WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Secret Invasion episode 6.
Summary
The disappointing conclusion of Secret Invasion underscored the show's flaws, including the absence of Avengers and predictable plot twists. Marvel's choice to launch the marketing campaign for Loki season 2 only three days after the finale of Secret Invasion is exceptionally brief.
Loki season 2 holds the potential to revive Phase 5 of the MCU following the letdown of Secret Invasion. This is especially noteworthy considering the positive reception of Loki season 1 and its pivotal role in introducing the multiverse.
Shortly after the disappointing finale of Secret Invasion, Loki season 2's marketing campaign began. The finale of Secret Invasion episode 6 marked the conclusion of the MCU's interpretation of Marvel Comics' Secret Invasion, which deviated significantly from the source material from the very beginning. Even though the MCU's Secret Invasion series was never intended to be a direct adaptation of the comics, it still had flaws, even as a stand-alone project focusing on Nick Fury.
Marvel Started Loki Season 2 Hype Just 3 Days After Secret Invasion's Finale
:Loki season 2, which premiers on October 6, 2023, has become the next Disney+ show after Secret Invasion failed to live up to its promised spy thriller theme across all six episodes, despite a strong start. Marvel unveiled the first poster for Loki season 2 on July 28, 2023.
Marvel wasted no time in starting the marketing campaign for Loki season 2, as a new poster was released just three days after the finale of Secret Invasion. This quick turnaround is not typical for Marvel, as they usually wait longer to begin promoting the next show. For instance, it took ten days after the finale of Ms. Marvel for the main trailer of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law to be released. Another point of comparison is the release of the first batch of Secret Invasion posters, which happened a month before the show premiered. In contrast, Loki season 2's poster has been unveiled two months in advance of its premiere.
Loki's marketing campaign, which begins immediately after the conclusion of Secret Invasion, is particularly intriguing. This is especially noteworthy considering the new season of Loki is still two months away from its release. Typically, Disney+ focuses its marketing efforts on a show within the month leading up to its premiere. However, Loki season 2 already has a poster, which raises curiosity. It will be fascinating to see if a trailer for Loki season 2 will be released in the near future. Regardless, Marvel wasted no time in generating hype for the second season of Loki, as they unveiled it just three days after the highly criticized finale of Secret Invasion, which received a meager 13% score on Rotten Tomatoes. In fact, Secret Invasion is currently the lowest-rated show in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe on Rotten Tomatoes, with a score of 57%.
Can Loki Season 2 Redeem MCU Phase 5 After Secret Invasion's Disappointing Finale?
The underwhelming conclusion of Secret Invasion only amplified the show's deficiencies, such as the absence of Avengers and the unsurprising plot twists. Moreover, Secret Invasion shed light on certain issues prevalent in Marvel's Disney+ series as a whole, particularly the "six-hour movie" format that occasionally leads to uneven pacing. Furthermore, the finale of Secret Invasion made minimal impact on the broader MCU, as Nick Fury's storyline reverted back to its starting point, setting the stage for The Marvels. However, there is hope for redemption in Phase 5 of the MCU with the upcoming second season of Loki.
Loki, the first and only live-action Disney+ MCU show to have a second season, has been highly praised among Phase 4 projects. In season 1, Loki introduced crucial elements to the MCU's Multiverse Saga such as the rules of the multiverse, the concept of variants, and the character Kang the Conqueror. With Loki and Mobius making an appearance in the post-credits scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, it is expected that Loki season 2 will also have a significant impact. If the second season of Loki is received as well as the first, it will play a vital role in the MCU's Phase 5 after Secret Invasion.
