Secret Invasion Trailer

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

 

My reaction:

Spoiler

...meh.

 

What, you want more?

 

Sure, it's got Sam Jackson in maybe his last turn as Fury, acting against my magnificent hometown heroine Olivia Colman in überb*tch mode. That's new for her, but I think she's being awesome. Rhodey's back as some senior government oddbod, and good to see Cobie as Maria Hill.

 

Beyond that, we now know there are good and bad Skrull factions, getting around the flip from Captain Marvel. Does make it harder to trust anyone. Presumably they're not happy about being contained, and have worked out quite how easy humans are to manipulate when they don't know you're an alien. (I mean, I'm pretty sure several lizards politicians don't bother with decent disguises these days.)

 

And some ominous music. Lots of ominous pine forests. Ominous graveyards. Ominous mentions of Nick being too old for this s**t, repeated ominously.

 

Beyond that, I ain't feelin' it yet. And if they are killing Nick off, this better be good.

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by ThaOGDreamWeaver

[Techwright]

I'm actually looking forward to this.  I'm getting Captain America: The Winter Soldier vibes from this, though I see the Russo brothers do not appear to be tied to this.  I don't know the director.  Has anyone here viewed one of his projects before?

 

I wonder how many surprise cameos we might get.  I'd personally think it would be interesting to see a Skrull pull a Steve Rogers or Natasha Rominoff cameo to rattle a few confidences, but the nature of Skrulls can give opportunity for several real world figures to make cameo appearances.

 

Will this be the moment they reveal that...

Spoiler

...the Powerbroker is actually a Skrull, as I suspect?

...that Daisy "Quake" Johnson of SHIELD (or possibly SWORD now) is in the MCU, as I hope?

...that Elvis was taken by aliens and that all Elvis impersonators are actually young Skrulls in training, as I ...never considered before but feel that it would explain so much?

 

Samuel L. is 75.  I'm not sure how many more 3 year gaps in filming he can handle.  If this is Fury's swan song in the MCU, just don't toss him out the window.

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

 

[biostem]

Some thoughts:

Spoiler

Was that a super-Skrull toward the end?

 

Do you think they'll tie it into the Fantastic 4 in any way?

 

Given the level of technology in the MCU world, shouldn't it be pretty simple to test someone's blood and tell if it's human or not?  This kind of reminds me of the Changeling scare in DS9...

 

[Techwright]

On 5/10/2023 at 4:10 PM, biostem said:

Some thoughts:  (see comments in orange)

  Hide contents

Was that a super-Skrull toward the end?  Not sure which one you refer to.  The one that Talos grabs by the collar?

 

Do you think they'll tie it into the Fantastic 4 in any way?  It's possible.  The two groups do make sense together, however, I recently read rumors that they just got done casting Mister Fantastic (which is odd because I thought they'd be going with John K. ), so if the rumor is true, then no, no F4 this time.  I do think it possible that the Skrulls will tie into the Kang saga, but no idea how yet.  And they're shape shifters, it's always possible they missed rounding up a few, leading into more stories that will eventually bring in the F4.

 

Given the level of technology in the MCU world, shouldn't it be pretty simple to test someone's blood and tell if it's human or not?  This kind of reminds me of the Changeling scare in DS9...   I know exactly of what you speak.  It's really up to the writers to define just how much of a change the Skrulls undergo.  Dominion changlings' tissue returned to it's natural gelatinous state when severed from the mind.  If the MCU writers make the Skrull transformation at the DNA level, removed tissue might retain its form.  But I wouldn't put it past them to stea er, borrow a certain plot point from DS9.

 

 

Intrigued by Ben's Talos being caught off guard by a room full of his own people.  You'd think Skrulls would be able to sense other Skrulls or at least be so in tune that they can intuit when other Skrulls are nearby.

 

MCU seems to do very well when they dial up the intrigue.  Here's hoping that trend continues.  I'd feel better though if the Russo brothers were involved.

[InvaderStych]

Not much to add, but ...

 

Regarding the DS9 Blood Test issue: They made an attempt at pointing out the futility of such a test when either Sisko's father or Odo (don't recall who actually pointed it out) that an enterprising Founder could just cart around an absorbed blood sample to be released from their form upon testing.  Reasonably sure it was Sisko's father.

 

This nuance was dropped though as I am fairly sure they continued the "blood test" routine in episodes beyond that particular one. Would be hilarious to see Marvel pick up the nuance and run with it.

[TheOtherTed]

On 4/3/2023 at 4:13 AM, ThaOGDreamWeaver said:

And some ominous music.

