Four seasons in and this show continues to show why it’s one of my personal favorites and still one of the best pieces of modern superhero media. Season Four of Invincible of course had the top-notch voice acting and incredibly brutal action that was present in previous seasons, especially since this season mostly covers our protagonists traversing the galaxy and finally taking the fight to the villainous Thragg and his Viltrumites on the planet Viltrum, the main threat of the whole series. (Thragg’s calm demeanor coupled with his immense power and influence undoubtedly made him Invincible’s most terrifying villain.) The stakes have never been higher and the animation, as well as the action set pieces, definitely reflect that. (This season definitely had some of the most brutal action in the whole show. It actually featured the very first moment I had to look away from the screen. If you know, you know.) However, along with the action and animation, Invincible also shows that it’s more than just an animated superhero show with a bloody twist. This season in particular had a large emphasis on the series’ interpersonal relationships and the value of life. Each one of the protagonists tackle this theme in unique way. Our main protagonist, Mark Grayson himself, must make a myriad of decisions throughout the season, all having to do with the difficulties of making choices for the sake of the greater good and sometimes to the detriment of innocent people. Omni-Man, aka Nolan Grayson, must deal with rejecting the Viltrumite culture that he was born into. (Nolan making amends for his past decisions made for some of the most riveting scenes, especially the argument with his former wife Debbie.) Even Thaedus, the leader of Coalition of Planets going against the Viltrumite Empire is fully willing to sacrifice countless lives to defeat the Viltrumites, with little to no regard for those around him. Needless to say, season four was Invincible’s narrative at its most engaging. The season wasn’t without some minor flaws, however. In its effort to successfully adapt its comic book source material, which it masterfully executes for the most part, there are dashes of filler throughout the season. (This pertains to the attempted inclusion of many characters from the Invincible comics. There is even a plotline in episode four that wasn’t in the comics and didn’t fit as seamlessly into the season as the show runners might’ve hoped.) This barely affected my enjoyment of the season overall, though, and it truly amazes me how consistently great this series continues to be. I can’t wait for Season Five, especially after that chilling ending! Score: 9/10
Noah Robinson 