‘Secret Invasion’ Recap: Season 1, Episode 2 “Promises”
Skrull History
Opening with a flashback, Nick Fury tells us he’s been behind at desk at S.H.I.E.L.D. for six years. He’s been identifying future enemies, but never guessed they’d be coming from above. Tarlos arrives on Earth with a group of Skrulls and encounters Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. for the first time. He explains that his people are homeless refugees, trying to avoid being wiped out by the Kree.
Jumping forward to London in 1997, a young Skrull is brought to meet Fury. He escaped from behind enemy lines after his parents were killed in the last stand against the Kree. His name is Gravik.
Talos leads a meeting between Fury and the Skrulls. He introduces Fury as a man that he trusts. Fury offers them a deal. Earth is facing a serious threat. If the Skrulls help, he promises, then he and Carol Danvers will work to find the Skrulls a new planet to call their own. “You keep your word, I’ll keep mine,” Fury says as the camera zooms in on young Gravik.
An American
In Moscow, G’iah and Gravik walk across the square together, leaving Fury behind them cradling Hill’s body. As they enter a car and make their escape, a man is arrested — a familiar face from their cover organization, Americans Against Russia. “I’m an American!” he protests repeatedly as officers crowd him and drag him away.
Fury is also grabbed and thrown into a van, but as it drives off, we see that the man who took him is actually Talos.
Tell Me Something I Don’t Know
On the Moscow to Warsaw train, Russian military personnel are searching for Fury. Disguised as a Russian woman, Talos throws them off the scent before shutting himself and Fury into a private cabin.
Fury asks if Talos has heard from G’iah. He hasn’t. As the train rolls on, Fury talks about playing a game called “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know” on rides with his mom. After enticing Talos to play, Fury finally learns that one million Skrulls fled from the Kree — and all of them are on Earth. Talos and Fury argue about Talos lying to him. Talos voices a hope that humans and Skrull can coexist on Earth, but Fury points out that humans can’t even coexist with each other. Exasperated, he kicks Talos off the train.
Maria Hill Goes Home
In London, Hill’s body is loaded on to a flight back to America. Her mother watches as she gets full military honors, before walking to meet Fury on the tarmac. She quizzes him about what happened to Hill, and he confesses that someone hurt her because they wanted to hurt him.
“I don’t know what Maria died for out there. But whatever it was, don’t let it be for nothing.”
Elizabeth Hill
Newscasters around the world break the news of the Russian bombing, pinning the blame on the man (or Skrull) arrested at the scene, Martin Wallace — a member of Americans Against Russia. The UK Prime Minister denounces the attack, and the NATO leader confirms they are gathering intel. All signs point to imminent retaliation from Russia, despite America claiming it was a false flag attack.
Meeting of the Skrull Council
Back in Moscow, G’iah and Gravik are still driving. They discuss Fury, and how Gravik hoped he would be at the square so he could see “what was left” of him. He urges G’iah to get him to the council meeting.
When they arrive, Gravik is ushered inside, but G’iah is left outside with instructions to shoot the door guard if Gravik doesn’t return in an hour.
Inside, Gravik meets with the Skrull council—who have some very interesting faces. Around the table are several prominent politicians, including the UK Prime Minister and the leader of NATO. The council are meeting to discuss punishment for Gravik, for endangering them all with his acts of terror, particularly with the Moscow bombing.
Unbothered by their confrontational tones, Gravik tells them all in Skrull language that Fury abandoned them and broke his promise. Earth will be their home, because he will take it. It’s a war, Gravik says. Appearing to have been on his side all along, the UK Prime Minster nominates Gravik for the post of Skrull General. Democracy has no place in wartime. One by one, the Skrull submit to him. The only exception is the Skrull who took the appearance of a woman named Shirley. Gravik allows her to leave without harm. As soon as she reaches the street she calls Talos. He asks her to set up a meet between himself and Gravik, to talk about G’iah.
Dr. Rosa Dalton
G’iah and Gravik arrive back at New Skrullos to cheering. G’iah watches as Gravik pulls Pagon aside and whispers to him. G’aih follows as NAME heads to a quiet part of the compound, where Dr. Rosa Dalton is working. She complains that he doesn’t have what she wanted, and Pagon retorts that he’s been to multiple locations as per Gravik’s instructions, but there was no Harvest. Displeased, Dr. Dalton dismisses him.
