With the much-awaited Season 3 of Invincible coming soon on Prime Video, it’s the perfect time to revisit Season 2 and refresh our memories on the intense events that took place.
In Season 2, Mark Grayson, or Invincible (voiced by Steven Yeun), is left dealing with the emotional aftermath of his brutal battle with his father, Omni-Man (voiced by J.K. Simmons), while balancing his responsibilities as a superhero, a student, and a son.
Mark is not the only one trying to heal from the chaos left behind by Omni-Man’s betrayal. Earth, having lost its strongest defender, is left in ruins, and now the people must work together to rebuild the cities destroyed during the clash between Invincible and Omni-Man.
Based on the comic series by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, Invincible ups the stakes with Season 2, adding more emotional depth and intense battles while hinting at even greater threats yet to come.
Mark’s Growth as a Hero — and a New Baby Brother
In Season 2, Mark grows into his role as a hero, but he also learns that being a superhero comes at a steep cost. He realizes that saving lives often means leaving behind casualties, struggling to balance his personal life with his superhero responsibilities, and even unintentionally creating new villains in the process.
However, Mark’s journey is one of growth. He starts accumulating wins, gaining strength, confidence, and experience as a hero. He begins working for Cecil (voiced by Walton Goggins) and the Global Defense Agency, which further helps him develop his skills.
Amidst his efforts to protect Earth, Mark decides to take on a new challenge. He leaves Earth to assist an alien planet called Thraxa, where the people claim to need his help. Upon arriving at Thraxa, Mark is shocked to find his father, Omni-Man, who has a new wife and son.
The Viltrumites, a dangerous alien race to which Omni-Man belongs, have not given up on their mission to conquer Earth. As a result, three Viltrumite warriors are sent to Thraxa to track down Omni-Man. This leads to an epic battle, where Mark quickly learns that the Viltrumites are ruthless and incredibly powerful.
Despite their efforts, both Omni-Man and Invincible are overwhelmed, and Omni-Man is taken captive. He is sentenced to execution for his betrayal of the Viltrumite Empire.
Mark is left battered and bloody, now with the heavy responsibility of completing his father’s mission: conquering Earth and joining the Viltrum empire. Before he is taken away, Omni-Man leaves Mark with a cryptic message: to read his books.
In the months that follow, Mark recovers and assists the people of Thraxa in rebuilding their planet before returning to Earth with his new half-brother, Oliver.
Debbie’s Struggles and Mark’s College Life
Back on Earth, Debbie Grayson (voiced by Sandra Oh) is struggling to rebuild her life after discovering her marriage to Omni-Man and realizing that much of her life was based on lies.
Despite this, she takes on the responsibility of caring for Mark’s half-brother, Oliver, and seeks help from Cecil to find a babysitter who specializes in alien species.
Mark also faces challenges of his own. His college career is in jeopardy after he misses several months of classes while on Thraxa. Meanwhile, his relationship with Amber (voiced by Zazie Beetz) is strained due to his long absence.
Mark starts to question whether he can truly balance his superhero life with his personal responsibilities. On top of that, the looming threat of a Viltrumite invasion weighs heavily on his mind. Additionally, Cecil’s right-hand man, Donald (voiced by Chris Diamantopoulos), is revealed to be a cyborg who has died and been brought back countless times.
Allen the Alien — The Unexpected Hero
One of the more interesting developments in Invincible Season 2 is the backstory of Allen the Alien (voiced by Seth Rogen). His original purpose was to be the ultimate weapon against the Viltrumites, but he proved to be no match for them in combat.
Instead, he was tasked with recruiting warriors for the Coalition of Planets to fight the Viltrumite Empire. Allen soon discovers that Invincible is loyal to Earth and learns that Omni-Man abandoned his mission. This new information sparks hope for the Coalition.
After a brutal beating at the hands of several Viltrumites, Allen is betrayed by Thaedus (voiced by Peter Cullen), the leader of the Coalition of Planets. Thaedus, a former Viltrumite, had been trying to stop the Viltrumites’ galactic conquest.
However, turning off the machine and keeping Allen alive only strengthens him, and together, they come up with a plan to recruit Invincible to end the Viltrumites’ rule once and for all.
