Secret Invasion enrages viewers with ‘cruel’ twist as series kills off Marvel character after 11 years

Marvel fans have complained about a major character death in episode one of the Disney+ series Secret Invasion.

The show, which focuses on Samuel L Jackson’s Avengerscharacter Nick Fury, debuted on the streaming service earlier this week.

Spoilers follow for episode one of Secret Invasion – you have been warned!

In the first episode of Secret Invasion, we learn of an apparent plot by Skrull (shape-shifting alien) rebels to orchestrate a war between Russia and the US.

Attempting to prevent this is Nick Fury, alongside Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) and former SHIELD agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders).

At the end of the episode, Maria is shot and seemingly killed by Skrull leader Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir), who had disguised himself as Fury.

Smulders had played the character in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) for more than a decade, in five feature films (The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame) and in the TV series Agents of SHIELD.

Marvel fans expressed shock over the character’s sudden demise, sharing their grief on social media.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME YOU CAN’T END IT LIKE THAT I REFUSE TO BELIEVE MARIA IS DEAD WHAT THE F***,” one fan wrote. “Skrull Fury killing her and the last thing she thinks is that, I’m going to sue Marvel #SecretInvasion.”

“Oh cool maria hill is in secret invasion! i can’t wait to see what she—WHAT THE HELL!!!!!” wrote another.

“The mcu never treated maria hill with the respect she deserved but to kill her like this in the pilot of a series she should be co-leading is so stupid. What is their problem??” a third commented.

“I’ve always liked maria hill and I’ve wanted to see more of her but they never give her a lot of screen time and i really hate how they just wasted Cobie Smulders,” someone else wrote.

Others, however, have suggested that the twist was in fact a fake-out, and that her character could return later in the season, with the victim being in fact a Skrull in disguise.

“Please tell me this means that Maria will be alive it was just a cruel fake out,” one person wrote.

“Okay maybe I mourned too soon,” commented another. “What if this is a fake out and Maria Hill is somehow alive?

“If she’s still alive then I’ll keep watching but if not, I’m done. They’ve literally ruined the show otherwise,” someone else wrote.

Secret Invasion is available to stream now on Disney+, with new episodes arriving weekly.