Secret Invasion Season 1 Episode 2 Review: Promises

After watching Secret Invasion Season 1 Episode 1, I had many thoughts, many of which were not optimistic about this latest chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Thankfully, Secret Invasion Season 1 Episode 2 filled in many blanks and gave Nick’s return to Earth the purpose the series needs to sustain an arc throughout a season.

It wasn’t perfect by any means, but it was an improvement.

Had Disney+ merged the first two episodes and cut out some unnecessary scenes, it could have been a stellar entry into the world of Secret Invasion.

One of the biggest complaints of the MCU has been style over substance for recent projects, and these two episodes, combined with some tweaks, could have highlighted Marvel’s desire to deliver more compelling content.

We don’t want a series that feels like a missed opportunity, but “Promises” was the best foot forward to establish the conflicts.

A lot of context was missing from Secret Invasion Season 1 Episode 1. Without context, we were left to fill in the blanks, so the flashbacks to 1995 and Talos’ sentiments about how Nick abandoned the Skrulls were welcome.

Nick: Tell me something I don’t know about the destruction of Skrullos. Talos: You know everything there is to know about it, Fury. Nick: Name of the game is Tell Me Something I Don’t Know. Talos: We were overpowered by the Kree. We held’em off for as long as we could. When we couldn’t hold’em off any longer, the million of us that were left, we fled. Nick : Interesting. Tell me something I don’t know about the Skrulls that fled. Talos: Um… They’re here. Nick: Who’s here? All of us. Nick: Wait. Whoa, whoa, whoa! You’re tellin’ me there’s a million Skrulls walking amongst us right now? Have you lost your reptilian-ass mind? Talos: I sent out the call and every Skrull that isn’t in Emperor Drogge’s colony, they answered. Nick: You lied to me! Talos: Hey, we were being hunted across the universe. I had two choices, I could let my people be annihilated or summon’em here to Earth. What would you have done?Nick: This ain’t about me! Talos: Oh, right. But you’re fine using us as your spies and your errand boys, long as it’s on your terms. Nick: The host gets to set the terms of the visitation. Talos: What happens when the host disappears, huh? ‘Cause you were gone! And I didn’t think you were coming back, I really didn’t. And even when you did come back, there was no talking to you about anything real. Your boots barely hit Earth. And, “Oh, it’s too heavy here, man. I gotta go up to my space station.” You’ve been up there for years! Nick: You knew how to get in touch with me, Talos, and you didn’t because you didn’t want me to know. Talos: My hope… My hope is that with your help… Skrulls and humans can coexist, here on Earth. Nick: Human can’t coexist with each other! You’ve been here long enough to know that! We’ve been at war with each other since we could walk upright! There is not enough room or tolerance on this planet for another species! Matter of fact, neither is this train compartment. I think this is your stop.

Interestingly, Nick is now being portrayed as this man who is in a morally grey area because, until now, he’s been described as this man who has the best interests of the Earth at heart.

Hearing that he abandoned the Skrulls after vowing to help them helped explain the complicated dynamic of his relationship with Talos and why Gravik had it out for him.

The Skrulls were brought to Earth to help humans, work as spies, to help keep things running smoothly, but somewhere along the way, everyone lost sight of the operation.

Truthfully, Nick is to blame for the bulk of it because how were the Skrulls supposed to feel when the man who said he’d keep them safe disappeared without a trace?

Had Nick had more confidantes and people he could trust, he could have left the Skrulls in better hands, but for now, it’s hard not to think that Nick’s actions were the catalyst for Gravik’s master plan.

We’ll get to Gravik in a little because we still have so much to unpack about Talos’ actions.

Talos knew he had to do something to keep the Skrulls safe so that he would sneak them all onto Earth. If you’re in a position of power and know your people are dying, why shouldn’t you do everything you can to save them?

Obviously, Talos kept his feelings about humans in check, but that’s also why Gravik’s group ostracized him.

