Right now, you can watch the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Secret Invasion on Disney Plus. The work serves as a showcase for Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and the other regular spies present throughout the series and touches on a variety of topics people do not always discuss easily like terrorism, torture and, now, just how old the main character of the production is.
For those who are not aware of every single critiqued aspect of the MCU, one thing fans have been consistently troubled by is its general sense of time. Previously, it was assumed every project took place in the year it released, but, issues with Spider-Man: No Way Home threw this into doubt and, while Secret Invasion is at least breaking this trend, it also does not show what Fury’s age is supposed to be. Some think it is Jackson’s actual age (74) and, if you go back earlier in the franchise, you can find a real answer.
In 2019’s Captain Marvel, we meet the character at an earlier stage of his life before the Skrulls became the vexing problem they are for him now and in one part of the film we are treated to a shot of his S.H.I.E.L.D identification. If you look closely at it before the camera cuts away, you can see he was officially born July 4, 1950 in Alabama. This would make him two years and 11 months younger than Jackson and, while in a different state, the pair do have other parts of their real and fictional lives which cross over.
To begin with, while Fury was raised in Alabama, Jackson came of age in another part of the South (Tennessee). Fury also does not talk about his father, has indicated in Captain America: The Winter Soldier his grandfather was more of an influence and Jackson barely knew his biological father and was more influenced by his maternal grandparents and mother as well. While Fury went into the military and intelligence sectors, Jackson of course became an actor after flirting with militancy during the Civil Rights Movement and, if you really want to argue, other similarities the pair have are in their wives. Fury’s is named Priscilla while Jackson has been married to a LaTanya since 1980. Whether more will tie the two together remains to be seen at this time.
If you want to keep watching to find out, the Secret Invasion show airs Wednesdays on Disney Plus. It is set to have six episodes in its initial run, has revealed some characters are not who they seem to be and will air its finale for those interested later next month.