Secret Invasion’s Nick Fury Wife Reveal Was Teased Years Ago

This article contains some spoilers

After 15 years and 13 appearances across the various movies and shows of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you might think we know all there is to know about Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury. Instead, his role as the shadowy stalwart of S.H.I.E.l.D. means we know barely anything about Nicholas J. – other than he doesn’t like his toast cut diagonally. 

With the first episode of Kyle Bradstreet’s Secret Invasion killing off Cobie Smulders’ Agent Maria Hill as the only person who seemed to have any form of relationship with Nick Fury (albeit a cold one), we didn’t expect to find out much more. That all changed with a shocking reveal of Fury’s secret wife at the end of Episode 2.

Who Is Nick Fury’s Wife in the MCU?

It’s not all babysitting Avengers and jetting off to space for Nick Fury, with June 28’s “Promises” confirming Nick Fury has a wife. The jaw-dropping twists don’t end there, as better yet, she’s a Skrull. The reveal that Pose’s Charlayne Woodard is playing Priscilla Fury neatly bookends the episode’s opening. After recapping the events of Captain Marvel in 1995, there’s a small jump to 1997, where Fury convenes with the Skrull refugees. As well as meeting a young version of Kingsley Ben-Adir’s Gravik, there’s a Skrull called Varra. 

When we meet Priscilla in the final scene, some think the fact she quickly changes from her Skrull to human form means Fury doesn’t know his wife is a shapeshifting alien. If you do some digging, it seems Varra and Priscilla are the same character. Although it’s unconfirmed that Woodard played Varra, it definitely looks and sounds like her under those prosthetics, while the actor behind Varra isn’t listed in the credits.

Whether the writers kept this reveal vague as a way to flesh out their story further down the line or not, Varra has likely taken on the alias of Priscilla Fury by the time we get to the present-day MCU. Interestingly, Varra looks like she’s wearing an engagement ring in 1997, suggesting Fury wooed her shortly after the events of Captain Marvel. 

Despite the surprise curveball of Mrs Fury giving Nick a softer side, her eventual arrival in the MCU was signposted all the way back in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The 2014 movie featured Fury turning up at Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) house, having known S.H.I.E.L.D. had been compromised. Fury claimed his wife had kicked him out, but after Cap said, “Didn’t know you were married,” many wrote it off as one of Fury’s notoriously stoic jokes. Despite Fury sitting out Captain America: Civil War, the Civil War Prelude Infinite Comic again mentions he’s married.

The fact Nick doesn’t wear his wedding ring suggests he’s wary of only telling trusted allies like Rogers about Priscilla. We imagine it wouldn’t have taken HYDRA long to track down someone like the famous Nick Fury’s wife, so it makes sense to keep her safe. Also, if Fury has a wife, it might explain why he kept Clint Barton’s family off-grid until Avengers: Age of Ultron.

What’s Next for Priscilla Fury?

The addition of Priscilla Fury is brand-new for Secret Invasion, with no immediate comic book counterpart springing to mind. Over the years, Fury has had flings with the likes of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the MCU), had a son with weapons smuggler Amber D’Alexis, and even married Monica Chang in the Ultimate Marvel universe. Interestingly, there is a minor character called Varra in the comics – serving a part of the Kree/Skrull hybrid Knights of the Infinite. 

Back in March, The Direct reported that Woodard shared a scoop from insider Daniel Richtman that she’d be playing Mrs Fury. There were claims she’s a S.W.O.R.D. agent, and although this is yet to be confirmed, a still from the series shows Priscilla holding a gun in a vault. Another shot shows someone that looks a lot like her fighting enemies while back-to-back with Emilia Clarke’s G’iah. As long as we’re not in for another heartbreaking death, Priscilla Fury could be poised for a larger role in the MCU.

“Promises”’ might debunk the theory that Gravik is the son of Nick Fury, however, the idea that he’s taken the face of his late son still stands. If Priscilla and Nick have been together since before 1997, it would be a tragic twist to have lost their son in that time. As Secret Invasion continues, we’re excited to learn more about the woman who managed to capture the heart of THE Nick Fury. Either way, if she’s not afraid to kick him out, we doubt she’s afraid of a few Super Skrulls.