Secret Invasion – Season 1 Episode 6 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

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The finale of Secret Invasion begins with a two-pronged plan concocted by Sonya and Fury. After their meeting in Finland in the last episode, they have come to the realization that the Skrulls are trying to start a war between Russia and the US. To negate that, Sonya executes one half of the plan in the hospital where Ritson is lodged, while Fury goes to the New Skrullos to confront Gravik for the other.

Before leaving, Fury makes a heart-wrenching call to Priscilla. It seems like the final goodbye by Fury and a telling end to their relationship. After the call, Fury makes his way inside the facility after killing the guards at the gate. 

What is Gravik and Fury’s history?

Fury is surprised to find the facility abandoned. There is hardly a soul in sight. The radiation from the nuclear plants also makes it difficult for him to breathe. He constantly reaches into his pockets to take pills that keep him somewhat steady.

He walks into the room with the machine where Gravik is waiting for him. They both place themselves within the confines of the machine as Gravik begins his preachy monologue. He recalls how he viewed Fury as a hero and killed the man whose skin he has taken on his orders.

According to Gravik, Fury promised a new home to the Skrulls, who looked with hope towards him. He says Talos was a timid general who couldn’t stand up to Fury but Gravik is different. He says Fury deserves to die for his betrayal and must live with the reality that he couldn’t save the human species.

Surprisingly, Fury accepts all the accusations and concedes that he failed them. And for that, he deserves to pay the price. He pleads with Gravik not to initiate the war between the US and Russia and to make good on his promise, offers him The Harvest. Gravik watches incredulously and even more so when he authenticates its contents.

How does Gi’ah manage to kill Gravik?

The machine with the DNA of the Avengers is switched on to give Gravik their powers. After the machine does its thing, Gravik emerges shirtless in his true avatar: an imposing figure.

Fury is still struggling and is backed into a corner by Gravik. But when he attacks him, Fury is able to withhold his punch. Fury miraculously throws Gravik miles into the sky and out of the facility with a single punch. It is revealed that this wasn’t Fury; it was G’iah in his skin! She has absorbed the powers of the Avengers as Gravik has. They begin an epic battle where we see the powers of many Avengers being used by each of them.

The highlight of the powers on display is that of Captain Marvel. But eventually, G’iah succeeds in tricking Gravik by using the powers of Mantis to put him to sleep. Once she does it, G’ah pierces Gravik’s heart and kills him once and for all. She proceeds to free all the important emissaries in captivity at the facility, which includes Colonel Rhodes, Agent Ross, and the British PM.

Secret Invasion Ending Explained:

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Sonya makes a faux call to the fake Rhodes, asking him to “Secure the President.” Panicking, Rhodes does as asked. One by one, she and another person take out the entire security detail on the floor. Eventually, it is Ritson, Rhodes, Sonya, and in a big surprise, Fury that is left.

Rhodes had earlier tried to convince Ritson to launch the strike and the President agreed with him. It is a bit of a Mexican standoff as Ritson does not know whom to believe. This situation ends with Fury shooting Rhodes in the head and Ritson cancelling the strike. He vehemently believes that the alien species is a threat to humanity and declares them “enemy combatants.”

Fury shows up at Priscilla’s house and bids her farewell, assuring her that he will always be there for her when she is ready to come find him. Meanwhile, Sonya snarkily strikes a deal with G’iah. Their agreement is without pretence and mutually beneficial to both of them.

Shortly after, Fury calls Ritson and admonishes him for his hate speech. Subsequent to that, Skrulls across the globe have been under attack. In the process, many innocent civilians are killed.

An unhinged Ritson asks Fury to get the Skrulls off his planet. Before Fury leaves for SABER, Varra shows up. She now wants to be called that and not Priscilla given how the world is reacting to them. Fury reveals that the Kree, who took Skrulls’ planet, are now willing to hold peace talks. He makes one final plea with Varra to come with him but she says that her purpose is to stay on Earth. She agrees to accompany him until they can make the talks successful. 

What does the ending mean for the MCU?

There are still a lot of unresolved arcs remaining in the Secret Invasion universe. It is directly connected with the next MCU film, The Marvels. Captain Marvel, Ms Marvel, and Monica Rambeau will be joining Fury on SABER.

The movie will have the onerous task of resolving some of these unfinished arcs like Sonya and G’iah joining hands for a “secret project” and Ritson’s foreboding downfall, given that Thaddeus Ross (to be played by Harrison Ford) will be the new President in Captain America 4 (officially titled “Brave New World”).

In the absence of a second season, this will be the end of the arc for Secret Invasion as we head straight to the Marvels coming later this year. 

The Episode Review

This has got to be one of the most underwhelming ends to a Marvel show. The decline of the show started right after the first episode. This ending is rather anti-climactic and seems to be more of a setup to The Marvels than a serious ending for the show itself. If it was always supposed to be a springboard for that, why even make it in the first place?

The G’iah-Gravik showdown was anything but epic. It betrayed all characterizations and anticipation that we had leading into the finale. Also, why would Gravik not be able to use his Extremis powers to heal again as he has previously done in the series? The entire episode rushed through events to bring things to an abrupt end. We never got any explanation as to Sonya and G’iah’s secret mission and why Ritson became deranged in a matter of days after discovering the whole scheme.

Secret Invasion failed to touch upon the many characters arcs it promised in the buildup. This was an embarrassing faux pas and is proof showing that  Marvel has become a semblance of its former self.