Invincible S2 Ep 3 Review
We’re three episodes into the second season of Invincible, and there seems to be a pacing issue. Namely, the show’s trying to work too many storylines per episode, which might be doing more harm than good. The last episode alone had at least four storylines crammed into it. Granted, shows like Game of Thrones did the same thing and met with great success, but one can’t help but feel like Amazon Prime’s rushing things. That’s the bad part of the episode, though. The good part is that the episode’s storylines focus on advancing the plot in interesting ways while deviating from the comics. That, and the show introduces a new character played by none other than Optimus Prime!
The Continuing Adventures of Allen the Alien
The first big storyline of the episode doesn’t even involve the earthbound cast of Invincible. Instead, it focuses on the generous Allen the Alien, played perfectly by executive producer Seth Rogen. Allen is one of the major supporting characters in the series, and this fact is made known by the show taking the time to explain his origin and even give him the title card. In essence, he was created to be his people, the Unopan’s, ultimate warrior against the Viltrumites…only to still get beaten. The Viltrumites are the Western equivalent of the Saiyans from Dragon Ball, and few can beat them. Hence, Allen and his leaders in the Coalition of Planets seek stronger allies.
When Allen brings news about Invincible not helping Nolan and the latter fleeing the planet, the higher-ups take this as big news. However, the only one willing to hear it out is their leader, Thaedus, played by the legendary Peter Cullen. AKA, Optimus Prime himself. Optimus Prime is in Invincible, seemingly fighting the good fight against the Viltrumites! Or is he?
In a surprise twist, Thaedus reveals that there might be a mole in the Coalition that he wants Allen to find. That seemingly gets confirmed when three Viltrumites appear and demand answers out of Allen about Mark and Nolan. The following beatdown is visceral, brutal, and horrific to watch, but only gets worse with Thaedus’ actions at the end being very suspicious. Those who read the comics know the truth about Thaedus, which makes his actions all the more confusing. Regardless, this likely won’t be the last we see of Allen.
More Guardians of the Globe Drama
For the second week, the weakest and most uninteresting storyline revolved around the Guardians of the Globe. The fallout of Omni-Man’s actions makes them seem less interesting. Rexsplode’s abrasiveness continues to cause friction, but it’s getting to the point where it isn’t entertaining anymore. In addition, Ben Schwartz’s role as the new hero, Shapesmith, isn’t as funny as it could be.
The only worthwhile thing to come from the Guardians this week is the ongoing relationship between Monster Girl and Robot. It’s nice to see how Robot’s willing to go out and experience the life he never had, if only for Monster Girl’s sake. However, this episode never gives the relationship enough time to develop, making it feel uninteresting compared to everything else.
Deborah Continues to Suffer from PTSD
The character with the most interesting storyline in this episode is Mark’s mom, Deborah. Last week saw her undergo an intense emotional breakdown over the revelation of who her husband was. With Mark off to college and leaving her home alone this week, she tries to start the healing process. Thus, she attends a support group for the spouses and significant others of superheroes. Instead of helping her, though, it only makes things worse.
Firstly, there’s the fact that she can’t talk about her problems without revealing her husband’s Omni-Man. That’s bad enough, but after learning one of the people there was the husband of a member of the Guardians of the Globe that Omni-Man killed, the guilt springs anew. When she can’t take it anymore and spills everything, her worst fears come true: the widower blames everything on her, saying she should’ve known who Omni-Man was. It’s an unfair accusation but also a very realistic outcome. Blaming someone for the actions of their spouse is a knee-jerk reaction that many would have. It doesn’t make it any less right or justified, but it does make it feel real.
Invincible Still Can’t Live a Normal Life
Amidst all this, Mark’s finally going to college with his best friend and girlfriend. In the latter’s case, he and Amber celebrate their newfound independence by doing what some would call “Tier 15.” It seems as though Mark is starting to pull his life together, and even get the chance to leave being Invincible behind for good.
Then, something happens that, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting to see happen so soon. Mark knows something’s up after someone comes to his dorm room looking like the fictional hero Science Dog. The next thing he knew, he was going with a Prey Mantis-like alien to their home planet. It’s ostensibly to save it from destruction by a meteor shower, but it soon becomes apparent that’s not true. It’s to meet someone that Mark never expected to see again. Someone I cannot reveal without ruining the surprise. I will say that I did not expect it to happen so soon.
Points for Optimus Prime, but Still too Cluttered
Overall, this episode has a lot of good moments, from the introduction of Peter “Optimus Prime” Cullen as Thaedus to Allen’s backstory to Deborah’s continued trauma. However, it also gets weighed down by juggling too many storylines simultaneously. They’re not bad, but the lack of time to let them all cook hurts more than helps. That could be a major issue with only one episode left for 2023.
Perhaps it would help more if Amazon Prime had added additional episodes to the show’s second outing instead of trying to cram everything in all at once. Depending on how much they adapt, Invincible could go for five or six seasons, maybe even longer. They shouldn’t be in such a rush to get everything out. It’s still nice to see more amazing VA’s join the already impressive cast. And it was also funny to see the narrator (yes, there’s a narrator for this episode) fumble when trying to avoid the S-scenes.
