Big Death in Secret Invasion Confirmed

As a spy story involving the shape-shifting Skrulls, Secret Invasion always presented itself as a twisty adventure in which nothing is what it seems. So while some people were certainly shocked when the first episode of the series ended with the death of Maria Hill, others assumed that the scene would echo CIA Agent Everett K. Ross’s death during the cold open. She would be revealed to be a Skrull and the real Maria Hill would return, probably to save Nick Fury in an exciting set piece. But the real Maria Hill has arrived to disabuse us of those hopes. Speaking with Vanity Fair, Hill’s actor Cobie Smulders weighed in on her character’s fate with some disappointing news for anyone writing the above headcanon. “Maria Hill’s passing is very real, and it’s shocking, and it feels very human,” Smulders explained. That last word carries particular weight, given the possibility of Skrulls masquerading throughout the story. But for Smulders, the human aspect presented a unique challenge for her as an actor. “It was a sad day,” she admits, while also acknowledging the opportunity to stretch some new performance muscles. “I don’t think I’ve ever died on camera,” she enthused. “I got a real death scene!”