Secret Invasionis the latestMCUtelevision miniseries that follows Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and his comrades trying to stop the Skrulls from invading Earth. Premiered on June 21,marking the ninth television series in MCU. It’s also one of the few Marvel television programs with a clear and rich espionage aura that may cause viewers to think ofJohn le Carre’s adaptations.
However,Secret Invasionisn’t the first program to tackle the spy genre in MCU. In reality, there is a number of films and television programs with spy theme or with espionage-related themes that MCU fans should watch or rewatch before the next episode ofSecret Invasion.
10‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ (2015)
Avengers: Age of Ultronis the sequel to 2012The Avengersand follows the titular team as they face off against the artificial intelligence Ultron (James Spader), who seeks to destroy humanity and create a new world order. The Avengers, along with new allies, the Maximoff Twins (Aaron Taylor-JohnsonandElizabeth Olsen), must stop Ultron and his army of robots before it’s too late.
Age of Ultronhas a number of spy characteristics, even though it isn’t a traditional spy movie. The movie demonstrates how important espionage is to the Avengers' assignment, with Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) employing their skills to obtain information.
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9‘Thor: The Dark World’ (2013)
Thor: The Dark Worldfollows the titular character as he reunites with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), his love interest from the firstThorinstallment, and battles an ancient race of Dark Elves led by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston). Malekith seeks to use a powerful weapon called the Aether to plunge the universe into darkness.
In a quick glimpse, the movie reveals that espionage plays a role in Loki (Tom Hiddleston), God of Mischief, who uses his spy talents to influence Thor and the dark elves. Moreover, through Algrim (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), who is revealed to be a dark elf warrior who had been converted into a monster to invade Asgard,The Dark Worldillustrates how espionage entails the employment of secret identities and hidden goals.
8‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ (2019)
Taking place after the events ofAvengers: Endgame,Spider-Man: Far From Homecontinues to follow the titular character as he goes on a school trip to Europe. While on the trip, Peter (Tom Holland) is recruited by Nick Fury to collaborate with a new superhero, Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), to fight against a group of elemental creatures.
There are always espionage elements included in MCU movies where S.H.I.E.L.D. is present. For example, Fury and his team of agents use their espionage abilities to acquire information, find the enemy known as Elementals, and enlist the new superhero, Mysterio. Moreover, the idea of trust is extremely uncommon in the realm of espionage, as demonstrated by Spider-Man’s difficulty in trusting Fury, who is continually manipulating and withholding information from him.
7‘Captain America: Civil War’ (2016)
Captain America: Civil Warfollows the Avengers as they become divided over the Sokovia Accords, a government initiative that seeks to regulate and control the actions of superheroes. Captain America (Chris Evans) and his allies oppose the Accords, while Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and his supporters believe in their necessity. The conflict escalates into an all-out battle between the two sides.
Civil Warillustrates how the Avengers employ their espionage abilities to find the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) and other adversaries. The topic of trust in the world of political diplomats is also explored, notably in relation to the friendship between Captain America and Iron Man. The Sokovia Accords, which call for the Avengers to be placed under government supervision, are handled differently by the two heroes, which is based on each’s beliefs.
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6‘Iron Man 2’ (2010)
Taking place six months after the events ofIron Man,Iron Man 2follows Tony Stark as he continues to defy government requests to turn over the Iron Man technology, which is harming his health. Meanwhile, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a scientist from Russia is using his own version of the technology to get revenge on the Stark family.
The espionage topic isn’t covered in a conventional manner inIron Man 2, which instead examines the question of espionage’s need for trust, especially in light of Tony Stark’s relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D. Especially when Tony needs some convincing before he begins to believe S.H.I.E.L.D. about their intentions. It also features and introduces Natasha Romanoff as the spy working for S.H.I.E.L.D.
5‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ (2021)
The Falcon and the Winter Soldieris a television miniseries that takes place after the events ofAvengers: Endgameand follows Sam (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky as they team up to stop a new threat, The Flag Smashers, who seek to dismantle thenew world order that emerged after the Blip. Along the way, they also confront the return of their former enemy, now turn ally, Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl).
The show demonstrates how various groups employ spies to obtain intelligence and achieve their goals. For example, Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp) is a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent andlater works as a spy for the Power Broker. Moreover, the Wakanda Dora Milaje, who enter the scene after their political prisoner was released, further emphasizes the importance of international espionage in this series.
4‘Marvel’s Agent Carter’ (2015-2016)
Marvel’s Agent Cartertakes place after the events of 2011Captain America: The First Avengerand follows Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) as she works for the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR) in New York City, while also undertaking secret missions for Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper). Peggy faces sexism and discrimination from her male colleagues but proves herself to be a capable and resourceful agent.
Agent Carteris another MCU show that is heavy on the espionage theme. For instance, in the series, Peggy Carter and her fellow operatives use their espionage abilities to gather intelligence and carry out operations, demonstrating how espionage plays a significant role in the SSR. Also, Dottie Underwood (Bridget Rega) initially seems like a gullible blonde but later reveals herself as a competent assassin working for an unknown organization.
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3‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ (2013-2020)
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.is a television series that follows the adventures of a team of agents from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.). The show features storylines connected to the films in MCU, including the aftermath of the Battle of New York that happened inMarvel’s The Avengers.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.focuses on the covert agent tasked with identifying and removing dangers to international security and often use undercover identities and covert operations to accomplish their goals. The show also examines how modern technology is used in espionage, including the gadgets, weaponry, and surveillance equipment more frequently featured in movies and shows of the same genre. It also highlights the significance of global espionage and the intricate connections between multiple nations and organizations.
2‘Black Widow’ (2021)
Set after the events inCaptain America: Civil War,Black Widowfollows Natasha Romanoff as she confronts her past and reunites with her estranged “family” of spies and assassins. Together, they face off against the villainous Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), who can mimic the fighting styles of any opponent.
Black Widowmay be one of the MCU’s richest flicks in terms of the espionage theme because it is set in the world of espionage. The movie examines the problem of trust in the realm of espionage, which concerns Natasha’s connection with her former colleagues who have ulterior objectives. It also illustrates how other spies are the only family people in this business have and how everything must be prioritized over a person’s pleasure.
1‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014)
Captain America: The Winter Soldiercontinues to follow the titular character (Chris Evans), who teams up with Black Widow and a new ally named Sam Wilson, a.k.a Falcon, as they uncover a plot within the secret agency S.H.I.E.L.D. while battling a mysterious assassin known as the Winter Soldier.
The Winter Soldiercovers most aspects of espionage in the MCU. For example, as demonstrated by the deployment of surveillance, S.H.I.E.L.D. monitors prospective threats using cutting-edge surveillance technology. The film also explores the issue of trust in the world of espionage, which can be exemplified by Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford), who is revealed to be one of the rogue S.H.I.E.L.D. agents responsible for the conspiracy. It also illustrates how espionage entails using cover identities and concealed goals while posing ethical dilemmas regarding using lethal force and preemptive strikes in intelligence collection.
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