Secret Invasion Episode 1 Made The Right Move By Killing Off [SPOILER]
Contains spoilers for "Secret Invasion" Episode 1
One of the most common critiques of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is that the adventures lack real stakes. That said, Maria Hill's (Cobie Smulders) shocking death on "Secret Invasion" Episode 1 suggests that Marvel is out to deliver some more unpredictable stories moving forward, and that's a good thing for this franchise.
Of course, it remains to be seen if Hill is really dead, but it looks that way for the time being. Toward the end of Episode 1, the villainous Skrull Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir) shoots her while impersonating Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), making a statement in the process. Hill has never been a prominent character in the MCU, but she's been a regular player since debuting in 2012's "The Avengers." If this is the end for her, she had a good run — and killing her off was the right move.
While it's always upsetting to bid farewell to popular characters, Hill's sudden demise might benefit the series as a whole. According to Reddit user u/rusketeer34, "[There is] no better way to up the stakes for Fury and Talos than to kill a trusted ally right off the bat." As such, "Secret Invasion" is shaping up to be a compelling and intriguing show.
Maria Hill's death adds real stakes to Secret Invasion's story
"Secret Invasion" chronicles Nick Fury's quest to prevent the Skrulls from taking over the world. The mission was always going to be difficult, and not having a trustworthy hand like Maria Hill by his side will make it even harder for the agent. That said, her death might actually benefit the overall story, according to some fans.
Redditor u/ComebackShane believes that Hill's demise will make Fury's mission more interesting as the odds are well and truly against him now. "Yeah, it pulls a lot of the ground out from under Fury and makes it hard for him to have people around him he can trust," they wrote.
Of course, Hill's death also establishes the Skrulls as a formidable threat, and it gives the protagonists more motivation to put a stop to them. "Fury lost Hill and Talos lost Soren, both caused by Gravik," u/esar24 noted. "This will be very interesting, I wonder what both would do [to] Gravik if they ever get their hands on him."