Recap of “Invincible” Season 1: Things to Keep in Mind Before Season 2

After the shocking Season 1 finale, in which Omni-Man’s actual goals are revealed, leaving Mark wondering how he was deceived, Invincible Season 2 is set to air.
Trailers for Season 2 reveal that Invincible will confront more adversaries, such as Angstrom Levy, the villain.
A brief synopsis of Season 1 reveals that Robot builds a new body for himself, Mark is entangled in a romantic triangle, and the criminals from Invincible’s rogues’ gallery are still at loose. Omni-Man is a tyrant posing as a superhero.

Fans of the animated series “Invincible” have eagerly awaited the arrival of Season 2, and fortunately, the wait hasn’t been as long as initially expected. The Season 1 finale left viewers in shock with the revelations surrounding Omni-Man’s actions and the true intentions of the Viltrumites for Earth. These revelations had a profound impact on the characters, particularly Omni-Man’s son, Mark Grayson (Invincible), who now faces the daunting task of stopping his father upon his return to Earth.

In addition to the looming threat of Omni-Man, Season 2 introduces a new adversary, Angstrom Levy, who brings a multiverse of challenges to Invincible and Earth’s heroes. While Season 2 promises exciting developments, it’s been a while since Season 1 aired, and some fans may appreciate a recap of the key events from that season. To help with that, here’s a comprehensive summary of Season 1 of “Invincible.”

In the adult animated superhero series Invincible, the main character, Mark Grayson, 17, is a regular guy like any other, but for the fact that his father, Omni-Man, is the strongest superhero on the planet. However, as Mark gains abilities of his own, he learns that his father’s legacy might not be as valiant as it first appears.

“Invincible” primarily centers around Mark Grayson, a typical high school student who begins to develop significant superpowers. Mark is the son of Omni-Man, a supremely powerful figure in the Invincible universe, often compared to Superman. Omni-Man hails from Viltrum, a planet dedicated to universal peacekeeping. He claims to have fallen in love with Mark’s mother, Debbie, and the three of them have lived as a family ever since.

As a half-Viltrumite, Mark is destined to inherit Omni-Man’s extraordinary abilities, including self-propelled flight, incredible speed, and enhanced strength. After undergoing training with his father, Mark assumes the mantle of Invincible. However, beneath this seemingly straightforward and cheerful origin story, a dark and ominous conspiracy unfolds.

Omni-Man Is a Would-Be Dictator Pretending to Be a Superhero in ‘Invincible’

The pilot episode of Invincible Season 1 concludes with a shocking twist as Omni-Man brutally kills his fellow members of The Guardians of the Globe, the series’ equivalent of the Justice League or The Avengers. Government agent Cecil Stedman and demon detective Damien Darkblood quickly discern Omni-Man’s responsibility for the massacre, but the motive remains a mystery until the Season 1 finale.

In the climactic confrontation, Omni-Man reveals the horrifying truth to Mark. Viltrum, their home planet, is not the peaceful society he claimed it to be. In reality, Viltrumites are ruthless conquerors who have spent centuries building a fascist empire by any means necessary. Omni-Man admits that he slaughtered The Guardians because they posed the greatest threat to Viltrum’s conquest of Earth.

Mark is devastated by this revelation, and Omni-Man insists that he wants Mark by his side to help take over the planet. Omni-Man’s contempt for Earth and humanity shocks everyone, even describing Mark’s mother, Debbie, as more of a “pet” than a wife. Enraged and repulsed, Invincible confronts his father, leading to a devastating battle. During the fight, Omni-Man uses Mark to kill hundreds of innocent civilians. Ultimately, Mark’s memories of their peaceful family life lead Omni-Man to stop himself, and he flies into space. Despite his heinous actions and manipulation, there may still be a chance for Omni-Man’s redemption.

In “Invincible,” Mark finds himself entangled in a romantic triangle.

When Mark isn’t battling villains (often resulting in his own defeats), he’s a typical teenager dealing with the usual teenage problems, including matters of the heart. His romantic journey begins with a fellow human high school student named Amber Bennett, who develops feelings for Mark when he stands up to the school’s bully. However, there’s another potential romantic connection between Mark and Samantha Eve Wilkins, another high school student who shares her superhero alter ego, Atom Eve.

