tackles the question of whether there is room for solidarity when serving those in power. While Fury remains optimistic, Rhodey, now a liaison to the U.S. President portrayed by Dermot Mulroney, grapples with a much more complicated perspective.
Secret Invasion, based on the two episodes this reviewer has seen of the six-episode series, is excelling in areas where The Falcon and the Winter Soldier fell short. Skillfully blending politics with genre themes is no small accomplishment, and it appears to come more naturally when your heroes already possess well-established identities.
Amidst the intricate web of shifting allegiances and intricate schemes, Nick Fury remains a constant presence. Secret Invasion peels back the layers of a character we are only just beginning to truly comprehend, a character that may have been taken for granted by many due to Samuel L. Jackson’s unpredictable role in Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. Much like his former ally Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), Fury rarely fills the same role twice. His unpredictable nature has always been his secret weapon, and now it becomes his only defense against a world teetering on the edge of destruction. However, if Fury’s first solo adventure teaches us anything, it’s that underestimating this character would be a grave mistake.