Warning: This article contains major spoilers for Marvel’s Secret Invasion. Please read at your discretion.
Cobie Smulders joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Maria Hill in 2012 with The Avengers and has been sat at the side of Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury ever since. Smulders’ impact on the Marvel realm can’t be understated, and fans were thrilled to see her as the highly anticipated series Secret Invasion kicked off last week.
So it goes without saying that fans were absolutely distraught to learn that Hill’s role in Secret Invasion would be short-lived. That’s right, Smulders shares that Hill’s death isn’t just incredibly heartbreaking, but very final.
The word “final” in a world filled with Skrulls and multiverses might seem extreme, but in Smulders’ explanation that this feels like the end — well, it says a lot. In a chat with Vanity Fair, she shared the following statement:
“There is a multiverse now, so anything is possible. But I’m pretty sure this is it… It felt and it feels strange. Maria Hill’s passing is very real, and it’s shocking, and it feels very human.”
Very human, not something that can be fixed with a simple explanation of a larger-than-life or otherworldly happening; this just feels like the end, and we wonder — did Marvel make a grave mistake in not only killing off Hill, but how it was done?
We won’t give away too much if you stumbled upon this article, decided to read past the spoiler warning, and yet, still haven’t seen the first episode, but a highlight of the moment was a betrayal. Or rather, it seemed to be.
Fans also associate the word “betrayal” with Smulders regarding her time as Robin Scherbatsky in How I Met Your Mother. Yes, her character was someone we all adored, from her stint as Robin Sparkles to her hilarious commentary, heartfelt advice, and moments of wisdom. Robin was a character you couldn’t help but root for, and one of her best character arcs was the building of her relationship with Barney Stinson.
Yes, we were on a journey to discover who Ted would fall in love and have children with, hence the title of the series — but amid many different love stories throughout the series, Barney and Robin were a fan favorite.
So, when the series wrapped and we found out that Robin had ended up with Ted, fans were upset. In fact, “upset” seems an understatement; fans were furious, and rightfully so.
Take it from me; as someone with a yellow umbrella tattoo on their forearm and who dressed as Barney Stinson for Halloween — duck tie and all — I know a thing or two about How I Met Your Mother. As such, I speak with authority and knowledge when I say both Robin and Barney deserved better.
The intense fan reaction audiences have had following Maria Hill’s death reminds Smulders of fans’ reaction to learning that Robin and Ted were a couple.
“I feel bad if their reaction is negative and they don’t like it, but I think that there is also something positive to take away from that. They were so connected to the story and these characters that they cared. That is beautiful and wonderful.”
There is a deep connection between fans of both the MCU and How I Met Your Mother and the characters they love most. Smulders breathes life into both powerful women with determination, softness, strength, and passion — and you’re not alone if you want more for both of them.
The wounds of Maria Hill’s death are fresher than the pain we felt at learning Robin’s conclusion, but one thing stands true for both — we would have loved more for both characters: more time, more love, and more life. Especially with Hill, we would have loved to see a better finish between her and Nick Fury, one that embodied everything they’d been through together and served both of them in a way that felt right.
Despite what we now know, here’s hoping they’ll get a moment again in the future and that we’ll be able to witness it.