Secret Invasion Finale Confirms That Marvel Fatigue Is Real

The finale of Secret Invasion has been released, giving fans the last look at the limited series starring the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Emilia Clarke, and Olivia Colman amongst others. Despite carrying one of Marvel’s most illustrious ensembles, the series—a thrill-less spy thriller—falters greatly. So much so, it’s worth bringing up what we’re going to talk about here but before, let it be known this isn’t a news piece, nor is it the opinion of ComicBook.com but rather, the opinion of at least one writer at this website.

With that out of the way, let’s get started: Marvel fatigue is a very real thing. In this digital age, the debate over superhero fatigue is a topic that’s always discussed. While it’s awfully hard to tire of a genre as a whole, especially when films and shows involving superheroes often cross genres, it’s gotten to the point where it’s tiring tuning into releases from Marvel Studios.

That much is coming from a guy who once considered himself a Marvel diehard, enough to the point he decided to write news and theories about the franchise that he was able to turn it into a living. But now, it’s the polar opposite of too much; in the case of Secret Invasion, Marvel Studios evokes no emotions whatsoever.

After being sent the first two episodes as screeners ahead of release, I was willing to give the show the benefit of the doubt. Four episodes later, however, and neither the plot or any of the characters developed in a serious manner. At times, it felt like the show was devised as a way to get Ben Mendolsohn and Cobie Smulders out of their remaining contracted appearances. At other times, it felt like each episode was written in a manner to pad out its already featherweight run times.

And Secret Invasion is just one of many shows or films from the Burbank-based outfit that run into the same problems. Look at Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Thor: Love and Thunder or Hawkeye and Moon Knight, projects largely held back from what they could have been and instead, given releases that largely feel incomplete. Even the better projects released in a post-Avengers: Endgame world like Ms. Marvel or Werewolf by Night don’t carry a large enough of a upside to drown out the emptiness instilled by most Marvel releases in this new age.

There was a time where virtually every Marvel Studios released was different from anything it had done before. Not only have the studio’s releases of late started to blend in and look like everything else, but other stuff like Secret Invasion is being hailed as prestige television when it’s indistinguishable from a network procedural. It’s a tiring time to watch Marvel, that much is for certain.

The MCU’s top superspy Nick Fury is back in Secret Invasion, the limited series that premiered June 21st on Disney+. Samuel L. Jackson returns in the new Marvel Studios series, showcasing Fury’s attempt to get to the bottom of a Skrull invasion that goes all the way to the most powerful positions in various governments and organizations on the planet. In Secret Invasion, Fury teams with allies Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), Everett Ross (Martin Freeman), and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), while James Rhodes AKA War Machine will appear in a mysterious capacity. Other newcomers to the Marvel Cinematic Universe include Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, and Kingsley Ben-Adir.

All six of the episodes are now streaming.