Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Invincible Season 2 Part 1.
The Big Picture
The mid-season finale of Invincible Season 2 has finally revealed what Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons) has been up to since his shocking betrayal in Season 1. Once the Superman of this brutal and bloody superhero world, the seemingly noble Omni-Man (otherwise known as Nolan Grayson) revealed to the planet Earth that he was not the benevolent peacekeeper that he appeared to be. In actuality, the supposedly “peaceful” planet of Viltrum is really a galaxy conquering empire responsible for eradicating trillions of innocent lives.
Omni-Man revealed this all to his son, Invincible (Steven Yeun), in the Season 1 finale. The revelation that Omni-Man was sent to Earth as a sleeper agent, with his double life of a father and husband being a soulless disguise, enraged Invincible to the point where he and his father get into a deadly altercation. The battle isn’t fatal because either of them dies, but because Omni-Man effectively uses Invincible’s own body to slaughter hordes of innocents in a nearby city. The battle starts to look less like a fight and more like a massacre when Omni-Man starts beating Invincible within an inch of his life, but after a brief flashback of his son playing baseball, the enraged Viltrumite abruptly flies off the planet.
Where Omni-Man went at the end of Season 1 and why has remained as one of the show’s biggest mysteries (and the agonizing wait for Season 2 made that mystery gestate even longer). Did Omni-Man feel so guilty about his actions that he had to fly away, or is he simply regrouping with his peers on Viltrum? Well, Invincible finally reveals what the galaxy’s worst father has been up to since the events of Season 1.
Invincible is an adult animated superhero series that revolves around 17-year-old Mark Grayson, who’s just like every other guy his age — except his father is the most powerful superhero on the planet, Omni-Man. But as Mark develops powers of his own, he discovers his father’s legacy may not be as heroic as it seems.
Release Date March 25, 2021
Cast Steven Yeun, J.K. Simmons
Main Genre Superhero
Seasons 2
Creator Robert Kirkman
Streaming Service(s) Prime Video
Omni-Man Suffers an Existential Crisis at the Start of ‘Invincible’ Season 2
Omni-Man may be a liar, conqueror, murderer, and more, but if there is one positive thing that can be said about him, it’s that he really does love his son, Mark. Though he nearly killed him in their fight at the end of Season 1, one memory of his family at a happier time is what stops him from going any further. The fourth episode of Season 2 begins by revealing what happened to Omni-Man after his massacre on Earth. The Nolan that we meet in Season 2 doesn’t appear to be the arrogant and violent monster that he was in the Season 1 finale. This Omni-Man appears to be completely and utterly lost, both literally and figuratively. He’s flying around the various planets and stars in the galaxy, though instead of surveying them for potential conquering, he’s taking in their innate beauty and otherworldly charm. This, of course, is a perspective he didn’t seem to have for Earth or its people.
This existential crisis for Omni-Man leads the distraught alien to nearly throw himself into a black hole, ending his suffering once and for all. However, he changes his mind when he sees a malfunctioning Thraxan vessel hurling towards the same black hole. Be it a last-ditch effort to find some purpose in his long life or not, Omni-Man saves the ship and brings them back to their home planet. He’s about to leave when the Thraxans invite him to stay. He accepts and eventually becomes their emperor, but that’s not the only thing Nolan has been up to.
Nolan Introduces Mark to His Thraxan Half-Brother in ‘Invincible’ Season 2
After becoming the Thraxans’ sovereign, Omni-Man tricks Invinicble into coming to the planet, officially reuniting the two after their bloody battle. Despite giving his father a hug, Mark is understandably skeptical of his father and what it is he wants with him. Though Nolan did lure his son to the planet, he wasn’t lying when he said that Thraxa is in very real, imminent danger. However, that’s not the only shock Mark is in for in this impromptu reunion. Before expanding on what he wants from Mark, Nolan introduces his son to two new surprising figures in his life. The first is Andressa (Rhea Seehorn) — a Thraxan woman and Nolan’s new queen on the planet. Mark is pretty shocked to see his father kiss the alien, especially since Nolan’s description of Mark’s mother, Debbie (Sandra Oh), as a pet shook his Earth family’s relationship to their core. Mark is even more shocked to see that not only has Nolan seemingly replaced Debbie, but also himself.
Nolan reveals that Mark now has a half-brother in Nolan and Andressa’s newborn son (who grows much faster given that Thraxans typically only live for one year). Mark doesn’t even remotely understand why his father would be showing him all of this, but the reason why Nolan brought him to Thraxa expands on it: by leaving Earth, Nolan has abandoned his post and is now considered a deserter to the Viltrum Empire. Plus, Viltrumites are strictly forbidden from breeding with species not genetically similar to their own. This would make Andressa and her child a target, so Nolan asks Mark to look over them. Before Mark can even process this shocking turn of events, agents of the Viltrum Empire arrive to cause havoc on Thraxa.
Omni-Man’s True Intentions With Mark Are Still a Mystery
As mentioned earlier, Nolan genuinely loves Mark as his son. His roots as an unfeeling Viltrumite warrior could indicate otherwise, but Nolan could have easily killed Mark at various points in their several confrontations. His benevolent feelings for his son aren’t in question, but his true motivations remain to be seen. On the one hand, caring for a non-humanoid species like the Thraxans (which is strictly forbidden by the Viltrumites) is a pretty big indication that Omni-Man is starting to understand the value of life. That’s further exemplified by marrying into this culture and having a Thraxan child. His apparent love for the Thraxans even seems to frustrate him, being confused as to why he cares for a species that should be considered a life form beneath him.
That’s what it looks like on the surface, but then again, this is Omni-Man we’re talking about. This is an individual who is already well-established as a master of manipulation, making unsuspecting civilizations believe he’s someone who he is not. The timing of the Viltrumites’ arrival on Thraxa right when Mark gets there certainly seems rather convenient as well, making it appear that there is a chance that this is just another one of Omni-Man’s schemes to convince Mark that the only way for the galaxy to move forward is to follow Viltrumite rule.
Invincible Season 2, Part 1 is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S.
Watch on Prime Video
