Genre:

Action, Adventure

Release Date:

2024

Director:

S.J. Clarkson

Cast:

Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Emma Roberts, Isabel Merced, Adam Scott

Plot Summary:

Spin-off from Spider-Man centering on a clairvoyant mutant named Madame Web.

The following piece was written during the 2023 Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the television series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Overview Of Secret Invasion

Secret Invasion is set in the present-day Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Nick Fury learns of an invasion of Earth by a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls. Fury, joined by Everett Ross, Maria Hill, and the Skrull Talos, who has made a life for himself on Earth, races against time to stop an invasion and save humanity.

Brief Summary (Contains Spoilers)

The series starts off with Talos pursuing Everett Ross for the murder of a CIA agent, who had information about a potential Skrull rebellion. Maria Hill arrives on scene and discovers that Everett is a shapeshifting Skrull and contacts Nick Fury to request assistance. Nick returns to learn that not only has Talos been exiled from the Skrull Council, but Gravik is taking the lead with the rebellion. Fury approaches an old acquaintance by the name of Sonya Falsworth to propose an alliance, but to no avail. In the meantime, Talos reunites with his daughter, G’iah who shares with him the location of a Skrull attack in Russia. The mission to stop the attack not only end in failure, but in the death of one of Fury’s team mates. Fury and Talos is forced to escape to fight another day.

Gravik gains the support of the Skrull Council to lead them in a new war. Fury is blamed for the attack in Russia and the death of one of the team members, and is discharged of his duties. Sonya learns from another rebel that Gravik has a new weapon, a machine that can help enhance their strength with the use of powered DNA. The rebel’s next target is the Royal Navy. Their attempt to launch a missile at another aircraft is however thwarted by collective efforts from Fury, Talos, Sonya and G’iah. G’iah attempts to run away but is confronted by Gravik who shoots her and leaves her for dead.

G’iah, however, survives and lives to fight another day. We quickly learn that there is a rebel Skull Imposter posing as one of the Avengers. The rebels turn their focus on the President of the United States, and posing as Russian soldiers almost succeeds in their attempt, however, they leave behind many casualties. The rebel Skrulls tries to convince the United States President to attack one of the Skrull compounds. Gravik is willing to call off the attack in exchange for something from Nick that could potentially tip the scales in the favor of the rebels.

The last episode ends with a short but grand face-off between Fury and Gravik with a special twist…but I will leave this for you as the viewer to experience on the screen.

The summary has been written in such a way as to not spoil too much for the viewer.

Final Views

I really enjoyed the suspense and surprises that the series brought with every episode. Even though the series was only 6 episodes long, it kept the suspense alive and it kept the golden thread going that is taking place within the broader MCU. As you may recall, Captain Marvel’s movie end where she flew off to find a new home for the Skrulls and this series continue many years later where some of the Skrulls feel the promise of a new home has been broken. Even the blip is referenced and it keeps the memory alive of a world still affected by Thanos’ snap.

The rating for this series is definitely a 4 out of 5. The story had a feel of a crime drama and spy thriller. The fight scenes were amazing and I personally felt the last episode could have been longer to give us an even longer fight. There are many questions that this television series have going through my head that I won’t list over here to limit spoiling the experience for you as the viewer. I can only hope that some of the questions will be answered in future Marvel Studios productions.

Olivia Colman’s portrayal of Sonya Falsworth was really amazing to watch and I really hope we get to see more of her in future productions. Emelia Clark and Kingsley Ben-Adir brought in a breath of fresh air as G’iah and Gravik respectively. As always, having Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury is epic to say the least, and I encourage keeping both eyes on his performance throughout the MCU.

I highly recommend watching Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), WandaVision (2021), Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) before watching Secret Invasion. These movies provide the detailed backstory to most of the returning characters. These movies and television series are based on the list of recommendations made in Marvel Studios’ Legends as well.

There is no post-credits scene, so no need to wait till the end. The whole series is now available on Disney Plus so make sure to watch. This series is rumored to tie-in with both The Marvels and Armor Wars, upcoming movies in the MCU.

