Who is Gravik in ‘Secret Invasion’? All About Kingsley Ben-Adir’s New Villain

Now that Marvel’s new series Secret Invasion finally has a release date, more details are starting to come out about the Disney+ spy thriller—including a new trailer showcasing the show’s villain, Gravik, and a Vanity Fair article revealing some major plot points.

So who is Gravik, played by Kingsley Ben-Adir? Let’s get into it!

Gravik in the Secret Invasion trailer

Secret Invasion, which takes its title from a comics run of the same name, focuses on S.H.I.E.L.D. leader Nick Fury’s efforts to fight off an invasion of shapeshifting aliens called Skrulls. The Skrulls can disguise themselves as anyone, leading to paranoia and uncertainty. In the original comics, several major characters were revealed to be Skrull agents.

We get a few glimpses of Gravik in the two Secret Invasion trailers that have been released so far, and both trailers show off his shapeshifting ability. In one scene, CIA agent Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) tries to grab Gravik, but then all the other people in the room turn into likenesses of Gravik, making it impossible to tell which one is real. In another quick shot in the new trailer, Gravik stretches his arm into something resembling a tree branch.

The new trailer highlights Gravik’s terrorist activities. We get multiple shots of Gravik detonating bombs, first in Russia, and then elsewhere.

What is Gravik’s motivation? What does he want?

Thanks to Vanity Fair, we now have some idea of what Gravik is after.

Secret Invasion will pick up loosely where 2018’s Captain Marvel left off. In Captain Marvel, Nick Fury meets a group of Skrull refugees who are searching for a safe haven as they flee the Kree Empire. Fury promises the group’s leader, Talos, that he’ll help them find a new home.

However, Captain Marvel is set in 1995, and it’s currently the year 2025 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That means that the Skrull refugees have been waiting 30 years for a home—and some of them have gotten tired of waiting.

According to Vanity Fair, Gravik is the leader of a splinter group that has decided to take matters into its own hands:

Now a group of Skrull extremists has arisen—and they’re tired of asking and tired of waiting. The clandestine takeover in Secret Invasion is their solution, and Gravik … is the resistance leader who has radicalized them. He breaks from the Talos-led faction to seize the resources they need—first quietly, while in disguise, then by force, if needed. The story line mirrors countless true stories from actual history when displaced groups have first fractured, then lashed out after patience and diplomacy are exhausted.

The article also reveals that Gravik has set up his base of operations in a radioactive site somewhere in Russia, since the Skrulls can withstand radioactivity.

Does Gravik come from the original Marvel comics?

Usually, Marvel takes almost all its characters, no matter how obscure, from its original comics. However, they seem to be striking out into new territory with Gravik’s character, who doesn’t appear in any Marvel comics.

(featured image: Marvel Studios)

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