Secret Invasion: Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill Backstory Idea Will Make Fans Feel Robbed

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

Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) had a good run in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but being a mortal in a world full of superpowered beings prevented her from becoming the star attraction. The character, who debuted in 2012's "The Avengers," is synonymous with many significant MCU moments, but her backstory has always been shrouded in mystery. Unfortunately, fans might never get to find out more about Hill's life now that she's out of the picture, but Smulders has pondered what could have been.

Smulders knows that Hill isn't the MCU's MVP, but she understands her character and wishes that she got to explore more of her. "I think she comes from a military background. She's wanted to work up the ranks within S.H.I.E.L.D., but there was corruption and infiltration within that respect," Smulders told AV Club. "What I find interesting, and wish we could've gotten into, is what it's like for someone's mental health coming back from the Blip?"

Despite not getting to explore Hill's reaction to the Blip, Smulders is happy that she is given some intimate moments on Disney+'s "Secret Invasion" series. At the same time, given what happens to Hill in Episode 1, some fans might feel robbed knowing that Smulders' idea for a backstory will never come to fruition.

As things stand, Maria Hill appears to be dead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the final moments of "Secret Invasion" Episode 1, she gets shot by the villainous Skrull Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir), who's disguised as Nick Fury when he pulls the trigger. It remains to be seen if Hill will be resurrected at a later date, but her death does seem final.

Furthermore, there's an argument to be made that Hill's demise was premature. Prior to her passing, she was a long-serving member of the MCU, albeit one who was mostly portrayed as an elusive character. Exploring Smulders' aforementioned ideas could have added more depth to the character, even if she was never going to become the MVP.

That being said, Smulders does feel that "Secret Invasion" gave Hill some meaningful moments to sink her teeth into. "I got to play with that a bit in my scenes with Sam Jackson in Episode 1. It's an honor and terrifying to be the one to tell Nick Fury, 'I don't think you can do this job.' I think it's only been me and Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) who've told him that," she told AV Club. "It's cool to have that level of intimacy and trust showcasing their relationship."