Yeah, call me petty, but that's a problem.  It's the same "ominous music" we've heard over and over again.  And over again, and again, and over once more for good measure.  Again.

 

That said, I was pretty much done with the MCU after blank-watching "Age of Tin Man;" I remember literally nothing from the movie except a floating pile of dirt.  Though I did watch "Ragnarok" and I'll admit to enjoying it, but I sort of considered that a self-spoof more than anything else.

 

Anyway, the only thing in the trailer that even remotely got my attention was Olivia Colman.  I still think she should be the next Dr. Who.

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

On 5/12/2023 at 12:14 PM, TheOtherTed said:

Anyway, the only thing in the trailer that even remotely got my attention was Olivia Colman. 

Watching Liv gear-shift from the ludicrously, puppyishly excitable Norfolk lass she is in interviews and documentaries to Deadly Serious Epic Gravitas Mode - or anything else she's up to, like Green Wing (look it up!), Hot Fuzz, The Favourite (even if you know about the stunt she pulled on Emma Stone) and my personal favourite The Night Manager is a bit of a trip. Always watchable.

[Techwright]

Just realized the trailer is showing us a different tombstone for "Col. Nicholas J. Fury" than the one we saw at the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.  There's a different quote on this stone, and Fury is saying immediately afterwards in the trailer that the battle is personal.  It gives me a couple of thoughts:

 

1. This might be a storage crypt for Fury: weapons, spy gear, etc.  Similar to what we saw Sarah use for storage back in Terminator: Judgement Day.  While I see the potential, I don't think this is what is in play.

2. This is the grave of black Col. Nicholas J. Fury's white grandfather (or father, depending on how the MCU works), Col. Nicholas J. Fury, the original Nick Fury of the comics, and the leader of the Howling Commandos.  It's possible that he took over command of the MCU Howling Commandos with the disappearance of Captain America. 

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

Or...

Spoiler

3. Nick Prime has been dead for some time, and a devoted Skrull ally took over his identity, mission and memories using an implant.

 

[Techwright]

5 hours ago, ThaOGDreamWeaver said:

Or...

  Reveal hidden contents

3. Nick Prime has been dead for some time, and a devoted Skrull ally took over his identity, mission and memories using an implant.

 

Very interesting idea.  One thought on that:

Spoiler

If this idea proves true, is there enough of humanity involved in the story to satisfy viewers that we humans are taking a front-line in the defense of earth?  In other words, can viewers connect to the idea that a group of aliens hold the lion's share of earth's defense?  We see Rhody and Maria Hill in the fight but is that enough for audiences?  There seems to be a human-centric element when it comes to Earth-defense sci-fi in general.

 

I've one other crazy idea, based off my second thought, that the grave might be that of Nick Fury, Sr. :

Spoiler

Sam Jackson is getting to the point, unfortunately, where he might not be able to continue the role, (Though we can hope otherwise.)   This is, admittedly, a radical thought, but what if in this "final battle", it's revealed that Nick Fury Sr., like Nick Fury Jr., faked his death and is still alive?  In the comics, he's taken an Infinity Formula, which is a bit like a super soldier serum, but focused on life extension rather than strength, precision, and durability.  If you read the linked article, you'll see that Val de Fontaine plays a key role in the connection to Fury, Sr. and the Infinity Formula.  And now we have Val in the MCU.

 

How might this play out?  One idea:  Before the end, Nick Fury, Jr. discovers or possibly reveals that Nick Fury, Sr. is actually not dead.  He's faked his death, just like Nick, Jr. (there's a joke in that name somewhere), has been existing for decades on the Infinity Formula, and has recently been getting it from Val de Fontaine.  This would allow a young actor with the ability to play an old soul to step into the role, replacing Sam Jackson while keeping a "Nick Fury" in the storyline, and creating interest because he's "drug dependent" and his fate would be in Val's hands. That could place Fury, Sr. in a compromised position, possibly tying him to the upcoming Thunderbolts.  As someone connected in the past with the Howling Commandos, he might be known to Bucky Barnes, setting up stories between Fury, Sr. and the Winter Soldier.

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Techwright

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

So, Ep1 is out.