Eve also develops feelings for Mark and nearly acts on them after discovering her boyfriend Rex Splode’s infidelity with Dupli-Kate. However, when she arrives at Mark’s house, she learns that he is already in a relationship with Amber. Despite the ups and downs in Mark and Amber’s relationship, they end the season as a couple. Eve remains a close friend to Mark, helping him navigate the challenges of being a hero, but there’s a lingering question about whether she still harbors feelings for Invincible.

Robot Transforms His Body to Become the Monster Girl

After the demise of The Guardians of the Globe, Cecil recruits the cybernetic hero Robot to lead a new team of superheroes. This fresh team includes Rex Splode, Dupli-Kate, Black Samson, Atom Eve, Shrinking Rae, and Monster Girl. Monster Girl, in particular, captures Robot’s attention as she has a unique condition that causes her to become younger each time she transforms into a giant green monster.

Robot becomes obsessed with helping Monster Girl feel accepted and takes drastic actions by freeing the criminal Mauler Twins, who are experts in cloning. Robot uses them to initiate the process of creating a new body for himself. Using the DNA of Rex Splode, Robot successfully crafts a teenage Rex replica. This development shocks his teammates, despite Robot’s seemingly innocent intentions. In Season 2, the new Guardians of the Globe will likely grapple with adjusting to Rex’s new body.

‘Invincible’s Rogues’ Gallery Villains Are Still at Large

While Invincible has an overarching narrative, each episode also presents a self-contained story with a new major villain. Unlike typical comic cartoons where villains are often apprehended and imprisoned, in Invincible, these villains remain at large and harbor vengeful intentions against Mark Grayson. This is depicted in a montage that concludes Season 1, featuring the following events:

• The Sequid parasites are still occupying Mars.
• The Mauler Twins grinning as they are returned to their prison cells
• The Flaxans getting ready to launch another attack on Earth Doc Seismic (Donald Ferguson) in charge of an army of lava men
• The criminal empire of Machine Head (Jeffrey Donovan) is taken over by Titan (Mahershala Ali), while Battle Beast (Michael Dorn) takes on more freelancing mercenary work.
• Cecil pressuring Ezra Miller’s D.A. Sinclair to produce more of his cyborg creatures

Regarding Cecil, it’s important to note that the government operative is actively involved in the process of resurrecting Immortal once more. Immortal, a hero who was formerly a member of the Guardians of the Globe, is set to return in Season 2 of Invincible, but this time as an antagonist to Mark. Additionally, it is probable that we will witness the return of Damien Darkblood, despite Cecil previously banishing the Demon Detective back to Hell.

Allen the Alien and Invincible Join Forces

In an earlier episode of Season 1, Mark was compelled to venture into space to confront a mysterious adversary. To his surprise, he encountered Allen the Alien (Seth Rogen), who appeared strangely nonchalant about engaging in a battle with a superhero. As it turned out, Allen’s role involved testing superheroes, as he was a telepathic alien working for the Coalition of Planets. This coalition’s mission was to ensure that various planets had defenders capable of facing the universe’s most formidable threats. After realizing his error in landing on the wrong planet, Allen bid farewell to Invincible and departed.

However, in the Season 1 finale, Allen returned to Earth to deliver a warning to Invincible. He revealed that the planet was harboring a Viltrumite, a fact that greatly alarmed the Coalition of Planets. Unfortunately, this revelation came too late, as it followed Mark’s confrontation with Omni-Man and the subsequent revelation of the Viltrum Empire’s true nature. Despite these challenges, Invincible agreed to form an alliance with Allen in preparation for the inevitable return of Omni-Man and the Viltrumites.

Atom Eve Gets an Origin Story in ‘Invincible: Atom Eve’

For those who might have missed it, the creators of Invincible had a surprise for fans at San Diego Comic-Con 2023 with the release of “Invincible: Atom Eve” — a special episode that delves into the backstory of the beloved character Atom Eve. While not essential viewing for the main series, this special provides insight into Atom Eve’s journey to becoming a hero and showcases her immense power. In this episode, a young Eve must confront her creators and uncover the disturbing truths about her past.

Invincible Season 2 is set to premiere on Prime Video on November 3rd.

Date of Release: March 25, 2021

Cast: J.K. Simmons, Steven Yeun

Type: Superhero

Genres: Science fiction

Season 2