15 Secret Invasion Episode 1 MCU Easter Eggs & References

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Warning! This article contains spoilers for Secret Invasion episode 1.Secret Invasion episode 1 features many references and Easter eggs to the wider MCU as its espionage-centric story gets underway. Stemming from the events of Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, and even Spider-Man: Far From Home, Secret Invasion episode 1 quickly establishes the series' overall premise. Rather than be bogged down in a slow first episode that spends its time establishing the story and central players, Secret Invasion episode 1 wastes no time delving into a darker, more political-intrigue-based story for the MCU.
In doing so, Secret Invasion episode 1 similarly wastes little time in referencing the wider state of the franchise. Given that the series is influenced so heavily by films like Captain Marvel, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame, wider Marvel references come thick and fast in Secret Invasion's opening hour. With that said, here is every Easter egg, reference, and hidden detail regarding Secret Invasion episode 1's cast of MCU characters, its story, and its placement within the wider universe.
15 Secret Invasion Episode 1 Has Civil War Style Location Cards

The cold open of Secret Invasion episode 1 instantly establishes the story's geography with a location card, alerting viewers to the primary location of the first episode: Moscow, Russia. This location card harkens back to a previous MCU movie, Captain America: Civil War. While other Russo Brother's efforts in the MCU, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the two aforementioned Avengers movies, have utilized location cards, the format in Secret Invasion links to Civil War. From the giant text that splashes across the screen to the sound effects accompanying it, Secret Invasion episode 1 subliminally links the show's tone to that of Civil War in the opening seconds.
14 The Events Of Captain Marvel Establish The Skrull Invasion Of Earth

The first direct Easter egg to another MCU story comes in the form of Captain Marvel. The opening sequence of Secret Invasion episode 1 features the return of Everett Ross from the Black Panther films, meeting with a CIA agent named Prescod. Prescod uncovers his theory that the Skrulls have been silently infiltrating Earth, referencing the events of Captain Marvel in the process. Prescod mentions that the Skrulls found Earth 30 years ago - as Captain Marvel was set in the 1990s - and that Nick Fury and Carol Danvers offered to find the Skrulls a new home. He then implies that the Skrulls do not want just any home, but Earth.
13 SABER Links Secret Invasion To The Marvels' Trailer

During the opening scene of Secret Invasion episode 1, Everett Ross mentions that Nick Fury is off-world with SABER. This is a reference to the space station Fury was seen on in the post-credit scene for Spider-Man: Far From Home. Similarly, the organization is not found in Marvel Comics, instead linking to the trailer for The Marvels in which SABER is referenced. The trailer opens with a shot of the SABER station - naming it as such for the first time despite both being set and releasing after Secret Invasion - linking Fury's stories across both the Disney+ and The Marvels.
12 Everett Ross Is Revealed As A Skrull In Secret Invasion Episode 1

While Ross' inclusion in Secret Invasion episode 1 is not an MCU Easter egg in and of itself, the reveal that he is actually a Skrull is. At the end of the opening sequence, Ross kills Prescod, before revealing himself as a Skrull to stop the CIA from finding out about the Skrull invasion of Earth. This makes sense when taking into account the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. At the end of that film, Ross was arrested by the CIA for treason, with the Wakandans breaking him out. This would make Ross' work with the CIA in Secret Invasion episode 1 make no sense, if not for the reveal that a Skrull was impersonating him.
11 Nick Fury Returns To Earth For The First Time Since Avengers: Endgame

An interesting Easter egg in Secret Invasion episode 1 hints at Fury's character arc for the series. It is revealed that Nick Fury has been absent from Earth since Thanos' snap in Avengers: Infinity War - aside from Tony Stark's funeral. This saw Fury neglect his promise to the Skrulls and Talos, alongside Captain Marvel. The fact that Fury has not been to Earth is an Easter egg to his character, that being that Fury has apparently changed since the Blip, having a crisis of faith within himself.
10 Captain Marvel's Soren Has Been Killed Before Secret Invasion

Another MCU Easter egg in Secret Invasion episode 1 references Captain Marvel. In the latter project, Talos has a wife named Soren whom he is trying to find a better life for. In Secret Invasion episode 1, it is revealed that Soren has been killed by the Skrull group attempting to infiltrate Earth.
9 Thaddeus Ross Is Not President In Secret Invasion Episode 1