 

Thoughts:

Spoiler

• First up, if you wanted to stuff a giant middle finger to the FX artists, comic book artists and writers who've been patiently helping Marvel grow these last 20 years, the hideous AI-generated intro is the way to do it. It is, I suppose, a way of making something intentionally twisted and ugly. But c'mon, Kevin, kids on Tiktok put more work in than that. 
• Evidently folks are already getting replaced: Black Panther's "Tolkien white guy" Everett Ross for one. Question is... when?
• Nice Skrull Talos (Ben Mendlesohn) has been ousted in a coup by Nasty Skrull Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir) Not a great setup, but.
• MI6 - good guys, bad guys, Skrulls, somewhere in between? With Liv Colman on their crew (yay!) you're not gonna know for a while.
• And here's Emi Clarke as Gi'ah, Talos's rebellious teen...
• And OMG THEY KILLED COBIE??II?? CANADA WILL HAVE THEIR REVENGE! UNLEASH THE ATTACK GEESE AND NUCLEAR-EQUIPPED BEAVERS!

 

All in all... mixed bag for Ep1, and another reason Marvel / Disney are about to have angry strikers from another union on their tail.

[Mr. Vee]

"Hey, fans have been waiting a really long time for Secret Invasion. What if we made the first episode feel just as long as the wait?!?!"

 

Maybe it's because the comic version is probably my favorite event ever, but this just seemed to completely lack gravitas to me. 

Spoiler

'Oh no, Arthur Baggins was a skrull for the purpose of this episode, maybe longer' just doesn't really compare to 'oh shit, elektra, who's connected to tons of supers and has been running the Hand, has been a skrull for who knows how long.' Until/unless someone we care about turns out skrull (and with mimicked super powers) it's gonna feel underwhelming to me.

 

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

Not hugely impressed so far with this series still, except for...

 

Spoiler

...an absolute ruthlessness in being able to waste expensive cast members without warning. Unless it's some kind of fakeout, Emilia Clarke has already bitten it, along with Cobie Smulders and Martin Freeman.

 

Oh, and my marvellous fellow Norfolk lass Liv Colman having an absolute blast, as a delightfully chatty spymistress/torturer. 

 

Edited July 5, 2023 by ThaOGDreamWeaver

[MyriVerse]

On 7/5/2023 at 3:59 PM, ThaOGDreamWeaver said:

Not hugely impressed...

Well, I mean...

Spoiler

We've seen a scene in the trailer of Emilia Clarke and Mrs. Fury back-to-back with guns... so her character isn't dead. yet.

 

  

On 6/21/2023 at 12:31 PM, Mr. Vee said:

"Hey, fans have been waiting a really long time for Secret Invasion. What if we made the first episode feel just as long as the wait?!?!"

 

Maybe it's because the comic version is probably my favorite event ever, but this just seemed to completely lack gravitas to me. 

  Reveal hidden contents

'Oh no, Arthur Baggins was a skrull for the purpose of this episode, maybe longer' just doesn't really compare to 'oh shit, elektra, who's connected to tons of supers and has been running the Hand, has been a skrull for who knows how long.' Until/unless someone we care about turns out skrull (and with mimicked super powers) it's gonna feel underwhelming to me.

 

Wasn't a big fan of the comics. This is better because the Skrulls feel like actual people. Plus, infiltrating governments is way bigger than just duplicating superheroes. There just seems to be a lot more on the line for this series.

Edited July 10, 2023 by MyriVerse

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

Spoiler theory responding to spoiler theory...

 

Spoiler

4 hours ago, MyriVerse said:

so her character isn't dead. yet.

 

That... is where this whole shapeshifting stuff gets messy. G'iah may be dead.

Which allows another Skrull to take over her paired human and impersonate her to get close to Talos and Fury.

 

I'm not big on Skrull lore, btw - so is it a two way process when working with a mind linked human? Do they experience or remember anything the Skrull gets up to?

[starro]

The series is beautiful and horrible.  I wish it was a bigger event with more heroes instead of a spy thriller.  Pretty sure at the end we will get the big reveals who is dead and who is alive for real. 

 

….There is something about alien mind controlling humans I find very appealing…. 

[UltraAlt]

8 hours ago, starro said:

….There is something about alien mind controlling humans I find very appealing…. 

 

[UltraAlt]

On 6/21/2023 at 12:55 PM, ThaOGDreamWeaver said:

...a giant middle finger to...

Spoiler

 

Unless "that" is the style of the current comic book version of this, there is no excuse for it.

If you are not going to go live action, go with the artist doing the book currently or shots of the comic book.

 

I think that there are plenty in the entertainment industry that still don't understand that the reason that they are "doing" a project about Marvel Comics is that the comics themselves were cool instead of thinking it is their job to make "some lame crap" cool for a larger demographic audience.

