Recommending Secret Invasion to anybody aside from Marvel Studios completionists has been a bit onerous. Final week’s episode felt far more strong and honest than the premiere, but the present as an entire has been struggling to justify its existence past serving as a well-deserved star automobile for Samuel L. Jackson. The essential premise gave the impression of the right match for a cinematic universe that had already hit a house run with paranoid motion thrillers in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Nonetheless, Secret Invasion simply does not have the identical stage of expertise behind it and possibly wanted extra time within the oven too.
Episode 3, titled ‘Betrayed,’ wraps up the season’s first half by elevating the stakes and erasing nearly each probability of a peaceable decision to the Skrull revolt. The motion merely is not there, and jarring transitions between places and characters persist, however there’s one thing to chew on right here for individuals who are okay with a less expensive spy thriller that occurs to have sci-fi parts.
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Spoilers forward for Secret Invasion episode 3: ‘Betrayed’
Episode 2 ended on a excessive observe with the reveal of Nick Fury’s spouse, a Skrull named Varra. After a brief intro at Gravik’s base of operations and clear affirmation that our “tremendous Skrulls” suspicions had been actual, we return to 1998 – one 12 months after the final flashback – and witness how Fury and Varra’s relationship began to blossom.
The playfulness we see right here (and throughout the finish of episode 2) shortly turns bitter as Nick questions his spouse’s loyalties. This is smart given the scenario, however as she’s proper to level out, it’s type of the very last thing you wish to hear from a liked one which’s been off the grid for much too lengthy. The dialog itself is ok, however the shift between episode 2’s remaining scene and this one (a straight continuation) feels odd. Placing some hours between them would’ve made the vibes-shattering trade much less pressured. It comes throughout because the plot denying Fury the right downtime to heal up.
Again in current day, G’iah is discovering it troublesome to dodge Gravik’s very uncomfortable questions, which aren’t stunning given she’s the daughter of his greatest Skrull enemy. Nonetheless, she accompanies him to London, the place he meets up with Talos for some high quality museum time.
Gravik has a degree when he takes pictures on the leaders who comfortably despatched males to die throughout struggle instances, however he retains circling again to an armed rebellion that will endanger the whole thing of his species, particularly when they’re few towards many. On the opposite aspect of the desk, Talos has religion within the people distinguishing between inexperienced allies and foes if he pulls the curtain. Whereas he’s proper about Earth (and different worlds) banding collectively towards a clear enemy like Thanos, we imagine he’s placing an excessive amount of inventory in us not being naturally paranoid after we can’t quickly know who’s good or dangerous, particularly after the entire HYDRA fiasco a couple of decade in the past.
Issues finally go sideways, with Gravik responding to Talos’ threats by revealing he’s surrounded by militants that would simply overwhelm him if the Skrull terrorist gave the order. Talos’ reply as soon as the dangerous man mentions his daughter is stabbing one in every of his fingers with a desk knife, which leads into one more surprisingly graphic second for Marvel Studios. Furthermore, we now know he’s already gone “tremendous Skrull” and may even have added Iron Man 3’s Extremis juice to his secret mixture of super-ingredients.
For now, nonetheless, the tensions between Talos and Gravik haven’t blown up, principally as a result of they nonetheless can’t make a transfer on one another with out unfavourable repercussions. It seems that peace received’t be an possibility, not less than on the subject of shutting down Gravik and his closest followers. Nick Fury appears to agree, as he returns to his previous pal to make amends and likewise make a transfer on high-ranking Skrulls. As soon as once more, Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn remind us that they’re carrying this complete present on their backs, going forwards and backwards between pure badassery and life like moments of vulnerability.
Olivia Colman’s Sonya Falsworth doesn’t get a lot display screen time in episode 3. Nonetheless, she does give Fury the situation of an important Skrull that has made his manner into the Royal Navy and will kickstart World Battle III for Gravik by capturing down a United Nations aircraft with a British submarine.
Earlier than we transfer on to debate the episode’s key scene, we should say we nonetheless aren’t positive about Falsworth’s true allegiances; she simply offers up essential info that Gravik later confirms that he was completely happy to launch with a purpose to root out the traitor inside his closest circle.
You’d suppose Fury and Talos’ assault on the high-ranking Skrull can be an thrilling motion (possibly stealthy) sequence, however the entire infiltration is a fairly mundane affair. It finally ends up with Talos held at gunpoint by “Bob” (their Skrull goal) and Fury doing the identical with Bob’s child. We all know he in all probability wouldn’t damage the boy, but this looks like one thing that Disney wouldn’t let one in every of their Marvel heroes do on the large display screen.
Our buddy cop duo can’t get the password to close down the assault order out of Bob, so Talos simply straight up murders him – once more, he might be each good and cold-blooded – and calls G’iah as an alternative. The safety at Gravik’s base apparently blows, so she simply goes into the room with all of the kidnapped people and accesses the actual Bob’s recollections. The day is saved.
‘Betrayed’ packs a remaining “double whammy” although. As G’iah decides to lastly go away the compound to rejoin her father, she’s stopped by a automobile. Gravik steps out and shoots her within the chest. Except plot armor says that wasn’t a deadly wound, this villain is racking up stunning kills fairly quick. One other risk is that G’iah was well-trained sufficient to shift again into Skrull when damage, fooling assailants into pondering she’s lifeless. If that is the tip for Emilia Clarke within the MCU, it’s an enormous waste of star energy.
The second twist (though we may already odor one thing was incorrect) comes from Varra, who retrieves a gun from a lockbox and will get a name from one in every of Gravik’s pals to convene. Our first intuition is to imagine she’s gone dangerous whereas Fury was away, however we all know higher than to leap on apparent conclusions straight away, particularly when Skrulls are concerned. Her betrayal may positively make for a compelling emotional battle with the present’s primary character, however, then again, her marriage to Fury could possibly be one of many keys to make undecided Skrulls select peace over struggle.
With solely three episodes to go, Secret Invasion ought to ship some spectacle and extra of the character interactions we bought in episode 2 to trick us into pondering this present isn’t a misfire that may’t be salvaged by scattered good parts. In as we speak’s T.V. local weather, it’s an even bigger sin to be forgettable than to unequivocally fail, because the fashionable viewer actually values their time.
