The second episode of Secret Invasion led everyone by the hand by setting the backdrop to the show’s main conflict, which was started — in-universe — some 30 years ago. Although Captain Marvel, which is set in the ’90s, only aired four years ago, the show was still kind enough to feature a refresher at the beginning of the new chapter for the less attentive.
To be completely fair, watching Marvel these days means having the background knowledge of over 30 films and 9 television shows (15 if you count the Netflix universe which will soon cross over with the main continuity). Any virtually balanced human being would think twice before taking all this on in 2023, which means Marvel needs to make things a little easier for new fans (or it won’t make any).
The most recent Disney Plus show, Secret Invasion, not only builds on Nick Fury’s entire Marvel Cinematic Universe history but also Carol Danvers’. That alone is a tall enough order for anyone looking to tune in, so it’s understandable that Marvel is giving us all a little nudge in the right direction.
Even those who have followed the MCU as it developed in real-time, can only retain so much information as each movie and show jumps between planets, decades, and even universes. Maybe as the timeline becomes more scrambled, and more and more new players keep getting introduced, the “Previously on” segment should become a Marvel tradition.
Secret Invasion premieres new episodes every Wednesday on Disney Plus. While you wait, don’t just rely on Marvel’s refreshers and catch Captain Marvel streaming on the same platform.