The following piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the comic book material being covered here wouldn’t exist.

The mantle of the Prowler has been carried by many characters in the Marvel Universe. I will be writing briefly about some of the famous characters.

Aaron Davis

Aaron exposed his brother Jefferson to a life of crime, and while Jefferson went out to redeem himself and become both a law-abiding citizen and a police officer, Aaron continued his life as a career criminal, known by the name Prowler, the cat burglar. Oscorp was one of the targets during one of his burglary jobs. While their he left with a chemically engineered spider, Specimen 42, which was the same spider that bit Miles.

Even with no super powers, Prowler is a force to be reckoned with because of both hand-to-hand combat ability and superior technology that is supplied to him via the Tinkerer. He regularly faces off against Mac Gargan who uses the alias Scorpion. As with most Spider-Man villains Uncle Aaron eventually crossed paths with Spider-Man, who in this case is his nephew, Miles Morales.

Hobie Brown

Hobie Brown as the Prowler (Marvel Unlimited)

Hobie is a talented and innovative kid, and when no-one considers listening to him or giving him a chance at proving himself he ends pursuing a life of crime. He targets the Daily Bugle with the intent of impressing his girlfriend, Mindy. However, this attempt brought him face-to-face with Spider-Man and resulted in a life-changing defeat. Spider-Man gave Hobie a chance to share his story and let him go, only to return at some point to ask Hobie to stand in as Spider-Man for a short while.

Spider-Man was implicated in the death of Captain George Stacey and this encouraged Hobie to use his Prowler persona to hunt down Spider-Man, but in the end he was overpowered and came to the conclusion that Spider-Man can’t be a murderer. He eventually married his love, Mindy and tried to have a normal life. This is short-lived when his little brother got murdered, presumably by the White Tiger. The Prowler and White Tiger faced off in a massive fight but as most murder mysteries go, someone else was responsible for the death of his little brother.

Hobie even applied to join the Defenders, but the application was not successful. Hobie teams up with Spider-Man to help find evidence to clear his wife, Mindy when she gets framed while working for the infamous Justin Hammer. In a similar fashion Hobie teams up with Spider-Man again, but this time to help clear Spider-Man’s name when he gets accused of theft. Hobie eventually joins up with the Outlaws, teaming up occasionally with Sandman, Rocket Racer and Silver Sable.

Hobie and Rocket Racer decides to enter the Great Game, a super-powered fight contest organised by wealthy people. This didn’t end well for Hobie as he ends up paralyzed after the competition due to a spinal injury. A hospital worker who learned of Hobie’s secret stole the Prowler costume.

Rick Lawson

Rick Lawson (Marvel)

Upon learning about Hobie’s secret role as the Prowler, Rick went as far as breaking into Hobie’s home to get his hands on the Prowler costume. The next homes he targeted was those of other patients. He eventually crosses the path of the Vulture. Vulture, still cross with Prowler about a previous failed job doesn’t go easy on Rick, but Spider-Man intervenes and both villains are forced to flee. Vulture returns to attack Rick at home and Spider-Man arrives to save the day, webbing up the Vulture, taking Rick to hospital and returning the Prowler costume to Hobie.

Final Thoughts

I highly recommend watching Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse to see another possible hero wearing the mantle of the Prowler. The abovementioned biographies are covered in brief to allow you as the reader to explore more of the Prowler’s stories and adventures when going through comics, watching the movies or even subscribing to Marvel Unlimited. This is definitely one of those characters who I would like to see explored more, either in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or even in a Sony Pictures Movie. Mahershala Ali voices Uncle Aaron in Sony’s Spider-Verse movies. Donald Glover plays the role of Uncle Aaron Davis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I’m really holding thumbs that we get to see him wearing the mantle of the Prowler in a future Marvel Studios production. Just imagine him teaming up with the Sinister Six and giving our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man a tough time. But for now, get to a cinema near you and experience Across the Spider-Verse on the big screen.