This appears to be a good example of that behavior.

 

On 6/21/2023 at 12:55 PM, ThaOGDreamWeaver said:

MI6 - good guys, bad guys, Skrulls, somewhere in between? With Liv Colman on their crew (yay!) you're not gonna know for a while.

 

A good counterpoint to the missing in action SHIELD. 

Not much of SHIELD at any rate since the ret-con to Homeland Security versus Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage and Law-Enforcement Division which was international.

Sad state of affairs and enough to make Captain America go into Nomad-mode for good.

 

 

 

 

It was long ago, retcon upon retcon. (Remember when "retcon" wasn't even a "real" word)

 

"In a 1973 storyline written by Englehart directly inspired by the Watergate scandal, Captain America is framed for murder by the fascistic Secret Empire, whose leader is ultimately revealed to be the president of the United States.[48] The incident causes a disillusioned Steve Rogers to briefly drop the moniker of Captain America to become "Nomad, the man without a country", though he later vowed to "reclaim the ideals of America, which its leaders have trampled upon" and again assumed the role of Captain America.[43]" - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_America

 

"Mark Twain once said that “History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme.” As heads of state gather in Paris this week to mark 100 years since the end of World War I, they should listen closely to the echoes of history and avoid replaying the discordant notes of the past." - the internet

 

I know this is a bit off subject, but it echoes through the retcon-ing. 

SHIELD was a part of a dream to bring the world together to fight against the forces of evil

Here we find Nick Fury JR pretty much entirely separated from a version of SHIELD (or what is left of it) that seems more concerned with a orbital station than anything to do with Earth at all. 

And, apparently, the only espionage agency left on the planet is MI6?

 

On 6/21/2023 at 12:55 PM, ThaOGDreamWeaver said:

All in all... mixed bag for Ep1, and another reason Marvel / Disney are about to have angry strikers from another union on their tail.

 

I have watched the first three, and I think it is a great improvement over some of their most recent works.

 

I was a Nick Fury fan back in the day.

I've had to let go of hoping for much that will remain true to the basis of comic book culture that I grew up with that has been retconned into whatever this is and then "popularized" or "comericalized" into whatever it is that Disney via Marvel properties are putting out now.

I'm waiting to see what they will do with the X-men after 2025.

 

[Techwright]

I just renewed Disney+ in order to watch Ahsoka, and have finally sat down to watch this series.  I've completed the first 3 episodes.  It's not as bad as I feared it might be, though it's not in the same league as Captain America: The Winter Soldier. 

 

Thoughts through the end of episode 3:

Spoiler

I think my biggest concern is how much of the story involves allies bickering among themselves.  The actors handle it skillfully, and despite the ridiculous levels of "after 30 years, you still don't know me", they manage to make me wish that I could see a younger Ben Mendelsohn and Sam Jackson assume the roles of Shakespeare's Iago and Othello.  That, I feel, would have been glorious.

 

I don't really get from where Gravik gets his power.  He walks into a room and in minutes gets the most powerful Skrulls to yield to him, when that should have been the moment they take him down.  The character is full of menace and suspicion.  He lacks the charm of Loki, and the appeal of a calm-talking Thanos. 

 

So Skrulls can better duplicate a human if they have that human tied up and hooked into a control machine that links their minds.  Where have I heard that *cough*Zygons*cough* before?

 

At this stage in the viewing, I don't get why Rhodey is not interested in what Fury has to say.  That he doesn't like the man is clear, but its only been, what, 10 years, since another infiltration group was revealed in S.H.I.E.L.D. causing significant havoc to the American government.  I'd have thought he'd realize there's bigger fish to fry first.

 

Unless they're faking her death, I am NOT happy about Maria Hill getting deep sixed.  It seems a meaningless death.  While I realize she's not an Avenger, per se, heroes of the MCU should go out with meaning.  While I could point to Tony Stark as the obvious example, I instead point to Yondu, who had a meaningful death saving one life. 

 

Shoot a Skrull, leave their clearly-alien body for anyone to find.  That doesn't really strike me as the best way to keep knowledge of one's species from the public.

 

Going forward, I'm interested in seeing where this "married to a Skrull" story goes.  I'm also puzzled why "Bob" was so emotionally tied to a human child while he ordered a nuclear strike against humans.  Of course, I'm down for seeing more of Coleman with her character's superb skills and cheeky banter.

 

 

[honoroit]

tokyo revengers (disney+ is showing season 2 before others have it)

 

also stuff like twisted wonderland, and summer time rendering (good)