This review contains spoilers.
Soaring into its third season, “Invincible” has become one of the highest-rated original series on Amazon Prime. The series combines dark comedy and gore with engaging character development and non-stop action by embracing its subversion of traditional superhero narratives. With each season, “Invincible” continues to push its narrative boundaries, delivering shocking twists and morally intricate storytelling that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. Season three premiered on Feb. 6 and ran through March 13, is no exception to the show’s consistency in its narrative prowess and artistic merit.
The animated show follows superhero Mark “Invincible” Grayson (Steven Yeun) as he balances regular life with his heroic obligations. However, following a traumatic fight with his father Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), a fellow superhero descended from the violent Viltrumite race, Grayson struggles to reconcile his peaceful ideals with the deadly realities of being a superhero. The series forces him to question his place as a hero in a world that constantly pushes his moral boundaries.
This season demonstrates the show’s meticulous attention to detail, with the lead creator of the original comic, Robert Kirkman, seamlessly connecting all of the story beats from the original comic. This season, the writers carefully balance new and old plotlines without feeling disjointed. Season three sees the return of the sympathetic villain Titan (Todd Williams), a henchman from the crime syndicate, The Order, who tricked Grayson into helping him overthrow one of the leaders of The Order, Machine Head (Jeffery Donovan). This season further establishes Titan as a complicated figure: an honorable man who desires to see his family and community safe while also acting as a villain who manipulates Grayson into doing his dirty work.
Even though Grayson refuses to help Titan overthrow another crime syndicate leader, Mister Liu (Tzi Ma), Titan tricks Grayson into helping him. This event starts a series of narrative loops that define Grayson’s character development in season three, mainly rooted in the massacre that concluded the first season. In particular, the finale provides a satisfying narrative parallel to the first and second seasons’ finales.
In the final episode of the season, one of the strongest warriors of the Viltrumite race, Conquest (Jeffery Morgan), arrives to conquer Earth. He and Grayson endure a gruesome battle, heavily reminiscent of Grayson’s fight against Omni-Man in season one. However, Grayson kills Conquest, showing a progression from his pacifist nature in the first season finale and his carelessness in the second when he fails to kill Angstrom Levy (Sterling K. Brown).
With a stellar cast and an ability to balance the amount of attention given to every character, both main and supporting, “Invincible” is a strong series. Additionally, no character feels underdeveloped relative to their screen time. A great example of this comes in the addition of Powerplex (Aaron Paul) in the third season. Powerplex is a former employee of the Global Defense Agency, the government agency that manages superheroes, who turned into a villain after the death of his sister and niece in the massacre during the first season.
In just one episode, Powerplex slowly descends into madness as he attempts to get retribution from Invincible for his role in the massacre, resorting to villainy to exact his revenge. This downfall soon reaches its peak as Powerplex accidentally kills his son and wife. Paul’s sorrowful and throaty dialogue truly sells Powerplex’s misery and elevates the episode to a truly depressing level, making him sympathetic despite his villainous deeds. The character of Powerplex is a morally complex take on the anti-hero trope, framed as an antagonist by society because of his bloodlust against Grayson, but a sympathetic yet misguided hero who seeks his own form of justice by killing Grayson. Powerplex becomes a foil to Grayson during the season finale, upon Grayson vowing to kill anyone who hurts his loved ones. This moment helps broaden the perspective on what defines a hero versus a villain, furthering the show’s exploration into the complex moral spectrum of its characters.
The animation and soundtrack for this season are dynamic and top-notch. The soundtrack is a blend of rap, alternative rock and soft pop, with artists like Run the Jewels, Billie Eilish and Nine Inch Nails rounding it out. While these artists’ styles are vastly different, each song fits its respective scene and adds an element of immersion within each scene’s action and tone. The animation is fluid and energetic, shining with realistic gore. The physical results of each brawl are visceral, and the meticulous detailing in the different organs and blood splatters add realism and darkness to the series. Although the gore can be disturbing, it furthers the show’s occasional grim tone and never feels out of place or thrown in for shock value.
While graphic violence can play a significant role in establishing a gritty atmosphere in a show, its usage heavily depends on its purpose in the narrative. For example, in shows like “Harley Quinn” and “Peacemaker,” gore is used to elevate the comedy and overall eccentricity of the show. In “The Boys,” however, at times the gore can feel unnecessary and over-indulgent, having little purpose in the narrative other than shock value. While “Invincible” and “The Boys” share the narrative element of morally black superheroes, the former uses gore to establish the magnitude of these heroes’ power and threat. What sets “Invincible” apart in its usage of gore is how the show builds the tension in scenes and greatly accentuates a character’s morality and menace.
Over three seasons, “Invincible” remains consistent, with thoughtful writing, excellent character dynamics and visually stunning animation. With a fourth season on the way, this powerhouse series shows no signs of slowing down. Continuously raising the bar for itself and the superhero series genre, “Invincible” season three is a must-watch for any superhero fan.
Paige Hogan (27C) is from Dallas, Texas, and is majoring in Chemistry and Classical Civilization. Outside of the Wheel, she is on the executive boards of both her sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon, and the Emory Anime Club.In her free time, she enjoys hiking, listening to Arctic Monkeys, and marathoning all 10 Saw movies.
