Secret Invasion Episode 3 & Extremis: How Does Gravik Heal Himself?

Contains spoilers for "Secret Invasion" Episode 3, "Betrayed"

Kingsley Ben-Adir's Gravik just got a significant upgrade in the latest episode of "Secret Invasion," and it's a shame Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) didn't stick around to see it. During their private meeting, in which one of the few Skrulls on Nick Fury's (Samuel L. Jackson) side is totally outnumbered, Gravik continues to antagonize Talos by mentioning his daughter, G'iah (Emilia Clarke). Their close encounter ends with the human sympathizer stabbing Gravik through the hand and then storming out.

What the former savior of the Skrulls didn't see was that the brutal attack had no effect on the young revolutionary. After just a wave of his hand, Gravik's injury heals instantly, courtesy of his recent enhancement, which could be the first of many. This new power, previously a trait of the former Mandarin imposter Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), was hinted at in the previous episode. It also marks the start of Gravik becoming an even greater threat than he already is. So, how will Extremis change the playing field, and what should Fury and Talos be prepared for as the war for humanity rages on? Well, if the last time it was present proved anything, absolutely nothing good.

The last time Extremis was significantly present in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was during "Iron Man 3." The movie sees Aldrich Killian applying the enhancement to amputees, allowing them to regain their lost limbs and survive just about any attack. This explains why Gravik was able to shrug off Talos' last stab at making a statement and, if applied to other Skrulls, could make his group even more lethal if the right kind of adjustments are made to them.

A big issue with Killian's Extremis work was that those whose bodies rejected the tests could literally explode, turning them into living bombs that could hide in plain sight. It's what made his diversion of The Mandarin so successful and what could create major issues for Talos and Fury in their battle against Gravik. For a group already labeled as a terrorist threat with the ability to mimic anyone, infusing them with the Extremis gene could incite the very chaos our heroes fear. What makes matters worse is that it's the first of many alterations he has lined up, setting him on the path of becoming the MCU's first Super Skrull.