Invincible is back with Season 2, Part 2, which – a few shortcomings notwithstanding – cements the Prime Video show’s status as the animated superhero series to beat.
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Life isn’t any easier for Mark Grayson/Invincible (Steven Yeun) in Invincible Season 2, Part 2. Indeed, Mark’s struggling more than ever to juggle life as a college student with his crime-fighting career. His situation only gets worse when all manner of threats – including multiverse-hopping malcontent Angstrom Levy (Sterling K. Brown) – push him to the limit, forcing Mark to confront the possibility that deep down, he’s just like his fallen superhero father, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons).
This barely scratches the surface of Invincible Season 2, Part 2’s plot. There’s a lot going on in this second four-episode batch, almost to a fault. By the time the credits roll on Episode 8, you’d be forgiven for not knowing how Season 2’s raft of major and minor narrative threads fit together. Similarly, at least one major emotional beat late in the game feels a little rushed – there’s a truckload of story here, and not quite enough room to fit it all in.
However, that doesn’t mean Invincible Season 2, Part 2 is a disaster. On the contrary, Invincible co-creator Robert Kirkman and showrunner Simon Racioppa deliver a compelling continuation that’s as action-packed, heartfelt, and funny as ever. It just could’ve used a smidge more focus. Kirkman and Racioppa sow so many story seeds for Season 3 and beyond in Season 2, Part 2 that it winds up feeling oddly incomplete. The big Invincible/Levy showdown and its aftermath should provide both climax and closure, yet Levy gets so little screen time his return is effectively a narrative tangent, instead.
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If anything, Kirkman and Racioppa have been too faithful to the original Invincible Image Comics run, which had more room for subplots and set-ups, thanks to its monthly release schedule. But hey: there are upsides to hewing closely to the comics, too. For one thing, Invincible Season 2, Part 2’s animation – closely modeled on the character designs and artwork of Invincible co-creators Cory Walker and Ryan Ottley – is dazzling. It’s not just the gory, expertly choreographed fight sequences that demand our attention (although they certainly do), but Season 2, Part 2’s quieter moments, as well. From romantic flights across city skylines to harrowing breakdowns in sunbleached wastelands, the visuals in the second half of Invincible Season 2 maintain the high standard set by the first.
The same goes for the cast’s performances. Unsurprisingly, Yuen remains Invincible‘s MVP, effortlessly shifting gears between Mark’s dorky charm and Invincible’s heroic resolve, but the core ensemble around him deserves plenty of kudos, too. In particular, Walton Goggins is delightfully crusty as Mark’s pragmatic government boss Cecil Stedman, while Zazie Beetz’s soulful performance keeps Amber from veering into “cliched superhero girlfriend” territory. And Jason Mantzoukas is once again good for plenty of guffaws as Rex Slode – and nails his few dramatic moments, too.
Then there’s Brown, whose performance as Levy results in perhaps the most chilling antagonist in Invincible‘s relatively short history. Brown is most effective in Levy’s quieter moments, where he gives off cool intellect and even cooler fury in equal measure. Admittedly, his louder line deliveries are slightly melodramatic, but he’s hardly alone in this department. Pretty much all of Invincible Season 2, Part 2’s actors go a bit broad at least once. It’s not entirely their fault either, as some of Part 2’s dialogue is a tad on the nose, even by the standards of the superhero genre.
This is a minor quibble, though, given how eloquently Invincible Season 2, Part 2 gets its underlying message across. At their core, these four episodes (like the wider show itself) are about responsibility. Mark is desperate to prove he’s better than Omni-Man – not just in how he wields power, but in how he treats his loved ones. It’s a simple yet relatable theme presented with real earnestness, and most viewers will vibe with it. We’ve all been in Mark’s shoes in at least a general sense, so we’re rooting for him.
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The same goes for the redemptive undercurrent to Season 2, Part 2. You may not have murdered millions like Omni-Man or bungled a superhero rescue like Gillian Jacobs’ Atom Eve, but being haunted by screw-ups is universal. As Rex aptly puts it, “Everyone sh–ts the bed.” What matters is what they do next. And in many ways, this scrappy mentality sums up Invincible Season 2, Part 2’s overall appeal. Like Mark and his spandex-clad friends, it never stops aiming high, even when it falters. That’s what makes them heroes – and what makes Invincible Season 2, Part 2 such unbeatable superhero TV.
Invincible Season 2, Part 2 premieres on Prime Video on March 14, 2024.
Published: Mar 6, 2024 11:22 am