Look at it from their perspective: They were excommunicated and not treated like citizens.

They were looking for someone to lead them, and it’s hard to believe they’d follow someone who was pro-humans when the humans were anti-aliens.

It’s hard to be annoyed with Talos’ actions because he did what anyone who cared about his people would have done. It was a difficult call, and he had to make it.

Nick’s self-righteous sentiments about Talos’ decision came out of nowhere, but even though Nick is misguided, he did make some comments that made sense.

Gravik: Long before we arrived on this planet, they were destined to consume themselves. So, for anyone flinching at the thought of innocent deaths, let me assure you, we’re only hastening the inevitable. Sergio: And what happens if the Avengers return? Gravik: You don’t think I thought about that? Put your faith in me. And I promise, your loyalty will be repaid.

It’s hard to get a good read on Nick because his actions aren’t synonymous with his views, and even the closing scene of him meeting his wife, who’s a Skrull, came out of nowhere.

It makes you think Nick is putting on a front in front of the other Skrulls to hide the fact he’s married to one.

It also makes me wonder whether Nick’s views on the Skrulls will change as Secret Invasion Season 1 progresses. He can only do so much, running from the mess he’s created.

Going into Secret Invasion, I didn’t expect this level of depth for Nick. He’s someone we’ve known in this universe for years, so props to the creatives for finding new ways to develop the character.

I’m worried about how far Nick will push Talos because there’s always that chance he could return to the Skrulls, even people like Gravik.

Granted, Gravik would probably have him put down without a second thought.

The flashbacks gave us insight into Gravik’s views on the human race. As a young Skrull, his life was forever changed by the genocide on Kree.

Fleeing to Earth, he probably thought it would be a safe haven for people like him.

Despite his past being rooted in pain, it’s obvious Gravik was always meant to be a villain. His actions are cutthroat, and he knows what’s expected of him to lead his people to succeed in their mission for world domination.

The revelations about the world leaders being Skrulls wasn’t a surprise because how else would these people still reside on Earth if they posed this big of a threat to the human race’s existence?

While Gravik is a solid villain so far, he’s making some stupid decisions, which could return to bite him in the butt as Secret Invasion Season 1 continues.

Allowing Shirley to leave the secret meeting was silly, so I guess he knew she’d call Talos and fill him in about everything.

Gravik has it out for Talos because of their distinctly different viewpoints of how Skrulls should immerse themselves into the world.

That’s why I won’t be surprised when Gravik does something to harm G’iah. He has to know Talos’ daughter is merely a spy, causing problems for his operation.

G’iah isn’t even a good spy. She’s sneaking into places she could get caught and making unilateral decisions that can probably be traced back to her easily.

I’m still not sold on the character because there’s a complete lack of emotion, but I’m beginning to understand the intent here.

The husband-and-wife scientists working together to usher in a new type of Skrull is interesting for many reasons because, if Nick and the other humans in the loop know the weaknesses of the alien race, wouldn’t it be fun to switch up their weaknesses?

The easter eggs to some of the other heroes in the MCU were welcomed when G’iah was on the computer, but it would have also been the perfect scene for Gravik to concede that she’s a spy.

Which brings me to Sonya. Olivia Colman is killing it here, and I can’t wait to see what Sonya brings to the table as this human vs. Skrulls war gets underway.

Indeed, Sonya and Nick now have a vested interest in working together. I had a feeling Sonya would be revealed as a Skrull, but that can’t be the case, or she wouldn’t have bolted through the escape hatch of the butcher store.

There’s a lot of potential with a series like Secret Invasion, and hopefully, the series will reach its full potential quickly because the good is starting to outweigh the bad.

What are your thoughts on those Nick bombshells?

Do you blame him for the current state of the world?

What are your thoughts on Gravik’s master plan?

Hit the comments.

Catch new episodes on Wednesdays on Disney+.

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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.