Posted by Marvel’s TV series Secret Invasion kicked off on Disney+ in June 2023, finally revealing the present stories of Nick Fury, his Skrull ally Talos and the threat represented by the rebellion led by Gravik. As you can imagine, there are always many questions around Marvel stories, especially when Skrulls are involved: their role can often be misguiding, offering the chance of plot twists and characterization changes. In Secret Invasion, Talos is presented as Nick Fury’s right hand. Is he really a good skrull? Or he’s hiding a villain purpose, and he’s ultimately a bad guy? Let’s analyze this character and the way he behaves in the Marvel series.
You can watch the official trailer for Marvel’s Secret Invasion here on Youtube.
Is Talos a good Skrull or a villain in Marvel’s Secret Invasion?
In the plot of Marvel’s Secret Invasion, we discover that in the present day (2025 on the MCU timeline), planet Earth is threatened by a rebellion led by Gravik, a Skrull who wants to send our world into chaos, letting humans destroy themselves so the Earth can become home for the Skrulls population. Nick Fury is called back to Earth, and Talos is still his first ally, positively leading the Skrulls so that the cooperation between Skrulls and humans stays healthy.
There has been an evident loss of trust in Nick Fury in the last few years, especially after the blip. Nick Fury has left planet Earth in the previous years, continuing his mission to find a home for the Skrulls, while they stay hidden on Earth, helping humans face alien threats. But too much time has passed, and many Skrulls are frustrated: they are still homeless, and some of them may feel that Nick Fury didn’t really keep his word. That created the preconditions for Gravik’s rebellion, which aims to destroy the humans on Earth and take control of our planet. And in this, he has the support of many high leaders of the biggest countries in the world: they are all Skrulls who managed to obtain a powerful position in human society.
So Nick Fury is back, trying to save the planet (although now many no longer trust he has the energy for it). Gravik, who worked for Fury as a child, is rebelling against humans, trying to kill humanity. We have a clear villain and a clear hero so far. In the middle of this, there is Talos: is he really a good Skrull, helping Nick Fury and representing a loyal ally for humans? Or is he revealing the attitude of a villain?
Talos was first introduced in Marvel’s cinematic universe in the 2019 movie Captain Marvel. His characterization shifted as the movie progressed: he appears as a villain in the first phase, even capturing Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel. However, soon Nick Fury and Captain Marvel understand his mission: Talos only wants to protect the Skrulls and will do everything to find a new home for them. He trusts Nick Fury and relies on his help in this. For this reason, he appears as a loyal ally in the first episodes of Marvel’s Secret Invasion, leading the Skrulls in the battle against Gravik, which can compromise the alliance between Skrulls and humans.
This should be enough to say that Talos is definitely a good Skrull. He never betrayed Nick Fury; he’s leading the Skrull in a way that allows the agreement between humans and Skrull to proceed with mutual respect. While Nick Fury was away, he stayed on Earth, doing his best to keep things working. And with Fury back on Earth, he acts as his first ally, fighting Gravik’s rebellion. So far, nothing would let us think he can become a villain.
However, we know how Marvel can introduce big plot twists, right? And surely, Skrulls are particularly compatible with role changes. First of all, they are aliens, and their primary goal is to preserve themselves as a species. In Secret Invasion, the good Skrulls are humans’ allies only because that fits their own purpose: survival. But nothing can exclude that, in the future, Skrulls will become villains if they decide that fighting humans is their best chance to survive as a species. This is precisely what happened to all those Skrulls who support Gravik’s rebellion.
Talos should represent a different kind of good Skrull, who knows humans are their allies. On the other hand, he’s a strong character who can make controversial decisions in some situations. In the episode 2 of Secret Invasion, we see a conflictual conversation between him and Nick Fury, in which Talos reveals that – while Fury was off Earth – he covertly invited all Skrulls on Earth, instructing them to co-exist with humans while the others don’t know about their presence. This enraged Nick Fury, who asked Talos to leave the train.
It’s not enough to characterize Talos as a possible villain so far. But it leaves us with a significant awareness: as much as Talos still represents a good Skrull and Nick Fury’s first ally in his war against Gravik, Talos’ primary mission is always to protect Skrulls. It’s the only reason why he’s a loyal ally. This means that everything can change anytime if he starts believing that a new approach is needed for Skrulls’ cause. Talos has already lost his wife, Soren / Maria Hill, and he’s also in the difficult position of having a daughter, G’iah, who’s closely helping Gravik in his rebellion. There are surely many elements that can be used to “complicate” his characterization in the future if Marvel wants to introduce a change for Talos. So far, he’s definitely a good Skrull and Nick Fury’s right hand. But wondering if he will always be a good guy can make sense, especially knowing that everything is possible with Skrulls – and Marvel.
