Episode Grade: (8.4/10)
Fury and co. muster up enough of a resistance to thwart Gravik, but it comes at a steep price that will only intensify the animosity between the two sides.
Plot (43/50)
As expected, Gravik moved ahead with his plans to set the world on fire. This time, however, Fury was able to stop him in his tracks, or so it seemed. Gravik has been at least one step ahead the entire time, and this time was no different. He can ignite war in any number of ways, but catching a double agent is not as easy, especially when that agent is someone as capable as G’iah. Ultimately, he succeeded.
Cutthroat
Gravik wastes no time furthering his agenda. He shares a key aspect of his plan with the council: he is working on a secret machine to evolve their species into “Super Skrulls” by fusing their DNA with that of other species. There was no demonstration of the machine, which indicates that it is still not quite ready for use. In any case, this seems to be the long game.
For now, Gravik moves ahead with his plan to ignite war among the humans. He sends three Skrull operatives disguised as high-ranking British officers on a mission to nuke a UN plane. In the meantime, Gravik accepts Talos’ parley. Their meeting is expectedly hostile as Gravik is more than happy to taunt Talos over G’iah’s position by his side. Talos threatens to expose the Skrulls’ existence to the humans if he does not abandon his plans to set the world ablaze. This would eliminate Gravik’s element of surprise. Finally, Talos warns Gravik about messing with G’iah.
Well, Gravik does not heed the warning. After Fury, Talos, Sonya, and G’iah combine to stop the attack, Gravik has his confirmation that G’iah is the mole in his organization. He intercepts her as she’s making her escape and promptly kills her. At least, it looks like he killed her. I will hold off until we are given confirmation in the next episode.
Comeback
Fury’s honeymoon period with his Skrull wife, Varra, did not even last a day. Much like others who were close to Fury, she was hurt by his choice to leave everything behind after he returned from the Blip. She suggested that her allegiances now lie with Gravik, but it seems a bit too obvious, especially after she retrieved her gun. More likely than not, she will side with Fury when it matters, but for now, she is one to keep an eye on.
On the other hand, Fury made up with Talos after a reluctant apology of sorts. Armed with information from Sonya and G’iah, the duo manage to locate the officer that issued the order for the attack. However, they are unable to coerce the codeword needed to stop the attack. This forces them to lean on G’iah even more, and she delivers. They to stop the attack just in time, but in the process, they’ve put G’iah in grave danger. It was a calculated risk they felt they needed to take, but Gravik was, once again, way ahead of them.
Final Thoughts
G’iah’s (supposed) death was definitely surprising, especially since agent Hill’s death was only a couple episodes ago. However, much like agent Hill’s death, G’iah’s death did not resonate with me. She’s a big character, and her (supposed) death carries weight within the context of the plot, but it did not otherwise connect as well as it should have. At least it preserved Gravik’s character as a highly intelligent, ruthless general. The idea of “Super Skrulls” is intriguing, but the execution might be tricky from a writing standpoint.
Now that we’re at the halfway point, I think it’s fair to make an initial assessment of the show as a whole. What stands out to me is the absolute lack of intensity. For a show that’s billed as a “spy thriller,” there is a marked lack of suspension. The show isn’t necessarily doing anything wrong, it just feels pedestrian. It’ll be interesting to see how they wrap things up seeing as there are only three more episodes left in the season, yet we don’t seem to be moving in the direction of a conclusion. The next episode will be critical.
Character Development (12/15)
Gravik’s character continues to be of interest as more details of his plan are revealed. Thus far, the writers have taken every opportunity they’ve had to present Gravik as a serious threat. On the other hand, they finally seem to be building up a legitimate opposition led by Fury, of course. With that said, it’s actually members of his makeshift team that are doing much of the heavy lifting.
Team Gravik
Thus far, it’s been made clear that Gravik has both the backstory and motivation of a villain, but he’s been missing an edge that could turn him into a super-villain. He now has that edge. The Skrulls’ shapeshifting ability already makes them a formidable opponent, not to mention their super strength and intelligence. Add an ability to take on other species’ distinct strengths, and it becomes difficult to imagine a victory for the humans.
What’s interesting is that Gravik has visions of sharing this technology with all Skrulls, as opposed to hoarding the power for himself. There is a sincerity about him that appeals to the common Skrull, no doubt. Then there’s his unwavering ruthlessness that adds an element of fear to his name. This is a necessary balance that strong leaders must maintain through usually difficult decisions. Brogan’s execution in the previous episode proved that he is, in fact, capable of making such decisions. Challenging Talos for his perceived weakness and executing G’iah for treason further prove his capacity for the unpleasant.
Team Fury
Fury still doesn’t quite feel like the old Fury. He’s still got his wits about him, but he’s markedly slower and sloppier. He’s leaning heavily on his supporting cast, but it’s straining them to their limits. Even when grappling with internal challenges, Sonya is well-positioned to provide valuable information at a critical moment for the team. Talos is seriously outmatched, but that doesn’t stop him from legitimately challenging Gravik. The same can be said of G’iah, who does extremely well to keep her cover until Fury’s failure forces her to take a risk that, at best, exposes her, and at worst, costs her her life.
You would think that Agent Hill’s death would’ve awakened the old Fury, but we now have to consider that the old Fury might be long gone. It’s an understandable development, but the drop-off has been rather steep. He will claw back some of this drop, no doubt, but it’s hard to imagine him getting back to 100%. The discussions he had with Talos and Varra lend strength to this possibility. The Blip shattered Fury’s spirit so much that he essentially turned his back on the world and everyone in it. That sort of mental desolation is irreversible. Whatever new version of Fury we get will not have the same potency as the pre-Blip Fury.
Theme/Messages (4/5)
- “All faith is built on risk.”
- “Even a broken clock’s right twice a day.”
Acting (12/15)
Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Ben Mendelsohn (Talos), Kingsley Ben-Adir (Gravik), and Emilia Clarke (G’iah) continue to put in solid performances.
Cinematography (12/15)
- Shot of Gravik from behind looking at the bright light of the Super Skrull device (2:49)
- Shot of Gravik and G’iah in a dimly lit room with the sun shining through the cracks in the blinds between them (12:52)
- Statesmen of World War I by Sir James Guthrie made an apperance