Shocking Twist Revealed: Marvel's 'Secret Invasion' Stuns Fans with the Demise of an Iconic Character

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury Des Willie/MARVEL

Marvel’s latest addition to the Disney+ series, Secret Invasion, captivated audiences from its very first episode with a shocking twist - the apparent demise of a beloved character from the franchise.

The series premiered on Disney+ on Wednesday, June 21, and follows S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) as he confronts shape-shifting aliens. In the first episode, Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) encounters Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir), the leader of a Skrull faction aiming to seize control of the Earth.

Following an explosion caused by Gravik and his Skrull allies in Russia, Maria sustains a gunshot wound to the stomach from the supervillain, who is disguised as Nick. Before the real Nick can apprehend him, Gravik escapes while Nick cradles his dying friend in his arms. The episode concludes with Nick's Skrull ally, Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), pulling him away from the scene as Maria's lifeless body remains on the ground.

Fans were taken aback by Maria's surprising and dark fate. On social media, one fan expressed their excitement for Maria's long-awaited moment in the Secret Invasion storyline, while another demanded to see her alive before the show concludes. Many users also pointed out that Maria's untimely death further emphasizes her underutilization in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. One fan criticized the lack of respect given to Maria and questioned the decision to kill her off in the pilot episode of a series where she should have been one of the main characters.

Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury Des Willie/MARVEL

Smulders, who is now 41 years old, first appeared as the former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in the 2012 film The Avengers. She continued to portray the character in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Spider-Man: Far From Home. In addition, she made guest appearances in the Marvel television shows Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., What If...?, and Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.

Throughout the years, Maria has fought alongside Nick against various enemies, ranging from undercover Hydra agents to Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio. Despite this, the director of the series, Ali Selim, has hinted that he is uncertain about the character's future return.

"That's a question for Kevin Feige—I don't have the authority to make decisions about the cast or the timing," he shared in a recent interview with Polygon. "But I couldn't help but feel excited about having a death scene with Cobie Smulders. It's going to be a lot of fun!"

As for Cobie Smulders, the actress who rose to fame on How I Met Your Mother, she expresses gratitude for her long journey in the comic book franchise, even though Secret Invasion will mark her final appearance as Maria. "I consider myself incredibly fortunate," she expressed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight published on Wednesday.

Smulders, who has two children with her husband Taran Killam, commended the series for embracing a "much darker" tone compared to other projects in the MCU. She expressed her appreciation for Marvel's approach of exploring characters in a different light through these series, allowing viewers to delve into their personal lives with more depth and time. Viewers can catch new episodes of Secret Invasion every Wednesday on Disney+.