The following contains spoilers for Secret Invasion Season 1, Episode 2, "Promises," now streaming on Disney+.
Nick Fury and James "Rhodey" Rhodes cross paths for the first time in the MCU in Secret Invasion, but it's not the friendly team-up fans might be expecting. Episode 2 of Marvel Studios' latest Disney+ series sees Rhodey locking horns with Fury, after the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. took an unsanctioned trip to Moscow in a doomed effort to prevent a Skrull bombing. As Nick Fury attempts to see off the Skrull invasion on his own terms, Rhodey is called in by the President to fire Fury from his role in S.A.B.E.R.
Rhodey and Fury's first meeting in the MCU sees them discussing the Skrull invasion from two very different perspectives, making it clear that Rhodey has not been brought into Secret Invasion as Nick Fury's ally. Their disagreement over Fury's approach to the issue echoes another important political debate that unfolded within the MCU, in Captain America: Civil War. Both that film and Secret Invasion are exploring questions of oversight, accountability and personal freedoms.
The Sokovia Accords Debate Continues in Rhodey and Nick Fury
In Captain America: Civil War, the Avengers were presented with the Sokovia Accords -- legislation that stated the Avengers would be placed under the supervision of a UN panel and would only be able to act as and when that panel decided. This sparked a debate among the heroes over the benefits of oversight and accountability versus the freedom to choose and the danger of becoming a pawn to others' agendas. A similar debate plays out in Secret Invasion when Rhodey meets with Nick Fury to discuss Fury's activities in Russia.
Secret Invasion's first episode saw Nick Fury abandon his post on the S.A.B.E.R. space station to answer a call for help from his old friend, Talos, in the wake of an emerging Skrull threat. This was already enough to raise concerns at the White House, but Fury's unsanctioned presence in Russia during a Skrull attack saw him stripped of his titles. When Rhodey meets with Fury to officially fire him, Fury argues that he needs Rhodey and the President to back him in his one-man war against the rogue Skrulls, whereas Rhodey asserts that Fury is only making things worse by acting alone and without authorization.
Captain America: Civil War's Key Issue Still Lingers in Secret Invasion
While the Sokovia Accords have now been repealed and the rift within the Avengers has healed, the key moral debate of security versus freedom that lay at the heart of Captain America: Civil War remains unresolved. Heroes such as Rhodey still believe in the need for oversight and systems of accountability, whereas others like Nick Fury see the need for heroes to be free to act on their own conscience, without being hampered by red tape and the agendas of those in power. With the Skrull incursion rendering every ally potentially untrustworthy, Secret Invasion brings this debate back into the light.
Despite having long been a senior figure in security agencies such as S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury has always had an issue with authority and being subject to oversight. His work with S.H.I.E.L.D. was so heavily classified that Fury has gotten into the habit of keeping secrets and acting alone, without transparency and with little accountability. Secret Invasion is pushing him to new extremes in this regard, as he takes on a personal mission rather than an official one. This once again raises the question of the need for measures such as the Sokovia Accords.
New episodes of Secret Invasion are available to stream every Wednesday on Disney+.