After the events of Endgame, the MCU has lost its fair share of heroes.
Now the comic book franchise is in its fifth phase, the fatalities keep racking up after the launch of its new series: Secret Invasion.
In fact, Marvel is bidding goodbye to one of its original characters after they spent over a decade in the superhero saga. (Warning: major spoilers ahead – you have been warned!)
Set in the modern day, Secret Invasion follows Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) as battles against the shape-shifting Skrulls as they try to infiltrate every part of Earth’s society.
Desperate to stop the would-be invaders, he reunites with some of his closest allies including Maria Hill and Everett Ross.
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As the race to save humanity get increasingly tight, Fury even joins forces with Skrull Talos – who has made a life for himself on our little blue planet.
New episodes of the Marvel show are being added to Disney+ weekly, with episodes one and two already available to watch.
Despite it being early on in the season though, one character has already been killed in the crossfire between the species. (Seriously, stop reading if you’ve not watched so far).
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The first episode, ‘Resurrection’, is nail-bitingly tense with Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders) and Fury tracking down one of the invaders.
Tragically, Agent Hill is murdered by a Skrull during the episode's final moments – much to the horror of MCU fans.
Given that Smulders has played the loveable secret agent since 2012, it’s a bitter blow to long-time viewers – who have now watched her funeral in the second episode.
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One fan tweeted: “If you have told my 11-year-old self that she was going to watch Maria Hill’s coffin, she would have never believed it.
“At 22 I still didn't believe I was going to see Maria Hill’s death. Not joking when I tell you I'm feeling emotionally drained with this.”
Another was so traumatised that they rage quit the series and even took to social media to vent their frustration over the beloved character's demise.
They said: "IT'S OFFICIAL: After 10 minutes into watching #SecretInvasion episode 2. I decided, I will be no longer watch this show.
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"After last week's episode with #MariaHill death, I was so angry & didn't feel like watching this episode. I thought episode 2 was better but it's not!"
However, some MCU fans have hit back at the criticism, saying that the gritty tone of Secret Invasion is more realistic.
"What I like about #SecretInvasion is that death isn’t dramatized/glorified," argued another viewer: "Maria Hill’s invokes the sense of emptiness that espionage is."
You can make your own mind up by catching Secret Invasion on Disney+.
Topics: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Celebrity, Film and TV
Katherine Sidnell