Secret Invasion inches closer to the end of its Disney+ run with the penultimate episode of the Marvel Studios limited series.

After starting out with two episodes running nearly an hour, the series has settled into a 38-44 minute run time. The episode packs in a good amount of show in just a short amount of time. Put it this way: right when you think there’s another scene, the credits begin. Everything is setting up a face-off between Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir) and there’s no telling what’s going to happen. Unless Marvel still has some surprises up its sleeve, it’s safe to assume that none of the Avengers are coming to Fury’s aid. However, a tag scene leading into The Marvels is probably not out of the question.

We have a few subplots going on here. As Fury takes President Ritson (Dermot Mulroney), he plans to protect him from Skrull Rhodey (Don Cheadle) at all costs. Unfortunately, the Skrull imposter also has their own agenda, which includes putting the Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) video all over the airwaves. We all know that Fury is innocent but the people living in the MCU world certainly do not. Over at New Skrullos, Gravik is dealing with a mutiny but he has it under control. Meanwhile, G’iah meets with Varra/Priscilla (Charlayne Woodard) to give Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) a proper Skrull funeral. On the other side of the pond, Sonya Falsworth (Olivia Colman) makes her return for the first time in a few episodes.

One thing that audiences learn about in this episode is the harvest. It’s the spilled Avengers blood that been retrieved during what’s being called the Battle for Earth. Listen, I realize they held onto Captain America’s blood after he crashed into the ice but did anyone think this was a bad idea? I mean, really?!? Did nobody stop to think about it and say, hey, what if a villain gets their hand on this? It might make for good drama in a thriller but seriously, collecting their blood was a terrible idea.

There are a few scenes with action but otherwise, it’s still a slow-burn thriller. Secret Invasion continues to remain a very different Marvel TV series. It’s probably a good thing that Marvel Studios is looking to scale back on the TV side to as to bring less fatigue for viewers. In any event, one last episode remains for the series to tie up its loose ends. Again, it needs to set up the return of classic Fury in The Marvels but also, Rhodes’ future in Armor Wars. What happens to all of the humans that are currently trapped inside New Skrullos?

The penultimate Secret Invasion episode sets up what one hopes will be an action-packed finale.

DIRECTOR: Ali Selim
HEAD WRITER: Kyle Bradstreet
EPISODE WRITERS: Michael Bhim and Brian Tucker
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Kevin Feige, Jonathan Schwartz, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Samuel L. Jackson, Ali Selim, Kyle Bradstreet, Brian Tucker
CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jennifer L. Booth, Allana Williams, Brant Englestein
CAST: Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Charlayne Woodard, Killian Scott, Samuel Adewunmi, Dermot Mulroney, Katie Finneran, with Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, and Don Cheadle
SPECIAL GUEST STARS: Cobie Smulders, O-T Fagbenle

New episodes of Marvel’s Secret Invasion premiere weekly on Wednesdays. Grade: 3.5/5

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