Secret Invasion director breaks down the finale and that big Skrull showdown

Warning: This story contains spoilers for the Secret Invasion finale.

The Secret Invasion finale introduces a powerful new hero to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The six-episode Marvel Disney+ show ended this week, wrapping up Samuel L. Jackson's shadowy spy series. The episode sets up one final showdown between Kingsley Ben-Adir's Gravik and Jackson's Fury — who, it turns out, isn't Fury at all, but shape-shifting Skrull G'iah (Emilia Clarke) in disguise. Together, both G'iah and Gravik absorb a powerful cocktail of Avengers DNA, granting them each some familiar powers.

The result is a climactic battle between the two Skrull shapeshifters, who have absorbed the powers of heroes like Groot, Drax, Captain Marvel, Mantis, Korg, and more. (It's an idea lifted straight from the comics, where the original Super-Skrull steals the abilities of the Fantastic Four.) Ultimately, G'iah triumphs over Gravik, and she goes on to form a tentative alliance between Skrulls and humans, brokered by Olivia Colman's Sonya Farnsworth.

As for Fury? Now that Gravik is no longer a threat, the spymaster once again departs Earth, heading back to his interstellar S.A.B.E.R. outpost. (He'll next be seen in the upcoming film The Marvels.) But he's not alone: Fury has reconciled with his Skrull wife Priscilla, a.k.a. Varra (played by Charlayne Woodard), and the two head off to space together.

After the finale, EW caught up with director Ali Selim (who helmed all six episodes) to break down that Super-Skrull showdown and what comes next for Nick Fury.

Gareth Gatrell/Marvel Studios Samuel L. Jackson in 'Secret Invasion'

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Much of this episode hinges on that conversation between Kingsley Ben-Adir and Samuel L. Jackson. What do you remember about filming that verbal showdown between the two of them?

ALI SELIM: I remember two great actors finding their way through something that should feel like a fist fight, but ends up really being about blame, hurt, and apology — things you don't really think of in the MCU. You just think of brute strength. And here are two guys who are admitting their vulnerability and two guys who are admitting that they once loved each other and fell out love because of broken promises. It became a much more delicate showdown because it was about their heads and big ideas, but it was also about their broken hearts and broken promises. That was a very unique experience for me. I love working on that kind of stuff, but I think it was a very unique experience for the MCU.

It's later revealed that conversation isn't actually between Fury and Gravik, but between G'iah and Gravik. We get that big fight scene where the two of them are figuring out their new powers. How did you figure out which kind of Avenger powers you wanted to showcase in that scene?

The word came down from Kevin Feige: "Use them all." What's fun is you watch these powers reveal themselves not only to the audience, but to G'iah, who is a little bit unaware that she has all this power. She knew she had power, but not exactly how and when to use it — and why it works better for her, a strong powerful woman, rather than a deluded male. [Laughs] But in terms of MCU lexicon, Kevin just said, "It's all fair game." You see that when Gravik puts the test tube in the machine and sees [all the names] there.

Did you have a particular favorite power or one you really wanted to include?

You know, for me, it was more about how the characters deal with their power. As much as I enjoy the Marvel movies, I am a guy who responds more to Nick Fury's superpowers of persuasion and negotiation and empathy. I understand that more than I understand brawn. So, I'm not the best guy to ask that question, but I can tell you we were in the edit room with a lot of people who were losing their minds over such-and-such power.

One of the big surprises of this show is how much it centers on the relationship between Fury and his wife Priscilla/Varra, played by Charlayne Woodard. What interested you about that love story?

It's that theme of "other" that kind of drew me to the series. The Skrulls come from another place. Nick Fury has had his own experience growing up as he did in America. Sam Jackson has had his own experience growing up as he did in America, in a very volatile time. I think we're always dealing with that sense of other, like, "Who is like me, and who is not like me?" There's a confusion that Nick may have, loving somebody who's not like him, and he comes to terms with it in episode 6 in a really beautiful way. I mean, it's Sam Jackson kissing a latex mask, but it's also Nick Fury confronting his sense of other and how he's fallen in love with this person.

Is it right? Is not right? I don't know that he knows. But ultimately, it doesn't matter because in that kiss, love conquers all. It's a great lesson for all of us, and if we really listen to it, it could end wars and conflicts. We don't listen to it because it's scary. And I think that relationship between Priscilla/Varra and Nick Fury is really at the heart of the series.

The finale ends with President Ritson essentially declaring war on all Skrulls, and there's that montage of paranoia and fear, as people turn into vigilantes and start killing each other. Tell me a little bit about why you wanted to end the show on that note of paranoia.

Well, I think that Ritson could say, "The Skrulls are welcome here," which is a great message, but not great drama. Nick Fury has to have some opposition as we leave the series. Even though he's come to terms with it, I don't know that it's realistic to think that everybody has come to terms with it. I think it's important to show that a sense of other can create a sense of conflict. The choice was: Do we want a Pollyanna ending, or do we want an ending with some real guts to it? The idea is that this battle could go on. But Sonya and G'iah reconcile at the end, and maybe they're going to fix it. Maybe these two strong, beautiful women are going to come in and fix it.

Up next, Nick Fury will be in The Marvels with Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, and Iman Vellani. How much were you talking to the Marvels team or other Marvel creatives to make sure those stories align?

I mean, my job is to tell this story within this box, within these six episodes. I do my best not to confuse myself or the audience with things outside the box. But there are also moments where Nick Fury needs to end up here, so the next film he is in works. I think we did a pretty good job of launching Nick Fury.

I don't know what's going to happen to Maria Hill or Talos. They're dead. One is burned, and the other is buried. But in the MCU, anything can happen. So, where are they going to end up? I don't know.

But I think there's a certain amount of comfort in watching Sonya and G'iah come to their agreement. You can see it as a cliffhanger for future MCU [projects], or you can see it as a lovely resolution to this story. But yes, we had conversations, but not anything beyond: "How can I help set this up?"

So, you have some guideposts, but you also have the freedom to tell your own self-contained story.

Yeah, and I don't really think of it in terms of freedom because I'm not too concerned about that. I'm not too concerned about my imprint or whatever. I'm concerned that this story has resonance for the audience, and when they come to the end of it, they're feeling fulfilled and maybe wanting a little more.

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