Secret Invasion should have been a smash hit. The show was billed as a mature exploration of MCU spycraft, had an incredible cast, and a killer premise that should have guaranteed tension and paranoia.
Well, the dust has now settled and it’s safe to say Marvel Studios whiffed it. Secret Invasion was already looking a little ropey in its penultimate episode, but the finale threw up a lot of obvious plot holes, is now the worst-reviewed thing Marvel Studios has ever released, and fans are furious after the director Ali Selim’s comment that he believes Don Cheadle’s James Rhodes has been an imposter since Civil War.
That last bugbear has some simply vowing to ignore Selim’s comments in favor of headcanon. Over on r/Marvel_Studios, they’re trying to “squash this once and for all” by pointing out that Rhodes was clearly human in Endgame.
Others take Selim to task, saying that he’s “a dick for fanning the flames of the civil war theory” and that Kevin Feige should have stepped in to clarify the situation, although some have defended him:
“People have to realize that, just because they’re directing a Marvel show, doesn’t mean they know chapter and verse on MCU continuity. The guy is just getting paid to make an entertaining show with only sufficient knowledge of the major plot points and story arcs; he very well could’ve made it up on the spot or taken Feige’s word on the question if it even came up in meetings.”
Many appear to have given up, saying this messy situation is proof that Marvel Studios simply doesn’t care about storytelling consistency as much as it used to. It’s a depressing conclusion, but one that’s hard to argue with right now. Here’s hoping upcoming projects like Loki season 2 and The Marvels wash the unpleasant taste of Secret Invasion out of our mouths.