Even without Omni-Man, this series is one of the best modern superhero stories in the crowded subgenre.
BIG PICTURE
- The first season of Invincible ends with a devastating revelation: Mark’s father, Omni-Man, was part of an authoritarian group aiming to destroy him.
- After these devastating revelations, Season 2 explores the characters’ physical and mental wounds from Omni-Man.
- Mark must deal with his father’s actions, growing up, relationships, and discovering his superhero identity.
- Mark fights for his soul in the season, which promises more unsettling events.
After the first season of the Robert Kirkman comics-based animated Prime Video series Invincible, Mark Grayson’s (Steven Yeun) idealistic father Nolan (J.K. Simmons), who nearly killed him, destroyed his world. He only didn’t because of the small sliver of connection he still felt to his son, who, lying bloody and broken before him, said, “You, dad, I’d still have you” when asked why he was still fighting. The abusive yet cowardly superhero patriarch fled the planet, leaving his family to repair the damage he caused.
The first season ended on a high note, despite the characters encountering their lowest point yet. Mark was used to taking a beating as a superhero, but his father almost killing him left a psychological scar. His wounds will heal, but learning his idol was part of an authoritarian group of superheroes who planned to destroy his life may be too much. How do you continue? It explores the tension between the normalcy of growing up and the knowledge of what came before that shook life to its core, somewhat hesitantly.
Invincible
Invincible is an adult animated superhero series about 17-year-old Mark Grayson, who is just like everyone else except his father, Omni-Man, the most powerful superhero in the world. Mark discovers his father’s legacy may not be heroic as he gains powers.
Release Date November 30, 2018
Cast Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons
Main Genre Superhero
GenresScience Fiction
Seasons2
What Is ‘Invincible’ Season 2 About?
After the first season’s heartbreaking revelations, Season 2 of Invincible charts a new path despite the weight of the past. The characters are its greatest strength, despite its bloodiness. Omni-Man’s physical and mental wounds may rip open again, causing more devastation. However, characters must live. All must find a way to continue.
The struggles Mark faces and what kind of person he’ll be feel like superhero stuff, but the gruesome consequences of following in his father’s footsteps add a new level. Even though some storylines are diversionary, as in the first season, Yeun’s performance and Mark’s path make this return to his world engaging as we wait for the other shoe to drop. The show’s exact moment is best experienced, but it delivers in grimly unexpected ways that promise more unsettling developments in the future.
However, Mark is graduating high school and going to college. As a superhero who carries the world on his shoulders, he must still navigate the perils of growing up while making time for friends, family, and romance. He takes Amber (Zazie Beetz) on a surprise date, which is one of the season’s most touching and funny scenes. These moments evoke humanity, reminiscent of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, which started the modern superhero genre.
Invincible stands out from other superhero films due to its focus on well-written characters. This series excels in combining bloody thrills with unfamiliar worlds, making it one of the best animated sci-fi epics of the year. One episode that pivots to focus on another familiar character is full of great gags both in its shifting presentation and tone, though there is a growing sense that something even more sinister than what happened at the end of the last season could soon happen. The only question is Mark’s role, not if.
‘Invincible’ Season 2 Is Setting up a Battle for Mark’s Soul
Invincible finds its roots in Mark’s internal struggles, rather than just the street-level antagonist Angstrom Levy (played by Sterling K. Brown). The complicated internal moments of Season 2 give viewers more to think about than the show’s jaw-dropping action, except for a brawl at the end of one episode that’s one of its best. Some of the main characters may struggle with this, both physically and emotionally, as their teeth are knocked out and their bodies are broken from fighting. The series’ biggest question is whether Mark can break this cycle of violence, as he fights for what’s right but finds it hard. Whatever the show’s answer, watching it rise as it degrades makes it shine.
The superhero of its title may not be invincible, but the series feels as close as one could hope. Despite being repeatedly defeated, Mark finds new ways to rise again.
Rating: B+
Starting Nov. 3, Prime Video in the U.S. will stream the first episode of Invincible Season 2, with the remaining three episodes releasing weekly. 2024 will bring Part 2.