The Guardians of the Globe and the Growing Threat
Season 2 introduces the new Guardians of the Globe, who are tasked with continuing the legacy left by the original team, which was decimated by Omni-Man in Season 1. The new Guardians are led by Immortal (voiced by Ross Marquand).
However, after a brutal encounter with the Lizard League, which leaves Rex Splode (voiced by Jason Mantzoukas) severely injured, Shrinking Rae (voiced by Grey DeLisle) in a coma, and Dupli-Kate (voiced by Melise) presumed dead, the Guardians struggle to stay united. Immortal, heartbroken after the loss of Dupli-Kate, abandons the team, leaving them aimless and without a clear direction.
In a twist, we later learn that Dupli-Kate is alive. As the Guardians attempt to regroup, Atom Eve (voiced by Gillian Jacobs) also struggles with her place in the world, leading her to build a secluded treehouse with her powers in the woods.
Mark eventually uncovers a crucial secret in his father’s books: they reveal important weaknesses of the Viltrumites. With a surprise visit from Allen, Mark turns down the offer to join the Coalition of Planets and instead chooses to stay on Earth to protect it.
However, he shares the knowledge from his father’s books with Allen, hoping it will aid in their fight against the Viltrumites. On Allen’s journey back, he encounters a Viltrumite ship and realizes he can hold his own against the Viltrumites. He feigns defeat and is imprisoned, only to find that Omni-Man is his fellow prisoner.
Mark’s Greatest Challenge Yet
Season 2 ramps up the stakes even further when a Viltrumite named Anissa (voiced by Shantel VanSanten) arrives on Earth, threatening Amber’s life unless Mark agrees to join the Viltrumite cause.
Anissa offers Mark the chance to take over his father’s role in enslaving Earth, but when he refuses, she brutally defeats him in battle, demonstrating just how powerful the Viltrumites are. She warns him that if he doesn’t join their cause, millions will die the next time the Viltrumites invade Earth.
This near-death experience leads to a breaking point in Mark’s relationship with Amber, who realizes that their lives are on entirely different paths. Mark is left questioning whether his actions as a hero are worth the personal sacrifices he’s made.
Angstrom Levy and the Multiversal Threat
At the beginning of Season 2, the audience is introduced to Angstrom Levy (voiced by Sterling K. Brown), a character from an alternate reality. Angstrom can travel across the multiverse and seeks to find a way to end the tyranny of Invincible and Omni-Man.
He assembles multiple versions of himself from different universes and, with the help of the Mauler Twins (voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson), creates a machine to combine all their knowledge and use it for the greater good. Unfortunately, the machine malfunctions and Angstrom is horribly disfigured in the process.
Angstrom’s quest for revenge leads to a multiverse-spanning battle against Invincible, with appearances from various characters from different universes, including Batman and Agent Spider. In the end, Mark is forced to kill Angstrom to stop him. But this victory leaves Mark wondering if this violent path is the only way forward.
Eventually, Mark is rescued by an alternate version of the Guardians of the Globe, who find a way to bring him back to his own universe. Before leaving, Atom Eve from this alternate universe tells Mark to confess his feelings to his own version of Eve if he truly has them.
Season 2 of Invincible shows the consequences of Mark’s actions and goes into his darkest fears. Is killing part of being a hero, or did Mark fully embrace the violence that comes with his role?
Summary
Season 2 of Invincible delivers an intense and emotional ride, building on Mark’s journey as a young hero facing tough choices and immense challenges. As Mark continues to grow into his role as Invincible, he learns the harsh realities of being a superhero—dealing with the fallout of battles, the pressure to protect Earth, and the emotional toll of balancing his personal life with his responsibilities.
His relationship with his family, especially with his mother, Debbie, and his new half-brother, Oliver, adds another layer of complexity to his already difficult path.
Mark’s encounters with both the Viltrumites and new threats, like Angstrom Levy, push him to question his methods and the true cost of heroism. His near-death experiences and the heartbreak with Amber highlight the personal sacrifices that come with the hero’s life.
As the stakes rise, Invincible does not shy away from showing the emotional and physical toll of Mark’s journey, leaving audiences wondering what lies ahead.
With Season 2 setting up even greater conflicts and hinting at the coming Viltrumite invasion, the future of Mark Grayson and his fight for Earth remains uncertain. The conclusion of Season 2 leaves us on the edge, eagerly anticipating what will happen next.
