"I Can't Believe They Wasted It on This" – Marvel Fans Disappointed by Missed MCU Potential - Baka Cinema

The Disappointment of Secret Invasion

Marvel's Secret Invasion was released in 2023 and is based on a story from the 2008 comics. The series follows Nick Fury and Talos as they uncover a conspiracy by a group of shape-shifting Skrulls who are planning to take over Earth. While the premise holds a lot of potential, many fans feel that the show failed to live up to its promise.

The series didn’t receive much praise from either critics or viewers, and it quickly faded into obscurity despite the story’s potential. Some Marvel fans have even chosen to ignore the show altogether, while others express their disappointment, believing that the narrative could have been used for a more significant phase of the MCU.

According to fan feedback, Secret Invasion felt too “small and meaningless.” Many believe that the best time to introduce the Skrulls would have been after Avengers: Endgame, when the world was in chaos and needed to be rebuilt. In this scenario, the Skrulls could have infiltrated human society while maintaining the significance of past events. However, in the TV series, the revelation that an important character had been a Skrull for a long time was met with criticism from fans.

The buildup of tension and loss of trust among humans, which developed over multiple productions, could have had a greater impact if it had been presented in a more cohesive way. Instead, the mystery surrounding the Skrulls’ presence was resolved in a TV series that struggled with low viewership and ended without much lasting effect.

Fans have shared various ideas about how Secret Invasion could have been better executed. One suggestion is to make Phase 4 of the MCU a recovery phase following Endgame. In this scenario, the world would be broken and disjointed, with new heroes scattered across the globe. This setup would allow the Skrulls to infiltrate and take over, while the scattered heroes come together to fight back, setting an example for the world.

Another idea is to spread the presence of Skrulls throughout each project in Phase 4. This approach would keep viewers engaged and constantly questioning which characters might be Skrull imposters. A final Avengers movie could then reveal all the Skrulls and lead to a massive battle, creating a satisfying conclusion to the phase.

Some fans argue that Secret Invasion should have been the theatrical phase after Endgame. At that point, the Avengers were either dead or retired, and the universe was dealing with the aftermath of the Blip. It was the perfect opportunity for the Skrulls to make their move and take over. Each movie could have ended with an end-credits scene revealing a character as a Skrull imposter, leading to a big Avengers vs. Skrulls finale.

Marvel fans had high expectations for Secret Invasion, hoping for a show that would have a real impact on the world. However, the story was reduced to a small side plot, disappointing the audience. Even two years after its release, the sense of disappointment remains strong. Fans still can't get over how one of the few storylines that could carry an entire saga was wasted.