Julian Recaps: ‘Secret Invasion’ Episode 2 Spins Its Wheels As It ‘Promises’ A Gripping Story

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Secret Invasion, Episode 2 (Photo credit: Marvel Studios/Disney)

Episode 2 of Secret Invasion, “Promises,” continues the supposedly intriguing exposition of the main plot of Skrulls’ Cold War-esque plot to take over Earth. But to be honest…not much happened except for some character development. That’s pretty much what is happening besides exploring the aftermath of the Moscow Unity Day bombing of the last episode. 

In between Episode 1 and waiting for Episode 2, I watched a couple of episodes of Homeland and one episode of The Americans. I found both of them more interesting to watch than Secret Invasion at the moment. Why? Because of the pacing issue. I do remember reading somewhere that this show is a slow burner. Then again, Homeland and The Americans are also slow-burner shows, yet their stories actually pick up the pace and progress. Crazy stuff happens and I am not bored–instead, I’m surprised and entertained. Let’s hope that Secret Invasion has some other events on the way that will keep me interested. 

We start with a flashback to 1997; two years after the events of 2019’s Captain Marvel. Young Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) enlists the Skrulls as his spies for the time being until he one day finds them a new home. Cut back to present-day calamities, Fury and Talos (Ben Mendelson) escape the Unity Day bombing with Fury reminiscing about his younger years in Alabama. It is revealed that Talos contacted one million Skrulls to relocate to Earth since every other planet in the universe was considered uninhabitable. I’m pretty certain not every planet in the universe is uninhabitable, but okay. 

Meanwhile, tensions between the United States and Russia are being amped up to Cold War-level threat while Gravik (Ben Kingsley-Adir) becomes the new Skrull general at a meeting with one Skrull member walking away in disgust at what her species has become. 

Fury meets with Rhodey (Don Cheadle) to discuss the Skrull invasion until the former is fired by the government, with Rhodey as the messenger. Meanwhile, Gravik is building a supermachine with the coercion of a scientist couple known as the Daltons. This machine will strengthen the Skrulls with abilities ranging from Groot’s powers to the long-forgotten Extremis powers from Iron Man 3. Information that is making Gi’ah (Emilia Clarke) beginning to worry. 

Sonya Falsworth (Olivia Coleman) interrogates the imprisoned rebel Brogan (Ben Peel) about this new information involving the Daltons and their new machine. He was rescued and, in a twist, promptly executed by Gravik and his henchmen. Fury returns home to his wife Priscilla (Charlayne Woodard), who is revealed to be a Skrull (so this is what that reference is back in Captain America: The Winter Soldier about his wife kicking him out and that Steve Rogers had no idea).

As I said before, not much is happening, just exposition after exposition and some plot development. I liked the vocal confrontation between Fury and Rhodes where it seemed like they would team up, but Rhodey is becoming a nuisance, which makes me wonder if he’s also a Skrull hiding in plain sight. Most likely not. 

I’m glad MCU Nick Fury was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, so I’ve got to support fellow Black Alabamians even if they are fictional. It would have been startling to hear from Talos early on that one million Skrulls are living on Earth. However, The Marvels trailer clearly points out that the Skrull issue has been resolved at some point…so I could have gotten appropriately concerned if that trailer hadn’t already come out. 

Yeah, that’s about it. I just hope the following episodes actually pick up the pace and have something happen. I’m trying to stick with it, but Homeland and The Americans are calling my name. I don’t know. Maybe I jumped the gun on this show by saying it might be The Multiverse Saga’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Besides, Captain America: Brave New World might actually be the real deal whenever we get a full trailer, most likely in the late fall season. But for now, let’s just hope the show gets better.