The Marvel Cinematic Universe seems to be approaching a point of no return. Hardcore fans will defend every project, but criticism is mounting on all sides. Even the most beloved films are struck with backhanded compliments or compared to less well-received outings.Secret Invasionmight not reverse the descent, but it could surprise fans and critics a lot just by showing a bit of restraint.
A decade ago, when Marvel’s shared universe experiment was still somewhat novel, it was an impressive concept.The Avengersfelt like an accomplishment.Infinity Warfelt like a monumentto all they’d accomplished.Endgamefelt like the triumphant end of an era. Today, everything leading into everything else has begun to feel less fun and more cynical.
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What isSecret InvasionAbout?
Loosely adapted from Brian Michael Bendis' 2008 Marvel Comics run of the same name,Secret Invasiondepicts the encroaching horror of a race of shape-shifters taking over the world.Nick Fury, Everett Ross, and Maria Hill work together to discover a conspiracy of Skrulls taking important positions in governments around the world. Nick Fury will have to struggle against the Skrulls, a race of refugees waiting for a new home.Secret Invasionseems to be working with a much darker tone than its fellow MCU series. It’s a grim story about war orphans, broken promises, and the difficulties of wielding state power. It seems to have very little in common with the source material. It’s the first entry in the MCU’s fifth phase.
Secret InvasionShould Avoid Setting Up Other Stories
Secret Invasionisn’t a sequel to anything. It addresses narrative elementsset up inCaptain Marveland will certainly feature elements fromSpider-Man: Far From Home,Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and many more MCU projects. It appears to be Nick Fury’s story. At last, a character who has been an integral background element of over a dozen MCU projects gets a plotline to himself. As expected, it’s a grim spy movie in which every character seems vengeful, remorseful, and miserable. That’s a good pitch for a limited series, but it isn’t a good venue for ads. Will anyone be able to take a mid-credits scene teasingThe Marvelsseriously when it comes after a gunfight with aggrieved refugees?Secret Invasionshould beallowed to tell its own story without having to worry about teasing any future products.
A Clear and Definitive Ending Will Make the Story Better
One of the other major complaints about the cinematic universe format is that nothing ever ends. Many fans argue that the entire franchise should’ve takena break afterEndgame. Ramping up production the way they have has not assuaged those concerns. Most MCU projects conclude without a satisfying ending. It’s a setup for the next project, a tease for a semi-related entry, or a payoff to an element that popped up years ago. Too many Marvel projects feel like they come to an end without any catharsis. Fans are used to credit sequences that inform them of their favorite heroes' upcoming appearances.Secret Invasionshouldn’t end on a cliffhanger or leave its narrative to be resolved in a few years.It’s a miniseries thatwill be much stronger with a self-contained ending. It’ll be impossible to walk away satisfied with an ambiguous ending to this story.
Secret Invasionhas a chanceto shock fans by providing the bare minimum. A miniseries with no callbacks, teases, or gratuitous cameos. A show that tells a complete story that doesn’t require too much supplemental material or extra research. Some fans love cameos and obscure lore details, but they seem to be losing their charm on all but the most devoted viewers. The mass audience used to love feeling like everything they watched was connected. Now that the magic has worn off, it primarily serves to remind viewers of just how much media is owned by a single handful of people.Secret Invasioncan’t fix the problems, but it can avoid falling into the most common pitfalls.
