The MCU's newest TV series, Secret Invasion, premiered on June 21st. While inspired by the 2008 Marvel event of the same name, it's obvious this Disney+ show will be a very loose adaptation of the story in the comics. However, this series is borrowing a lot from the books, and many of its major characters have their roots in Marvel Comics' history.
Some of Secret Invasion's namesake characters, like Pagon the Skrull, debuted in the original event. However, other Marvel characters like Nick Fury and Everett K. Ross, have a longer history and even legacy in Marvel Comics. It's always exciting to see how the MCU is bringing Marvel's heroes and villains to the screen and they've already introduced quite a few familiar faces in Secret Invasion.
7 Pagon
Killian Scott, famous for playing Tommy in Love/Hate, makes his MCU debut in Secret Invasion as the ruthless Skrull Pagon. He's a prominent member of Gravik's rebellion, who acts as the leader's second-in-command, embracing dirty work like kidnappings and assassinations with gusto.
Seasoned Marvel Comics fans surely recognized Pagon's name from the first pages of Secret Invasion. He took Elektra's place during the invasion and was the first Skrull discovered on Earth, as well as Princess Veranke's lover back on their home planet. Significantly, he didn't help lead the Skrulls in Marvel Comics but he was an active participant in the invasion.
6 Everett K. Ross
CIA agent Everett K. Ross first appeared in the MCU during Captain America: Civil War, working as a Counterterrorism deputy. He after appeared in both Black Panther films, often in the middle of the conflict between Wakanda and the rest of the world. However, Secret Invasion revealed that Ross was replaced by a Skrull and only time will tell how long has it been since the real Ross was replaced.
In Marvel Comics, Ross didn't play any part in Secret Invasion. Since his debut in Ka-Zar #17, by Christopher Priest, Kenny Martinez, Anibal Rodriguez, Matt Hicks, and Dave Sharpe, Ross has mostly served as a liaison between America and Wakanda. He's both a Black Panther ally and the United States' greatest expert on Wakandan culture and technology.
5 G'iah
When Marvel Studios announced that Emilia Clarke would join the MCU, fans theorized about her upcoming role in the MCU. In March 2023, she finally revealed she was playing G'iah, Talos' disillusioned daughter, tired of living on Earth, who rejects Gravik's invasion and her father's status quo.
In the comics, G'iah debuted in Meet the Skrulls, a miniseries by Robbie Thompson and Niko Henrichon. She was an agent sent to Earth to gather information about humans for a future invasion. Like her MCU counterpart, this G'iah didn't like violence, unlike many other Skrulls.
4 War Machine
Following his role in the Time Heist, Colonel James Rhodes returned to his work with the U.S. Air Force. The first episode of Secret Invasion depicts War Machine working with President Ritson, still caught in the middle between superhero affairs and American bureaucracy.
War Machine is one of many underrated MCU heroes, but the comics recognize his worth. He debuted on Iron Man #118 in January 1979 and since then, he has been one of Iron Man's best allies, even taking up Iron Man's mantle. He's one of Stark's most trusted allies and a brilliant tactician and improvisational thinker.
3 Talos
Portrayed by Ben Mendelsohn, Talos was a leader of the Skrull refugees on Earth who became Nick Fury's principal Skrull ally. Secret Invasion focuses on his story, his conflict with his daughter G'iah, and the fact that the Rebel Skrulls consider him a traitor for working with humans.
In Marvel Comics, Talos is very different from his MCU counterpart. He stands out among other Skrulls because he's unable to shapeshift. To make up for his handicap, he has become one of the most feared warriors of his race. As a result, Talos' personality in the comics is edgier and more violent. The MCU's Talos prefers peaceful conflict resolution and, like most of his race, is a skilled shapeshifter.
2 Maria Hill
The premiere of Secret Invasion broke everyone's hearts by killing Maria Hill. Portrayed by Cobie Smulders, Hill was Nick Fury's most trustworthy associate and a key ally for the Avengers from the very beginning. Fans are disappointed after her death, especially considering the comics provided plenty of material for her own story. Many members of the fandom believe this character was wasted.
Maria Hill debuted fairly recently in the comics, in The New Avengers #4, a 2005 comic by Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch. However, she climbed into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s leadership fast enough, became S.H.I.E.L.D. director, and even opened a supervillain prison, Pleasant Hill. More recently, she starred in 2022's Secret Invasion, where she tried to stop a new Skrull invasion from arriving on Earth.
1 Nick Fury
Nick Fury is a different man in the MCU's Secret Invasion. After founding the Avengers and saving the world a couple of times, he established himself as one of the bravest men in the MCU. However, following Endgame's aftermath, Fury is dealing with the psychological fallout of his 'death' during the Blip. This has obviously thrown him off his game, ultimately leading to Maria Hill's murder. Fury's desire for revenge might well help ground him, at least for the moment.
Nick Fury's comic counterpart is also a seasoned hero. This character has had an incredibly deep, complicated history since his debut in 1963. The current Marvel Comics hero is Nick Fury, Jr., the son of the original super-spy, who debuted as a WWII soldier in Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos. This is the version of Fury who rose through military and intelligence services to head S.H.I.E.L.D. and passed this responsibility down to his son.