Rank and Power
At an emergency security summit in London, Rhodey fends off questions and accusations of American involvement in the bombing. Clearly frustrated, he plays the political game, reminding all present that Fury and Hill’s presence at the bombing is merely an allegation, and they are private citizens. Refusing any further cooperation until actual evidence is produced, Rhodey heads out of the meeting.
On his way out of the building, Rhodey gets a call from Fury. While he seems annoyed at the situation he believes Fury has caused, he agrees to meet with him for a drink at Burner’s Tavern.
In the emptied-out tavern, Rhodey waits for Fury with bourbon already poured, but wastes no time letting him know how close he is to just handing him over to Russia. When Fury questions whether Rhodey is forgetting his rank, Rhodey claims that he’s the last friend Fury has. When Fury questions how well he knows his security detail and brings up the Skrulls, it turns out that Rhodey already knows about them. Fury explains about the invasion, and Rhodey questions whether they should call their “friends,” but Fury believes that’s a bad idea. What would happen if they were duplicate by Skrulls? The pair argue when it turns out that Rhodey doesn’t want to help; it’s too political. Their angry exchange continues until Rhodey reveals that he made travel plans for Fury — because he’s fired.
Storming out of the room (after roughing up Rhodey’s security a little), Fury drops down onto a bench, head in hands.
In Their DNA
G’iah sneaks onto a computer in New Skrullos to look up Dr. Rosa Dalton’s DNA files. The sim compatible DNA samples that the computer spits out include Frost Beast and Groot. She’s almost caught by Gravik, but manages to pull up the profile of a new, promising recruit instead — Beto, who arrived in New Skrullos just before the attack.
After a tense exchange where Gravik talks about G’iah’s father, calling him a coward, he tells her that his man on the inside has located Brogan, the Skrull who assumed Martin Wallace’s identity. He has her drive him, again. In the car are Gravik, Pagon, and Beto.
Spymaster’s Sausage Shop
MI6 Agent Sonya Falsworth makes her way into a butcher’s shop that serves as a front for crime. In the meat locker, a burly Russian man and his crew are interrogating Martin Wallace, trying to get him to give up the location of the Skrull’s safehouse. Sonya tells the man she is there to take over. After a brief conversation with a superior, the man agrees. He leaves Sonya with Martin after telling her the location of the escape hatch, and she gets to work quickly. After snipping off Martin’s finger to confirm that he’s a Skrull, she injects him with a substance to make his blood boil. He talks quickly, after that, telling her that Gravik is building a machine to make Skrull stronger. He passes on that a married couple, the Daltons, are leading the science, but then they are interrupted by a commotion.
Realizing that Gravik and his group are here to get Martin — Brogan — back, Sonya disappears down the escape hatch and makes her getaway.
While Gravik and Pagon storm through the butcher’s shop taking out the Russians, G’iah tells Beto that she’s going to go check around the back. Once she’s stepped away, she makes a secret phone call in Russian.
Gravik questions what Brogan gave away. He says nothing, only lies, and Gravik tells Pagon to take him to the car. As they approach the safehouse, with G’iah driving, the group see that the location has been compromised. Gravik says to keep driving, and they head out into the woods before he instructs G’iah to pull over. Pagon takes Brogan out into the trees, and a single gunshot is heard. In the driver’s seat, G’iah looks troubled, but says nothing.
Home, Sweet Skrull Home
Fury unwraps a car in a storage facility. Getting behind the wheel of the beautiful vehicle, he starts it up and makes his way out into the country. He drives up to a large, spaciously designed house.
Inside, we see a Skrull woman chopping vegetables in the kitchen. Fury approaches the front door and lets himself in with a key. Soft music plays. Fury sighs, looking around slowly as he approaches the kitchen. The Skrull cooking — now wearing the face of an immaculately dressed Black woman — pauses and, upon seeing Fury, asks him if he’s forgetting something.
Ruefully, Fury makes his way to a side table and pulls a wedding band out of a box. He makes his way over to the woman again and slips it onto his ring finger. “Better?” he asks. Smiling, the woman — his wife — answers “Almost,” before stepping forward for a welcome-home kiss.
Secret Invasion releases new episodes every Wednesday on Disney+. Don’t forget to check out Nerds & Beyond for recaps and updates!