To say that fans weren’t happy with the finale of “Secret Invasion” would be an understatement. Honestly, people just really weren’t all that interested in much about the latest Marvel Studios series. Taking that a bit further, you could argue that fans are much less enthusiastic about any of the Marvel Studios TV shows that have been premiering on Disney+. But that’s a discussion for another time. Let’s get back to the issue at hand— “Secret Invasion” and people not really happy with the series. Well, a significant reason for people not really being happy with the new series is how it killed off some fan favorites, Maria Hill and Talos. And according to the series’ director, those were decisions that weren’t taken lightly, but both of them really do add to the emotional arc of the series.
Speaking in an upcoming episode of The Playlist’s Bingeworthy podcast, director Ali Selim talked about all things “Secret Invasion.” And when the topic of some of the big deaths in the series, the aforementioned Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and Talos (Ben Mendelsohn), he understands fans were going to have strong feelings about them, but that’s the point.
When asked if there was a debate to kill Maria Hill, Selim wasn’t privy to those discussions, if they did exist.
“If there was a debate, it happened before I showed up,” explained Selim. “And that was the big turn at the end of episode one. And my job was to make it emotional and truthful and an appropriate goodbye to her. I don’t know how the conversation began, but I’m sure that there will be ongoing conversations about bringing her back. This story takes place in 2023 — if they made a movie that takes place in 2021, she’ll be there, of course.”
As for the reasons to kill of Talos, that was something that served the story first and any other reasons to get rid of the character are above his paygrade.
“I think it’s a really good story point. I think it’s the story that we’re telling about Nick Fury and his sense of loss and the stakes that drive him and motivate him towards the ending of the story and beyond,” he said. “So again, being a storyteller, my mind goes to what is best for the story. And again, it wasn’t my idea. It was there on the page — something that they had discussed in advance. And who knows why, right? There could be contractual reasons that conversation started. But when you read it, I realize it is a really good story point for the midpoint of [Fury’s] arc.”
“Secret Invasion” just wrapped up its six-episode run on Disney+. You can catch up with all of the episodes right now. The full interview with Selim will be released soon.
-Additional reporting by Mike DeAngelo