Secret Invasion: The Skrulls Make Up For One Of The MCU's Worst Teams

Contains spoilers for "Secret Invasion" Episode 1 — "Resurrection"

Marvel's "Secret Invasion is here, and there's a new threat for Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to handle. While the pilot may have left something to be desired, including the largely AI-generated title sequence fans had issues with, one common consensus is that the Skrulls were a highlight. Introduced in 2019's "Captain Marvel," this alien race consists of shape-shifters, making them an ideal antagonist for a paranoia-inspired thriller. Some, like Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), still work alongside humans, but a faction of rebels has emerged that wants to make Earth their permanent home without any humans.

It's a devastating threat that proves it needs to be taken seriously, as evidenced by the last few minutes of Episode 1, where Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir) detonates bombs during a crowded celebration. The Skrull rebel leader then shoots Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), where she's presumably dead. In a few minutes, Gravik presents himself as an absolute menace and a force to be reckoned with. He and the other villainous Skrulls are proving to be big hits with fans, who hate what he's done but love how they're genuine threats.

Redditors are even comparing the Skrulls to another Marvel terrorist organization — the Flag Smashers from "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier." It seems many people think the Skrulls are already more effective in reaching their goals, as u/Doctor_Disco_ wrote, "These villains are who the Flag Smashers wish they could have been." It remains to be seen how effective the Skrulls are going forward, but it's hard to deny they seem much more menacing than the Flag Smashers ever were. 

One theory that emerged when "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier" came out was that the plot was supposed to center around a virus, and in an immediate post-COVID-19 world, it was cut out, taking out much of the Flag Smashers' motivation, as well. Director Kari Skogland actually shot down such rumors, but watching the show, it does feel as though something's missing. They initially have well-meaning goals, wanting to unite the world the way it was after Thanos (Josh Brolin) wiped out half of all life, but they soon devolve into standard terrorists. The Skrulls, at least for now, appear incredibly effective and have established a clear mission that makes sense for their characters.

Many other Redditors commented on this thread, appreciative of how the Skrulls were written, like u/TizACoincidence writing, "Its nice watching good villains, who actually are intelligent and have a clear purpose." Others think the Skrulls could help make the Flag Smashers more interesting if it was discovered some of them were Skrulls in disguise. Redditor u/Tarzan_OIC points out, "Wouldn't mind finding out the Flag Smashers had some Skrulls among the leadership." That theory could have some merit, as Agent Prescod's (Richard Dormer) conspiracy board mentioned Munich, which was the base of operations for the Flag Smashers.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn't always had the best luck with villains, with many coming across as one-dimensional. But the Skrulls, especially Gravik, seem destined to stand out among the all-time greats. "Secret Invasion" Episode 1 built up a lot of momentum, and if the rest of the season can keep it going, the Skrulls will leave the Flag Smashers, and maybe other villainous organizations, in the dust.