Developed by Robert Kirkman and produced by Skybound Entertainment, Invincible is based on the comic book series by Kirkman, Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley. Starring a talented cast including Steven Yeun, with Sandra Oh, Zazie Beetz, Grey DeLisle, Chris Diamantopoulos, Walton Goggins, Gillian Jacobs, Jason Mantzoukas, Ross Marquand, Khary Payton, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, Kevin Michael Richardson, Seth Rogen, and J.K. Simmons, the first part of season 2 of this animated superhero series has 4 episodes, each with a runtime of around 50 minutes. The second part is set to release sometime in 2024.
Invincible Season 2 Part 1 Plot
After the devastating events of season 1, 18-year-old Mark Greyson has to face the devastating consequences of his father’s betrayal, not only against his own family but against humanity as a whole. Juggling regular life as a teenager now on his way to college and the responsibilities of a superhero who wants nothing more than to save the world, Mark must come to terms with the fact that he is not his father as adversaries just keep coming in to test his abilities.
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Invincible Season 2 Part 1 Review
There are flaky men who dip on their families, and then there is Omni-Man who, in spite of being a “superior being”, is the worst kind of father and partner that one can get. Of course, all of this coming towards the fag end of the first part of Invincible Season 2, with the first two to three episodes focusing on the grief and confusion that Mark and Debbie face after Nolan Greyson (or Omni-Man) decides to try to enslave humanity, kick his own son’s teeth in and call his wife his pet.
Season 2 focuses greatly on what it means to be a superhero’s family, more so when that person turns from being a saviour to someone who murders the Guardians of the Galaxy. It doesn’t shy away from showcasing family bonds and emotions that might get lost in superhero shows that we have come to love and enjoy. Invincible, thus, finds itself different from other similar media in that it feels a bit too relatable. Your father doesn’t have to try to wipe humanity for him to be a trash person, and there are moments when the series feels a bit too realistic for its own good!
With primary characters and equally well-made secondary characters, the animated superhero series keeps things grounded in reality while showcasing some very bloody action. Considering they are breaking down the release into two parts, it goes without saying that we won’t be getting everything in the first four episodes, and most of the explanations and deeper discussions will take place in the last four. But that being said, there’s a lot happening in the first part that will keep you excited and invested for more answers in the upcoming episodes.
In the first season, Mark and Nolan’s relationship was a major highlight, with their nuanced relationship broken down and explored thoroughly. This season has more of that, but with Debbie’s character getting mixed in, as well as both son and mother grappling with the knowledge of their loved one betraying everyone’s trust so thoroughly. These two characters form a wonderful showcase of grief in such a situation, and you won’t be bored for a minute as we take a break from Mark trying to save the planet and going home to face the reality of their situation.
And then there’s Mark separately, who is going through something more than just betrayal. Mark’s very personal struggle of ensuring that he doesn’t turn into his father is an arc of its own as this guilt and fear drives so many of his decisions and pushes him towards unsavoury territories without him even realising it. In order to prove that he is not a bad person, he tries to do what is right oftentimes ending in him being used and manipulated.
There are moments wherein you will be left heartbroken for the kid who has had to grow up too quickly, thanks to his family. Invincible Season 2 Part 1 explores those feelings really well, and hopefully, Part 2 will also further those themes.
However, I think the first part, while trying to grapple with these different feelings, forgets a bit about the action part, or maybe it chooses to keep these things for the second part. I am not saying that there is absolutely no action because, my god, is there just so much blood and fallen teeth. But, even in that, some characters’ quests get a bit forgotten while trying to balance Mark and Debbie’s storylines.
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I think it will come together well in the second part, and patience might just be key in this scenario. But I have seen this issue in shows pop up when they are broken into different parts. Although it extends the life of the series over several months, the storylines feel a bit unfinished, especially when you have to wait for months on end to watch a few more episodes. It’s a weird habit that streaming platforms have gotten themselves into, but I digress.
As always, Invincible Season 2 Part 1 looks fantastic – the bright colours make everything pop, and the animation is excellent. It’s something that set the series apart from its predecessors and gave the storyline life of its own. I honestly have no complaints about the series in this department at all. The song choices are great as well, and the background score uplifts the storyline just right, leaving viewers stuck to the action taking place on the screen.
Final Thoughts
Invincible is one of my favourite superhero franchises, and for good reason. The first season was a blend of action and emotion that you don’t usually get to see all the time. The (complete) second season will hopefully carry that mantle on because it has a ton of responsibilities on its shoulders. However, the first part showcases only a fraction of the story, but it’s the reliability of its characters and fantastic animation that leaves us glued to the screen, even though episode 4 leaves you disappointed because it ends too soon!
Invincible Season 2 Part 1 will stream on Prime Video from November 03, 2023.
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