Secret Invasion episode 1 features an appearance from James Rhodes/War Machine, who is now the right-hand man to the President of the United States. The President, named Ritson, is played by Dermot Mulroney in Secret Invasion episode 1. This is an Easter egg of sorts to Captain America: Brave New World, with Harrison Ford confirmed to be playing Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross in the 2024 film. Ross has also been confirmed as the U.S. President in Brave New World, meaning something likely happens to Ritson in Secret Invasion leading to Ross taking office.
8 Secret Invasion's New Skrullos References The MCU's Kree-Skrull War

Another character introduced in Secret Invasion episode 1 is Emilia Clarke's G'iah, the daughter of Talos and Soren. G'iah is part of New Skrullos, a compound in Russia that houses Skrulls looking for a home and the HQ of Gravik's Skrull invasion of Earth. The name of New Skrullos references the Kree-Skrull war that has been raging in the MCU since before the time of Captain Marvel. This war saw the destruction of Skrullos, the Skrull homeworld, which resulted in Captain Marvel aiding refugees displaced by this act. New Skrullos is Gravik's way of bringing back their homeworld, only to expand it beyond their compound to the rest of Earth.
7 Secret Invasion Episode 1 Brings Back Captain Marvel’s Skrull Mind Probes

During G'iah's visit to New Skrullos in Secret Invasion episode 1, another Easter egg to Captain Marvel can be found. The Skrulls of New Skrullos are using mind probe devices to instill the memories of their hosts into respective Skrull impersonators. These probes were devices also used in Captain Marvel, with Talos initially using the mind probe device to find the location of the Tesseract from Carol Danvers.
6 Secret Invasion Episode 1 References Skrull Aging

An interesting Easter egg to wider MCU lore is found in Secret Invasion episode 1. After Talos rips metal chains off a gate with his bare hands, Fury compliments his strength for a 136-year-old. Talos then states that this is not even 40 in human years, meaning Skrulls age until at least 300. This is a fun Easter egg to the Skrulls' biology in the MCU, but could also have a darker hint at how long some Skrulls have been infiltrating Earth.
5 Nick Fury Drops Secret Invasion Episode 1’s First Avengers Reference

Shortly after Talos reveals his Skrull age, he jests at Fury asking what the latter got for his midlife crisis shopping spree. Fury jokingly replies "The Avengers", marking Secret Invasion episode 1's first reference to the MCU's most famous superhero team. As is known from the Secret Invasion trailer, the series will continue to reference the Avengers and address their absence from the MCU of late.
4 Secret Invasion References Talos’ Captain Marvel Alter Ego

During the scene in which Nick Fury and Talos are interrogating the Skrull impersonating a Russian artist, Fury refers to Talos as Keller. This is an Easter egg to Captain Marvel, as Keller is the SHIELD agent that Talos impersonates in the film. The name Keller is a neat way to link Fury and Talos of Secret Invasion to the Fury and Talos of Captain Marvel, 30 years after they met in-universe.
3 Maria Hill References Thanos' Snap From Avengers: Infinity War

During a conversation at a bar in Secret Invasion episode 1, Maria Hill mentions Thanos' snap. Hill and Fury were together when both were turned to dust by Thanos, with the former stating that the latter has been changed by the snap. Hill insists that Fury is not the same spy he once was, as do other characters throughout Secret Invasion episode 1, and that the Blip has damaged Fury in a way that means he is not ready for the fight against the Skrulls.
2 Secret Invasion Episode 1 Includes Avengers: Infinity War’s Post-Credit Scene

With Secret Invasion episode 1 linking Fury's character arc to the Blip, the episode also includes a direct Easter egg to the scene in which Fury disappeared. This scene was first shown as the post-credit scene of Avengers: Infinity War, with Hill and Fury disintegrating as the latter called for Captain Marvel's help. As Nick Fury is ruminating about Hill's prior insistence that the Blip changed him, the post-credit scene from Infinity War is shown in Secret Invasion episode 1.
1 Maria Hill’s Death Is A Dark MCU Easter Egg

At the end of Secret Invasion episode 1, Maria Hill is shockingly killed by Gravik. The Easter egg in this scene comes from the fact that Gravik was impersonating Nick Fury when he shot Maria, linking to their MCU relationship. Prior to Secret Invasion, it was clear how close Maria Hill and Nick Fury were.
Similarly, Secret Invasion episode 1 goes far enough to establish how Hill felt abandoned by Fury, and that the only reason Fury is back on Earth is because she asked him to be. Hill dying at the hands of someone that looked like Fury then is an incredibly dark reference to their prior relationship. With Secret Invasion having Fury's face be the last thing Maria Hill saw in the MCU, the Easter eggs throughout the episode to their relationship only make Hill's death all the more tragic.
New episodes of Secret Invasion release every Wednesday on Disney+.
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