Ever since its debut in March 2021, Invincible has remained one of the most consistently enjoyable superhero TV shows, with each season routinely bringing rich character development, unforgettable quotes, and exhilarating action. Based on the comic book of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, the series has been a refreshingly original take on the superhero genre that breathes new life into previously stale tropes. Its latest season — which wrapped up on April 22 — is no different.
Though season four arguably had some of the greatest moments of the whole series, it has a glaring issue in its uneven quality. This is especially evident in the first four episodes, which range from great to downright mediocre. The season premiere, for instance, is a total mess that attempts to juggle too many plotlines without letting any of the scenes breathe. The episode is only saved by a shocking cliffhanger that teases a darker side to Mark, the series’ protagonist.
Episode four, “Hurm,” suffers from the exact opposite issue, dedicating its runtime to a single storyline that has zero relation to the main plot. It’s a borderline filler episode that doesn’t even have the saving grace of being fun, and it’s easily the nadir of the season.
When talking about this show, it’s obligatory to address the elephant in the room: the animation. While fans are in agreement that this season’s one-year wait was delightfully short, some fans are questioning whether the creators should have spent more time polishing the animation. Undeniably, there are a few noticeably poor-quality shots done for cost-saving purposes, but the season more than makes up for these weaknesses by delivering many incredibly animated action sequences.
One final complaint is that many great characters are sidelined this season, notably Cecil, Atom Eve, and the Guardians of the Globe. The latter half of the season in particular is heavily focused on developing its central protagonists rather than fleshing out an ensemble cast.
This, however, ends up being a positive attribute because this season features some of the show’s most nuanced, complex character writing to date. Nolan Grayson, also known as Omni-Man, voiced by J. K. Simmons, is given abundant opportunities to shine, such as in a tense argument with his ex-wife Debbie in undoubtedly one of the most emotional, well-written scenes in the show. Mark is also extremely compelling as a protagonist this season; by the final episode, his immense trauma finally catches up to him in a way that’s horrifying to watch.
With those few nitpicks out of the way, it needs to be mentioned how excellent the second half of the season is. There’s a fantastic three-episode arc that mostly takes place in space, and the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been. Episode five, “Give Us a Moment,” pulls absolutely no punches, starting the Viltrumite War storyline with an immediate bang. The terrifying supervillain known as Conquest returns in full force, immaculately voiced by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who delivers a spine-chilling vocal performance. Through the final scene’s uncomfortable imagery and nauseating sound design, the show proved in that moment that animated violence can be just as effective as live-action.
While most TV shows would have the Mark vs. Conquest fight serve as the climax, this season goes above and beyond, raising the stakes even higher with the incredible penultimate episode “Don’t Do Anything Rash.” After so much buildup, we finally get to see Thragg, the leader of the Viltrum Empire, in action. In just a single episode, his haunting demeanor and brutal strength immediately solidifies him as one of the most intimidating supervillains of all time. The emotional weight of this climactic battle is fully present, with it truly feeling like the fate of the universe lies in the hands of Mark and his team. Filled with jaw-dropping, unpredictable moments, this episode is without question a highlight of the season.
Episode eight, “Don’t Leave Me Hanging Here,” while slower in pace, is still an outstanding conclusion to the season. To make up for the lack of action, the finale packs the runtime with gripping drama, especially between Mark, Eve, Nolan, and Debbie. It’s genuinely beautiful to witness how much these characters have developed across the four seasons. The episode ends with a blood-curdling confrontation with Thragg, followed by a stunning twist that suggests the next season has some crazy events in store.
Season four, though it has its ups and downs, continues the show’s reputation of providing high-quality storytelling. Even though it falters slightly in the animation department, it’s well worth the sacrifice if it means this show gets released annually, unlike many other series that take multiple years for seasons to come out. It’s easy to cherry-pick certain scenes that look subpar, but, for the most part, the animation is perfectly serviceable. The bottom line is: If Invincible keeps up this level of quality throughout the years, it will easily go down as the best superhero story of this decade.
