Invincible season 4 review: "The MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do"

Superhero stories usually go one way: the hero and villain fight, and the hero wins. But what if that wasn't the end of the story? It's a question Invincible season 4 dares to ask in a slam dunk of a season that ups the ante thanks to clever use of the revolving door of Invincible's rogues' gallery, as well as the impending Viltrumite threat.

As we begin the season, public opinion on Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) has cooled after his all-out war with Conquest, though he is soon brought back into the fold when the parasite-like sequids – teased at the tail-end of the third season – make their fleshy presence felt once more.

"It's simply a matter of time before our luck runs out and they defeat us," the re-christened Rex (Ross Marquand) says in one on-the-nose moment as wave after wave of Mark's victories come back to haunt him.

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What the script lacks in subtlety, it more than makes up for with its focused approach to Mark's foes this season. The tight escalation soars where Marvel's frequent one-and-done bad guy efforts frequently falter thanks to Invincible embracing change and continuation throughout.

That decision makes even the most bog-standard of showdowns surge with dramatic tension – even if you might soon grow tired of the likes of the Flaxans and Mister Liu making a comeback if you weren't fans of them to begin with. That was definitely how I felt about the sequids overstaying their welcome this time around in one of the season's very few lowlights.

While the sewer-dwelling sequids are a slight busted flush this year, Invincible more than makes up for it in a handful of narrative detours. Much like Cecil's high-watermark episode in season 3, the second episode is devoted almost entirely to Nolan/Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons) and his past.

While, admittedly, it's down to Invincible following the source material fairly religiously, the lack of Omni-Man in the main storylines has proved irksome since his departure from Earth.

The Nolan-centric episode more than makes up for his prolonged absence, offering a further glimpse into Viltrumite society and their twisted traditions – all while finally moving his story forward.

It also exemplifies Invincible's incredibly poised tightrope act of high drama and hilarious hijinks. Moments of levity are sprinkled throughout, including a long-running joke about loud lovemaking that improves on creator Robert Kirkman's original orgasmic punchline, while a hapless Star Trek-esque crew that is a few protons short of a torpedo are among the season's more zany highlights.

To Hell and back

This year, Invincible also goes to Hell – and that's by no means a comment on its quality. Kirkman has found time to squeeze in an original story not present in the source material, one that sees Mark dragged into the Under-Realm and forced to do battle with a legion of demonic forces alongside Damien Darkblood (Clancy Brown).

What begins as an intriguing lore dump about Hell's history soon descends into the sort of glorious heavy metal carnage that the trilogy of recent Doom games would be proud of.

Yes, the action once again takes centre stage in Invincible. There remains a supreme joy in witnessing Invincible's knockdown brawls.

Where live-action superheroes have to pull their punches, Mark's showdowns hit hard and raze cities. One moment – which I shan't spoil here, only to say it involves disembowelling – makes its super-powered Prime Video cousin The Boys look like child's play. Eric Kripke, eat your heart (and your intestines) out.

Yet, Invincible doesn't work without those quieter, more intimate moments. Showrunners Robert Kirkman and Simon Racioppa have tightened the emotional nuts and bolts in season 4, allowing for smaller scenes to breathe among the cacophony of chaos that is meted out across the cosmos as the Viltrumites close in.

Mark and Eve's fledgling relationship may blossom more throughout the fourth season, but Eve (Gillian Jacobs) has her own personal struggles to deal with, thanks to failing powers that are turning her creations into "atomic sludge." Oliver, too, has his own growing pains as he transforms from a sidekick into something altogether more formidable.

Debbie (Sandra Oh, in effortless top form) is also navigating life with a new partner, but soon must confront her past in unexpected ways. In a series highlight, Oh shines in the snatches of emotionally charged scenes she is afforded. So much so, in fact, that the somewhat static animation struggles to keep up with a performance that leaps off the screen.

An animated discussion

Ah, yes – the animation. Invincible's artistic endeavors – or lack thereof, according to a vocal minority – have often been a stick with which to beat it. Invincible is never going to match the Fleischer Superman cartoons, but the animation has incrementally improved – even if some flying animations are still weak and devoid of life. It seems Invincible is never beating the PNG allegations, especially when there are still scenes that resemble a picture being dragged across a background by a mouse cursor.

Invincible season 4's biggest strength, though, is its ability to edge towards its endgame (Robert Kirkman has previously been vocal about the series running for 7-8 seasons) without sacrificing any of the winning quality found in the more grounded stories.

The Viltrum Empire once again rears its ugly moustachioed head, with ultimate series villain Grand Regent Thragg (Lee Pace) proving a suitably menacing threat, albeit one operating on the periphery from the six episodes we've seen.

As most narrative strands begin to coalesce into one A-story concerning a Viltrumite war, Invincible begins the long, long road to its finale in fine style in what could have otherwise been a season of frustrating wheel-spinning and flat soul-searching.

Much like the sequids and Flaxans, we're eager to return for more time with Invincible after this season. Its experimental episodes, fearsome action scenes, and beautifully deployed moments of real, rich gravitas show that the MCU and DCU have a lot of catching up to do if they want to keep pace with Mark Grayson and company.

For more, check out our picks for the best shows on Prime Video and the best movies on Prime Video.