Episode 1 of Secret Invasion opens in the bustling streets of modern-day Moscow. Agent Everett Ross, portrayed by Martin Freeman, convenes with Agent Prescod to delve into the escalating terrorist attacks sweeping the globe. Prescod holds a theory that these assaults are the orchestrated handiwork of the Skrulls, an extraterrestrial race capable of transforming into human forms. He presents Ross with incriminating evidence, urging him to relay it to Nick Fury for swift action.
As Prescod senses a hint of reluctance in Ross's tone, he mistakes him for a Skrull infiltrator and lunges for a kill. The near-fatal assault is narrowly averted by Ross, who manages to fire back, escaping with his life. But the chase is far from over. Ross finds himself on the run, frantically calling for backup as an unknown pursuer gives chase. Tragically, his flight ends in a fatal fall, collapsing lifelessly before the horrified gaze of Agent Maria Hill in her car.
The pursuer, revealed to be Talos, leader of a clandestine Skrull faction, watches silently. Then, a chilling revelation: Ross's face suddenly transforms into the grotesque visage of a Skrull.
Nick Fury returns from the depths of space, where he had been collaborating with the Skrulls. This episode of Secret Invasion marks the commencement of Phase V in the MCU, the events unfolding after the cataclysmic Avengers: Endgame. Fury's journey into the void was a quest to recalibrate and discover his role in the newly shaped universe.
The trio convenes, pooling their knowledge to decipher Gravik's next moves. Gravik, the leader of a rebellious Skrull faction hell-bent on Earth's conquest, looms large in their discussions. Hill enlightens them on the Skrulls' immunity to radioactivity, suggesting they might be hiding in an abandoned base deep within Russia. Prescod's prior investigations had uncovered the AAR - Americans Against Russia - as a terrorist front for the Skrulls, who were purportedly constructing a monstrous bomb. This was the secret Ross's impersonator had desperately tried to conceal.
The bomb's intended purpose is to ignite a war between America and Russia, tearing the world apart. Hill further informs Fury of a weapons cache stolen from Kazakhstan on the same day, presumably containing the components for the bomb's construction. The trio's faces are etched with grim determination as they realize the stakes have never been higher.
News of Fury's abrupt departure from the prestigious S.A.B.E.R. project, aimed at creating an impenetrable aerospace defense system, ripples through the White House. Rhodes, our stalwart War Machine, briefs President Ritson on Fury's mysterious exit. Little do they know that Fury's evening stroll ends in a shocking abduction by Sonya Falsworth, a highly decorated MI6 agent.
Sonya interrogates Fury about his unexpected presence in Russia, while Fury proposes a collaboration to thwart the nefarious plans of the Skrulls. But Sonya remains unmoved and insists Fury return to the space station.
Elsewhere, we encounter G'iah (Emily Clarke), Talos' daughter, residing in a place she calls the "New Skrullos." Here, Beto, a wandering Skrull, visits her. This secluded locale, nestled 300 kilometres from the bustle of Moscow among abandoned factories, serves as a sanctuary for all Skrulls, including Gravik's fearsome warriors.
Behind closed doors, a chilling revelation surfaces: the Skrulls' sinister plan to kidnap humans and use their bodies as hollow shells. The longer the Skrulls inhabit these shells, the more difficult it becomes to discern the imposters from the real.
Fury, being the cunning strategist, had surreptitiously installed a camera in Sonya's office. Through this, he eavesdrops on her conversation with her superior, learning that she suspects Vasily Poprishchin, a former Chechen rebel, of orchestrating the bombings.
Determined to unmask the truth, Fury suggests a risky meeting with the bomber himself, even if it means crossing swords with the MI6. Meanwhile, Pagon, the general of Gravik's army, dispatches G'iah to Vasily's hideout to retrieve the bomb.
As Fury and Talos confront Vasily, G'iah, armed with the bomb, makes a daring escape. Hill, quick on the draw, spots her and gives chase on foot. But to their surprise, Vasily turns out to be a Skrull in disguise. A fierce battle erupts between him and Talos, with the latter refusing Fury's assistance. In a decisive moment, Talos shoots Vasily, ending the skirmish.
Hill manages to catch up with G'iah, but the Skrull warrior is too powerful for her to handle alone. The stakes are raised, and the battle against the Skrulls has just begun.
Talos, in a relentless pursuit, manages to intercept his daughter. He breaks the news to her that G’iah’s mother had perished and Gravik was somehow involved. However, G’iah remains unyielding and flees, determined not to surrender the bomb. She stealthily delivers it to Pagon, all while keeping Talos’s identity concealed. She suggests that perhaps the explosions can be postponed, hinting at a possible change of plans.
Deeply troubled by the fate of her mother, G’iah meets Talos again. He reveals the shocking truth that it was Gravik who killed her mother and urges G’iah to distance herself from him. She confides in him that three explosive attacks are scheduled for the following day, a revelation that fills Talos with dread.
Amidst the general populace, the Skrulls lurk unnoticed. G’iah has cleverly marked each of the explosive bags with an infrared spray, ensuring that Talos can easily identify them. The bags are soon to be planted in strategic locations throughout the city.
As the fateful day of the bombings dawns, the trio of Hill, Talos, and Fury embark on a desperate mission to avert the disaster. Fury sets his sights on Gravik while the other two race against time to track down the bombers. But they are thrown off guard when they discover that the bombs have already been painted, and the Skrulls were merely carrying harmless decoys.
Gravik, without any remorse, detonates the explosives, claiming innocent lives and causing widespread devastation. In a cold-blooded act, he shoots Hill dead and escapes, leaving Talos and Fury to mourn the loss of their comrade and grapple with the aftermath of the tragedy.
