Invincible S4 Ep 7 Review
Okay, THIS is more like it, Amazon! After an entire season of content that has been rather mid from my perspective, I was beginning to worry that the Viltrumite War wasn’t going to get the adaptation it deserved. The animation had degraded so much that even I was starting to notice. And I normally don’t notice that sort of thing. But I think I now understand where the animation budget for the season was going: this episode. Because this, hands down, is the best episode of Invincible this entire season! The stakes are higher than ever, the fighting is actually awesome, and it ends with the moment that will decide the course of the story going forward. Also, Thragg ain’t no fraud!
Pretty Good Thragg and Thaedus Flashback
Much like the second episode of the season, this one opens up with an extended flashback to Viltrum’s past. This time, to the days when the Viltrumites were ruled by Emperor Argall, when ThaeThaedus was still a servant of the Empire, and when Thragg was Argall’s right-hand man. Big shout out to the legendary Frank Welker voicing Argall, by the way. Like the previous one, this flashback is almost wholly unique to the show, and is meant to flesh out the characters of Thaedus and Thragg. At this point, Thaedus has already started to see the evil of his people for what it is, and is trying to get them to relax their Darwinistic attitude. He sees others willingness to fight them, regardless of how outgunned they are, as a sign of strength. If not in martial skill, then in resolve. In contrast, Thragg is so convinced of his people’s supremacy that he sees it as beneath them. Curiously enough, though, Thragg actually stands up for Thaedus when Argall suggests killing him, thinking he’s just going through a phase. This blows up in his face, though, when Thaedus chooses to assassinate Argall and flee. Sadly, the fight takes place offscreen.
I doubt Amazon will do it, but a part of me hopes that they will consider a one-off special about Thaedus. I would love to see what made him change his mind and how he founded the Coalition of Planets. Bonus points for getting the legendary Peter Cullen to flex his acting chops. More importantly, though, it reframes everything that happens next. It’s clear that Thragg blames himself for his Emperor’s death and sees what Thaedus did as a personal betrayal. That leads him to do what has to be one of the coldest things we’ve seen in the entire series: begin the purge. AKA the free-for-all battle royale meant to quell any free-thinking by killing off half the population.
I knew this was coming thanks to spoilers, but I was still shaken from seeing what happened. All those Viltriumites were just tearing themselves to pieces for no reason! Even the kids were doing it! And unlike in the comics, Thragg didn’t take part; he was just aura farming on Argall’s throne like the menace to society he is. He’s like if Vegeta had Broly’s strength while maxing out his arrogance stats! And as we soon find out over the course of this episode, there is a reason why even Conquest was scared of Thragg.
Saddle Up, People!
Back in the present day, with Thragg’s sneak attack on Talescria having failed miserably, the Viltrumites are pulling back to Viltrum to regroup. Knowing that they won’t have another chance like this, Thaedus assembles a posse consisting of himself, Allen, Space Racer, Tech Jacket, Battle Beast, Nolan, Oliver, and Invincible (and some Ragnars) with one goal: head to planet Viltrum and kill Thragg. Without him, the remaining Viltrumites will have nothing left. But Thaedus is so determined to finish what he started that he gets tunnel vision and forgets an important thing: nothing is more dangerous than a wounded animal. Especially when their back is against the wall.
The final battle of the Viltrumite War is an almost beat-for-beat recreation of the comics. The only main difference is that we get an added scene on Viltrum itself where Nolan and Thragg have a chat. Thragg offers to let Nolan come back and forgive everything, saying that once Thaedus destroys Viltrum, he’ll come after Nolan and his sons. And Nolan cannot refute this. He knows that Thaedus is willing to wipe out his own species to protect the universe. Granted, most of them are jerks, but as Nolan has proved, they can change once they get out of their culture’s toxic mindset.
I might just be reading too much into it, but I think this conversation encapsulates the Viltrumites. Thragg represents the old ways that have led their people to near-extinction. Nolan is what the Viltrumites can become should they learn empathy and kindness. And despite all of Thragg’s posturing, Viltrumite is nothing more than a relic of an era best left in the past. And sometimes, the only way to move on from the past is to destroy its physical reminders.
The Destruction of Viltrum
Throughout much of this season, people have been complaining about how bad the animation has been. I’ve even started to notice this fact, and I’m usually the last to notice bad animation. However, after seeing this episode, I can safely say that I know where the animation budget: to the scene of Nolan, Invincible, and Thaedus destroying Viltrum.
Of all the feats that the Viltrumites have managed to pull throughout the series to this point, I think managing to destroying an entire planet by flying right through its core has to be the craziest. And the art and animation didn’t skimp on any details. Viewers get to see, in full detail, the process of Viltrum collapsing in on itself. I have seen many planets get destroyed in fiction before, but the destruction of Viltrum has to be one of the most visceral, yet awe-inspiring, examples of planetary destruction I’ve seen. It’s so beautiful to look at, and you can tell that the artists must have had fun working on it!
Ulitmately, the destruction of Viltrum is a good thing. The memory of Viltrum is what was keeping the Viltrumites in their warmongering mindset for so long. As painful as its destruction might be for them, this will help them move on. Everyone, that is, except for Thragg.
The Thragg Allegations are False
I saw a YouTuber post a video with the title questioning if Thragg was whimpier in the show than in the comics. However, as this entire episode proves, Thragg remains an absolute menace. He spends the majority of the final battle toying with everyone like they are nothing. Nolan has to flat-out tell Mark and Oliver to not fight him on their own. And when Oliver does that anyway, he gets his jaw and arm ripped off! Mark, the man who killed Conquest (which does get him some silent respect), almost breaks his fist punching his skull. And once Viltrum is destroyed, Thragg decides he’d rather die than surrender, leading him to brutally murder Thaedus, and nearly do the same to Mark and Nolan.
Like I said, Thragg took what happened to Argall personally. But Thaedus was no saint, either. Evil or not, Thaedus still killed most of his people.
So, the Coalition of Planets wins the war. The Viltrumite Empire is all but destroyed, with the few Viltrumites left having vanished. Allen is now the new leader of the Coalition…and Mark realizes Thragg has taken the Viltrumites to Earth. Uh-oh.
This was an absolute grand-slam of an episode. The best since we saw Mark and Conquest first fight a year ago, in fact. It was so good that it didn’t even need a stinger at the end! I was worried about how the show was going to handle the Viltrumite War, but it managed to knock it out of the park at the very end there!
