Warning! This article contains spoilers for Secret Invasion episode 1.Secret Invasion episode 1 features many references and Easter eggs to the wider MCU as its espionage-centric story gets underway. Stemming from the events ofCaptain Marvel,Avengers: Endgame, and evenSpider-Man: Far From Home,Secret Invasion episode 1 quickly establishes the series' overall premise. Rather than be bogged down in a slow first episode that spends its time establishing the story and central players,Secret Invasion episode 1 wastes no time delving into a darker, more political-intrigue-based story for the MCU.

In doing so,Secret Invasion episode 1 similarly wastes little time in referencing the wider state of the franchise. Given that the series is influenced so heavily by films likeCaptain Marvel, Avengers: Infinity War,andAvengers: Endgame, wider Marvel references come thick and fast inSecret Invasion's opening hour. With that said, here is every Easter egg, reference, and hidden detail regardingSecret Invasion episode 1's cast of MCU characters, its story, and its placement within the wider universe.

15 Secret Invasion Episode 1 Has Civil War Style Location Cards

The cold open ofSecret Invasion episode 1 instantly establishes the story's geography with a location card, alerting viewers to the primary location of the first episode: Moscow, Russia. This location card harkens back to a previous MCU movie,Captain America: Civil War. While other Russo Brother's efforts in the MCU, includingCaptain America: The Winter Soldier and the two aforementionedAvengers movies, have utilized location cards, the format inSecret Invasion links toCivil War.From the giant text that splashes across the screen to the sound effects accompanying it,Secret Invasion episode 1 subliminally links the show's tone to that ofCivil War in the opening seconds.

14 The Events Of Captain Marvel Establish The Skrull Invasion Of Earth

The first direct Easter egg to another MCU story comes in the form ofCaptain Marvel.The opening sequence ofSecret Invasion episode 1 features the return of Everett Ross from theBlack Panther films, meeting with a CIA agent named Prescod. Prescod uncovers his theory that the Skrulls have been silently infiltrating Earth, referencing the events ofCaptain Marvel in the process. Prescod mentions that the Skrulls found Earth 30 years ago - asCaptain Marvel was set in the 1990s - and that Nick Fury and Carol Danvers offered to find the Skrulls a new home. He then implies that the Skrulls do not want just any home, but Earth.

13 SABER Links Secret Invasion To The Marvels' Trailer

During the opening scene ofSecret Invasion episode 1, Everett Ross mentions that Nick Fury is off-world with SABER. This is a reference to the space station Fury was seen on in the post-credit scene forSpider-Man: Far From Home.Similarly, the organization is not found in Marvel Comics, instead linking to the trailer forThe Marvels in which SABER is referenced. The trailer opens with a shot of the SABER station - naming it as such for the first time despite both being set and releasing afterSecret Invasion - linking Fury's stories across both the Disney+ andThe Marvels.

12 Everett Ross Is Revealed As A Skrull In Secret Invasion Episode 1

While Ross' inclusion inSecret Invasion episode 1 is not an MCU Easter egg in and of itself, the reveal that he is actually a Skrull is. At the end of the opening sequence, Ross kills Prescod, before revealing himself as a Skrull to stop the CIA from finding out about the Skrull invasion of Earth. This makes sense when taking into account the events ofBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever. At the end of that film, Ross was arrested by the CIA for treason, with the Wakandans breaking him out. This would make Ross' work with the CIA inSecret Invasion episode 1 make no sense, if not for the reveal that a Skrull was impersonating him.

11 Nick Fury Returns To Earth For The First Time Since Avengers: Endgame

An interesting Easter egg inSecret Invasion episode 1 hints at Fury's character arc for the series. It is revealed that Nick Fury has been absent from Earth since Thanos' snap inAvengers: Infinity War - aside from Tony Stark's funeral. This saw Fury neglect his promise to the Skrulls and Talos, alongside Captain Marvel. The fact that Fury has not been to Earth is an Easter egg to his character, that being that Fury has apparently changed since the Blip, having a crisis of faith within himself.

10 Captain Marvel's Soren Has Been Killed Before Secret Invasion

Another MCU Easter egg inSecret Invasion episode 1 referencesCaptain Marvel.In the latter project, Talos has a wife named Soren whom he is trying to find a better life for. InSecret Invasion episode 1, it is revealed that Soren has been killed by the Skrull group attempting to infiltrate Earth.

9 Thaddeus Ross Is Not President In Secret Invasion Episode 1

Secret Invasion episode 1 features an appearance from James Rhodes/War Machine, who is now the right-hand man to the President of the United States. The President, named Ritson, is played by Dermot Mulroney inSecret Invasion episode 1. This is an Easter egg of sorts toCaptain America: Brave New World,with Harrison Ford confirmed to be playing Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross in the 2024 film. Ross has also been confirmed as the U.S. President inBrave New World, meaning something likely happens to Ritson inSecret Invasion leading to Ross taking office.

8 Secret Invasion's New Skrullos References The MCU's Kree-Skrull War

Another character introduced inSecret Invasion episode 1 is Emilia Clarke's G'iah, the daughter of Talos and Soren. G'iah is part of New Skrullos, a compound in Russia that houses Skrulls looking for a home and the HQ of Gravik's Skrull invasion of Earth. The name of New Skrullos references the Kree-Skrull war that has been raging in the MCU since before the time ofCaptain Marvel. This war saw the destruction of Skrullos, the Skrull homeworld, which resulted in Captain Marvel aiding refugees displaced by this act. New Skrullos is Gravik's way of bringing back their homeworld, only to expand it beyond their compound to the rest of Earth.

7 Secret Invasion Episode 1 Brings Back Captain Marvel’s Skrull Mind Probes

During G'iah's visit to New Skrullos inSecret Invasion episode 1, another Easter egg toCaptain Marvel can be found. The Skrulls of New Skrullos are using mind probe devices to instill the memories of their hosts into respective Skrull impersonators. These probes were devices also used inCaptain Marvel, with Talos initially using the mind probe device to find the location of the Tesseract from Carol Danvers.

6 Secret Invasion Episode 1 References Skrull Aging

An interesting Easter egg to wider MCU lore is found inSecret Invasionepisode 1. After Talos rips metal chains off a gate with his bare hands, Fury compliments his strength for a 136-year-old. Talos then states that this is not even 40 in human years, meaning Skrulls age until at least 300. This is a fun Easter egg to the Skrulls' biology in the MCU, but could also have a darker hint at how long some Skrulls have been infiltrating Earth.