Alongside its audience, the animated superhero genre has matured considerably over recent years, as evidenced by theSpider-Versefilms, not to mention 2024’sX-Men ‘97and the two-part animated adaptation ofWatchmen. In 2021, that maturation process resulted in the genre-defining adaptation ofInvincible. Season 2 remained strong andeven challenged the idea of superhero fatigue, andin its third season,Invinciblecontinues to be a modern-day Saturday morning cartoon for adults who grew up watching Saturday morning cartoons likeBatman: The Animated Series.
It’s not just the language, blood, or adult situations Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) and company encounter that set the series apart, though; it’s the themes. Season 3 tackles some difficult but familiar themes, such as what it means to be a hero, the sacrifices required to protect the greater good, and what it truly means to forgive. Sure, this might seem like familiar territory for fans of ’80s or ’90s superhero animated series (or anyone who has picked up a comic book, for that matter). Still,Invincibleoften goes a step further by allowing its protagonist, Mark/Invincible, to be genuinely flawed. He makes mistakes, and as we’ve all learned from the emotional Season 2 finale, Mark is capable of losing control. He’s capable of killing.
Throughout the first six episodes — there are a total of eight in the third season, but only six have been made available for review —Invinciblemaintains its mature storytelling and stunningly nostalgic animation that has made it one of the decade’s best comic book adaptations. It advances its heroes and villains in meaningful ways that have me excited about the future of the series. Still, it also, at times, left me wondering about the overarching plot that even fans who are unfamiliar with the comic (me being one of them) can see forming from a mile away. As a result, some storylines can feel like filler padding the journey until the ultimate showdown. Nonetheless, it’s some of the best filler I’ve ever watched.
Familiar Themes Presented in an Unfamiliar Way
Invincible
Season 3 opens with Mark being highly motivated after losing control and ending Angstrom Levy’s life in the Season 2 finale. Montages are generally saved for big second-act inspirational swings, but this season ofInvinciblebegins with a classic training montage, withMark attempting to grow even faster and strongerto take on the Viltrumite forces and control his powers. He desperately strives to calibrate his moral compass to rectify the sins of his (and his father’s) past in order to become the hero he wants to be. However, the line between right and wrong is often blurred in the world ofInvincible.
At various moments, Mark flirts with crossing over to the dark side under the guise of his way being the right way. Of course, this leads to altercations between Invincible and his morally ambiguous boss, Cecil Stedman (Walton Goggins). Still, even at Mark’s worst, it’s understandable that he and Cecil cannot see eye to eye. Their respective philosophical differences are framed through their exceptionally well-defined characters. Mark, for example, is desperate not to become his violent, world-conquering father, while Cecil feels he doesn’t have the luxury to worry about personal morality. After two seasons of mystery, viewers actually gain a glimpse into Cecil’s backstory, which not only helps to understand his character better but also serves as some of the season’s best moments.
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Speaking of some of the season’s best moments, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the opening seven minutes of the third episode, which contains no dialogue. Instead, audiences watch as two down-on-their-luck villains attempt to rob a bank, fail to reform themselves as working-class citizens, and ultimately return to a life of crime as a melancholic needle drop tugs at the heartstrings. It’s something few other shows in the genre could get away with, yet it serves as just another reminder of what makesInvinciblegreat.
If This Is Filler, It’s Some of the Best I’ve Ever Watched
Still, while I could endlessly praiseInvincibleSeason 3 for its thematic consistency throughout, I found myself frustrated at times when the series refused to advance its overarching plot in any significant way. Ever since Viltrumite warrior Anissa (Shantel VanSanten) came to Earth to kick Mark’s butt and convince him to take up his world-conquering duties late in Season 2, little progress has been made on the front of what promises to be an intergalactic war. It’s safe to assume that Mark’s father, Nolan/Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), will play some role in this fight, but the complicated antagonist is often off-screen for much of Season 3’s first six episodes.
While we await the Viltrumites’ promised return to Earth, the narrative frequently breaks for stories of time travel to alternate futures, battles with dragons, and infighting between the Guardians of the Globe. Not to mention, the third season actually takes a three-minute break to give a mid-season recap. It does include some new details, but ultimately feels unnecessary. That being said, while some storylines might seem more or less like filler until we get to this ultimate showdown, it often doesn’t feel that way in the moment. Perhaps that’s because the character’s own choices inform each plot point, and those choices feel well-defined.
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Outside of maybe Eve (Gillian Jacobs) — who seems to be relegated to romantic interest/emotional support in Season 3 —the main characters ofInvincible,like Mark’s mom, Debbie (Sandra Oh), and former comic relief Rex Splode (Jason Mantzoukas), each work through their own worthwhile arcs. Debbie struggles with her responsibilities of being a mother to the alien child of her sort of ex-husband. Rex plays against type by taking his responsibilities as a friend and hero more seriously. Sure, these might seem rather mundane on the surface, butInvinciblehandles each with such care that even the melodrama is interesting.
So, while I would love to see Invincible take on the Viltrumite empire as soon as possible, I’m happy to watch as Mark struggles with work-life balance and being an older brother, just as I’m thrilled to watch as he takes on some kooky villain of the week. Sure, it’s all a bit bonkers sometimes, but when the characters are this good, I’d follow them into even the strangest of battles.
The Best Cast on Television Gets Even Better
Arguably, half the fun of watchingInvincibleis playing ‘Name That Voice’ with a bevy of well-known actors, including Ben Schwartz, Mark Hamill, Seth Rogan, Sterling K. Brown, Zachary Quinto, Mahershala Ali, Calista Flockhart, Rhea Seehorn, Tatiana Maslany, and Zazie Beetz. Seriously, you know it’s an embarrassment of riches when you name 10 actors and still leave out Jon Hamm, Scoot McNairy, Djimon Hounsou, Jay Pharoah, Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff, Ella Purnell, and Chloe Bennet.
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Season 3 isn’t resting on its laurels, either. The best cast on television continues to get even better with the addition of Simu Liu, Aaron Paul, Kate Mara, Xolo Maridueña, and a few other surprises. All of them provide memorable performances — particularly Liu and Paul, who are given time to shine in more complex roles. Paul, for example, is given a rather poignant episode in which his character forces Mark to face the consequences of his battle in Chicago that claimed so many lives at the conclusion of Season 1. It’s the culmination of themes and Mark’s internal conflicts that allow this episode to truly resonate, but Paul’s performance also gives even more weight to this already heavy narrative.
While this latest collection of episodes is jam-packed with even more voice talent, complex villains, touching character moments, and, yes, even a dragon, it still left me hungry for more (but mainly in a good way). Luckily, the remaining two episodes in the season still look to set up some potentially Earth-shattering and universe-altering conflicts. SupposeInvinciblereally is just a Saturday morning superhero cartoon for adults. In that case, I cannot wait for the next opportunity to sit in front of my television again in my pajamas with a giant bowl of cereal and enjoy every minute of it.
The first three episodes ofInvincibleSeason 3 premiere on Prime Video on Thursday, Feb. 6, with subsequent episodes airing each Thursday. You can watch it and previous episodes through the link below:
