Invincible Season 2 Part 2 Review: Exceptional Second Half That Hits the Right Spots (2024)

Just a few months ago, Invincible‘s second season on Prime Video came out with a bang that no one was ready for. While many were excited to see how the show was going to continue Mark Grayson's (Steven Yeun) story, its mid-season break left a sour taste for those who wanted more. Fortunately, the second part of Invincible Season Two confidently satisfies fans with its concise pacing, overarching emotional storylines, and bonafide insane shockers.

Picking up from a chaotic end after a bloody confrontation against invading Viltrumites, Invincible‘s second season sees Mark adapting to ever-changing circ*mstances in his family life to his love life with Amber (Zazie Beetz). Reeling from losing his father Omni-Man (J. K. Simmons), Mark's still thinking about who he really is and what he should be fighting for the Viltrum Empire or humanity.

Meanwhile, the Guardians of the Globe have been dealing with their own problems from small things like team dynamics to facing the likes of the Lizard League and other interstellar threats.

While the first few episodes of Invincible were focused on establishing those previous arcs, Part 2 takes things on a new level by pushing Mark's compelling storyline. Ever since revealing the truth of his hidden persona to Amber, the two have been on quite a shaky road.

These next four episodes continue to carry that concise relationship pacing, intertwining it with the larger picture of who Mark really wants to be. Yeun and Beetz's vocal performances confidently show the emotional weight that the two have to carry as Mark is still comprehending the consequences of his bout with the Viltrumites.

Furthermore, there's also a stronger focus on the Guardians of the Globe that is able to deepen each sub-story. For example, the Immortal's (Ross Marquand) character arc with Dupli-Kate (Malese Jow) felt like it was for laughs, but these next episodes help him develop a more complex and conflicting personality. In addition, characters like Rudy/Robot (Marquand) and Monster Girl (Grey Griffin) get this needed development, but their storyline is pulled back a bit to reinforce other arcs.

These boosted arcs come in the form of several characters: Debbie (Sandra Oh), Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs), Rex Splode (Jason Mantzoukas), and even the GDA's Cecil (Walton Goggins) and Donald (Chris Diamantopoulos). Each of these actors proudly inserts their own caliber to effectively communicate the important thematic idea that these characters are made by their decisions.

Debbie and Donald are particularly the underrated highlights as this second part spends a lot more time with the two confronting their newfound situations from the first four episodes. Debbie's internal voice continues to be important as her transition to a normal life slowly but surely gets upheaved, creating a fascinating dynamic for Invincible to happily explore. Meanwhile, Donald's understanding of himself marks an integral turning point for what's to come with Robert Kirkman and Simon Racioppa‘s updated narrative.

Beyond the Earthly ground, Allen's (Seth Rogen) arc is much more universally shifted in terms of his storyline. While an episode was heavily dedicated to Allen in part one, he takes a step back in order to let the rest of the main story play out. However, whenever he's present, he just makes a great comical addition to round out the dramatic tension.

As always, Invincible continues its way of changing the original story with Kirkman and Racioppa's guidance much to its benefit. Many of these plot changes, particularly surrounding Mark and the Guardians, elevate the already naturally paced overarching story by carefully balancing how each arc plays out. In a way, it's made clear that this formatted rumination in episodical distribution was needed to ensure fans could get the most out of this fiery finale.

In addition, the animated visual style that highlighted the show's dramatic intensity continues to be put on full blast: there's one big action sequence between the first two episodes that truly brings that electrifying feeling from season one back. The fights of Invincible season two get grander, but there's also a characterized focus within these scenes that really shows their importance later on.

Verdict

On its own, Invincible Season 2 Part 2 is simply exciting and ever so emotionally gruesome. However, when putting both halves together, they perfectly cap off the ever vast, yet emotionally grounded story that Invincible‘s sophom*ore season has paved.

With intertwining storylines that focus on strong characterization and great performances that really bring such intensity, this second-parter truly encapsulates what Kirkman and Racioppa's epic wants to be: a gripping and multifaceted exploration of the superhero genre.

Rating – 9/10

Invincible Season Two Part Two begins streaming on Prime Video on March 14.