Invincible — Season 3 Review. Classic Superhero Storytelling
Invincible has reached its third season and continues to earn high praise from critics. What started as a fresh take on the superhero genre has now fully transformed into something akin to a Marvel-style universe. However, judging by the reviews, no one seems to mind. We’ve watched the available episodes and are ready to answer the big question: does Season 3 deserve the hype?
When Invincible first premiered, audiences were thrilled. At first glance, the animated show didn’t seem all that different from countless other superhero projects from Marvel and DC. A young hero trying to find his place in the world while juggling teenage life and crime-fighting? A lineup of villains, great power, great responsibility—it all sounded like familiar territory, even for die-hard fans of the genre.
But Invincible had a few key differences that made it stand out. First, its protagonist, Mark, doesn’t lose his parents. He has a happy, loving family, and his father—who is also a superhero—is eager to train him. Second, superheroes in this world don’t operate in secrecy; they work for the government as official defenders of Earth. With constant threats looming, super-powered individuals aren’t just masked vigilantes; they’re full-time protectors, with headquarters, missions, and government backing—similar to The Boys, but with a more optimistic tone.
And then came the game-changing twist: Mark’s father, Omni-Man, a Superman-like figure, turns out to be the villain. The brutal battle between father and son quickly became a viral sensation, solidifying Invincible as something fresh and unexpected. Unlike Homelander from The Boys, who is a straight-up villain, Nolan (Omni-Man’s real name) is a more complex character, torn between his mission and his love for his family. This nuance made him one of the most compelling antagonists in recent memory. Combine that with dynamic animation and a hard-hitting R-rating, and the show became an instant hit. But after such a shocking and well-received first season, the second season hit some snags.
Before diving into Season 3, it’s worth mentioning the man behind Invincible: Robert Kirkman, best known for The Walking Dead. Kirkman is undoubtedly talented, but he also has a knack for stretching his stories as long as possible. Just as The Walking Dead milked the zombie apocalypse until it ran dry, Invincible seems to be following a similar pattern.
Season 2 shifted the focus to Mark and a growing roster of secondary characters. And this is where the cracks started to show. Without Omni-Man as the central antagonist, the story leaned more heavily into generic superhero tropes. Every plot twist and character arc started to feel like something we’d already seen before.
Then there were the fillers. Oh, how Kirkman loves his fillers. The first season thrived on the father-son dynamic, but in Season 2, it became painfully obvious that there wasn’t enough plot to fill eight full episodes. Many storylines felt like distractions, with entire episodes dedicated to side adventures that barely moved the main story forward. To make matters worse, the decision to split the season in half—releasing four episodes in late 2023 and the rest months later in 2024—led to a loss of momentum. By the time the season resumed, many viewers had already forgotten key details, and the excitement had fizzled out. The show only regained its footing when Nolan returned near the end of the season, bringing back the tension that made Invincible so gripping in the first place.
Now, Season 3 is here. Not all episodes are out yet, but with six out of eight available, there’s more than enough to form an impression—especially for those who dropped the show due to Season 2’s slow pacing.
Right away, the creators make it clear they’re addressing past complaints. Nolan is being “redeemed” but remains locked up in an alien prison. Mark finally starts a relationship with Eve and clashes with government handler Cecil. It feels like the show is trying to assure viewers that the old problems are gone and everything is back on track. But the reality is a bit more complicated.
After an energetic start, the pacing slows down again. Many conflicts feel forced and manufactured. Take one example: Mark’s friends advise him against revealing certain information, explaining the consequences in detail. Minutes later, he does the exact opposite, as if that conversation never happened—leading to a predictable fallout that eats up an entire episode. The intention is clear: Mark is meant to be a genuinely good person who refuses to be manipulative. But the execution feels clumsy, making earlier scenes feel pointless.
Season 3 also struggles with meaningful consequences. Conflicts emerge but rarely have lasting effects. Relationships stall until the plot needs them to progress. A major disagreement between Mark and Cecil, for instance, feels arbitrary—especially considering that Mark was willing to forgive his father’s atrocities in Season 2 but suddenly can’t grasp Cecil’s morally gray decisions. One episode treats it as an explosive issue, only for it to be completely ignored in the next.
Another issue is the show’s reluctance to embrace complexity. Even Marvel has started moving away from simplistic black-and-white storytelling, but Invincible still leans on overly righteous characters. In Season 1, Omni-Man’s true motives were a mystery, adding tension. Now, there’s little room for uncertainty—heroes act like heroes, villains act like villains, and moral dilemmas feel artificial.
Side characters are another weak point. While they each have their own subplots, none of them feel meaningful. With an intergalactic war looming, their personal dramas feel trivial. As a result, many of these scenes feel like filler, making viewers eager to fast-forward back to Mark and his family.
A final issue that Invincible struggles with is what writers call “The Superman Problem.” A hero without weaknesses isn’t compelling. Every great Superman story gives him a meaningful challenge—whether it’s emotional, intellectual, or moral.
Season 3 fails in this regard. Most threats to Mark feel insignificant. The only real danger he ever faced was from Nolan. Sometimes, the show tries to counterbalance this by making Mark absurdly overpowered in one scene and strangely vulnerable in another, creating inconsistencies in his strength levels.
His mother, one of his few emotional weaknesses, was put in danger in Season 2—but she recovered with no lasting impact. The upcoming war with the Viltrumites should, in theory, provide the challenge the story needs, but Kirkman’s tendency to drag things out makes it hard to trust that the payoff will be worth it.
***
At its core, Invincible still has solid ideas, stunning animation, and the appeal of an adult superhero story that doesn’t hold back on violence. Compared to other recent superhero animations—like the disaster that was Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man—it’s still a strong contender. But the reality is that Invincible was created during the golden age of superhero storytelling, and its narrative structure feels outdated. The writers are hesitant to move things forward at a satisfying pace, prioritizing longevity over momentum. This drags down the pacing, immersion, and overall impact of the show. The season finale will no doubt be exciting, but will it really change anything? If you were to watch just the first and last episodes, how much would you actually miss?
