Despite the absence of Omni-Man, this series remains one of the best modern superhero tales in a crowded genre.
THE BIG IMAGE
- Mark learns at the conclusion of the first season of Invincible that his father, Omni-Man, was part of an authoritarian group plotting to destroy his life.
- Season 2 explores the aftermath of these devastating revelations, with characters coping with Omni-Man’s physical and psychological wounds.
- Mark struggles with the repercussions of his father’s actions while navigating the obstacles of maturation.
- relationships and discovering his own superhero identity. The season sets the stage for a battle for Mark’s soul and promises additional disturbing developments.
At the conclusion of the first season of Invincible, the animated Prime Video series based on the comics by Robert Kirkman, the world of the young, idealistic Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) was completely shattered by his murderous father Nolan AKA Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), who very nearly killed him as well. When asked why he was still fighting, his son uttered the tragic phrase, “You, dad, I’d still have you” as he lay bloodied and broken before him. Faced with this, the abusive and cowardly superhero patriarch fled the planet, leaving his family to deal with the destruction he left in his wake.
This culmination of the first season’s gloriously violent, albeit somewhat predictable, plot ensured that it ended on a high note, despite the fact that its characters were at their lowest point. Mark was accustomed to taking blows in the course of his daily duties as a superhero, but it was the psychological impact of his father nearly killing him that left a lasting impression. Even though his wounds will heal, he may be unable to bear the mental anguish of discovering that his hero was a member of an authoritarian group of superheroes who had planned to destroy his entire life. How do you proceed from there? Well, somewhat hesitantly, as it explores the inevitable tension between the normalcy of the everyday struggles of growing up and the knowledge of what has occurred in the past that has shook life to its very core.
Invincible
Invincible is an adult animated superhero series that focuses on seventeen-year-old Mark Grayson, who is just like every other teenager, except that his father, Omni-Man, is the most powerful superhero on the planet. As Mark develops his own abilities, he realizes that his father’s legacy may not be as heroic as it initially appears.
Release Date November 30, 2018
Cast Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons
Main Genre Superhero
Genres Science Fiction
Seasons 2
What Is ‘Invincible’ Season 2 About?
In the wake of Season 1’s heartbreaking revelations, Season 2 of Invincible charts a new course that carries the weight of all that has been lost. It is as bloody as ever, but its greatest strength is in its characters. The impending reopening of the wounds Omni-Man inflicted on their bodies and minds casts a shadow over the entire situation. However, life must continue for the characters. All of them must find a way to continue moving forward.
Particularly, Mark’s struggles and the question of what kind of person he will become feel like classic superhero material, which is then ratcheted up when we see the gruesome consequences of him following in his father’s footsteps. Even when some storylines are more than a little distracting, which was also the case in the first season, Yeun’s performance and Mark’s path make this return to his world just as engaging as we wait for the other shoe to drop. The precise moment at which this occurs is best experienced in the show itself, but suffice it to say that the show delivers in grimly unexpected ways that promise much more unsettling developments down the road.
Mark is in the process of graduating from high school and enrolling in college. Even though he is a superhero who carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, he must still navigate the dangers of growing up while maintaining relationships with friends, family, and romantic partners. His relationship with Amber (Zazie Beetz) is actually going well, and when he takes her on a surprise date, they share one of the season’s most touching and humorous scenes. These moments help find humanity in a manner most reminiscent of Sam Raimi’s classic Spider-Man, which launched the modern superhero genre we know today.
This attention to detail in creating mostly well-written characters distinguishes Invincible from other hit-or-miss attempts to tell gritty superhero tales. A portion of this is also attributable to the manner in which this series makes the most of the form, as the combination of gory viscera and often bizarre new worlds propels it to the top of the year’s beautifully animated sci-fi epics. It maintains a healthy dose of hilarity, with one episode that pivots to focus on another recurring character proving to be full of hilarious gags in both its shifting presentation and tone, despite a growing sense that something more sinister than what transpired at the end of the previous season may soon occur. The question is not whether Mark will participate, but what role he will play.
‘Invincible’ Season 2 Is Setting up a Battle for Mark’s Soul
Invincible finds its footing in Mark’s internal conflicts, as opposed to just the new big bad on the block, Angstrom Levy, portrayed by the great Sterling K. Brown. Even though this portion of Season 2 lacks some of the show’s most jaw-dropping action sequences, with the exception of a final-episode brawl that ranks among the best to date, the intricate internal moments provide more to chew on. This may be difficult for some of the main characters, both physically and emotionally, as their teeth are knocked out and their bodies are broken from all the fighting they engage in. Furthermore, they appear to keep making the same mistakes. The greatest question the series must answer is whether Mark can break this cycle of violence, as he attempts to fight for what is right but discovers that this may not be so simple. Whatever conclusion the show reaches, the thrill of watching it soar to new heights while plunging deeper into depravity is what makes it shine.
Despite the fact that the titular superhero may not be as invulnerable as his name implies, the series itself comes as close to this as one could hope for. No matter how many times Mark is knocked down, Invincible will always find a way to rise again.
Rating: B+
Beginning on November 3, the first episode of Season 2 of Invincible will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the United States, with subsequent episodes being released weekly. In 2024, Part 2 will be released.