Invincible season 2 is chaotic, heart-wrenching, intense, and a bit scattered

Brace yourselves: Amazon Prime Video’s Invincible is back! And it’s packing quite the punch with the first half of season 2.

Though only four new episodes will be dropping starting November 3, do not fret: they are seriously insane episodes and are absolutely going to keep you on the edge of your seat while we wait for the series to return with the remaining four episodes next year. Although these four episodes can feel a tad fragmented, believe me when I say that the emotional rollercoaster is as real as ever.

But before we do a tiny, spoiler-free dive into the new season of this superhero drama, let’s take a quick stroll down memory lane and recap the first one, shall we? Mark Grayson is just your average teenager, except that his dad, Nolan, is the most powerful superhero on Earth: Omni-Man. As his son, Mark eventually develops superpowers of his own, which you’d figure is a dream come true, right? But it isn’t. Mark quickly learns that being a superhero isn’t all flying, fun and games. By the end of the season, Mark finds himself in a heart-wrenching face-off with his dear old dad; turns out Daddy Dearest has some deep, dark secrets involving his home planet of Viltrum. With a side of betrayal, a heaping helping of emotional damage, and some insane fights, season 1 was a whirlwind of epic proportions, leaving us all screaming “Dad, how could you?!” at our TVs while mascara ran down our faces.

Just me? Oh, ok.

Invincible season 2, part 1 spoiler-free review

Let’s talk about the second season while keeping things as shush as possible. It starts right where we left off, as our hero Mark Grayson deals with daddy issues of unprecedented proportions. Who wouldn’t, after being used as a human heavy bag by your own father? This season dives deep into Mark’s psyche, and it’s raw, wild, and very emotional. As Mark’s mother Debbie, Sandra Oh captures the essence of a mother adrift in an impossible situation. It’s heartbreaking and relatable, emphasis on relatable.

But there’s more to this season than just a moody Mark. On top of predictably spectacular fights that have the potential to shift the power dynamics of the Invincible universe, we get the introduction of another big player from the comics: the dimension-hopping villain Angstrom Levy, who makes this new season a lot spicier. All of this is drawn right from the Invincible comic books by Robert Kirkman. The show stays very true to its source material, in spirit and content both.

The biggest thing that keeps me coming back to this show, especially these four new episodes, is its undying appetite for gore. If you thought last season was brutal…Oh, sweet summer children: brace yourselves. But this time, it feels… right? Can I say that? It’s kind of like the show has finally found its rhythm.

And speaking of rhythm, a huge shoutout to lead actor Steven Yeun; his voice acting has evolved to a point where every word he utters feels like a raw, emotional poem. Mark is a very lovable character. He’s young, but he’s definitely not stupid and he’s got the best moral compass I’ve ever seen on a superhero.

So, while this season can feel a bit like a jigsaw puzzle with pieces from different boxes, it’s the emotional depth that brings it all together and paints a bigger picture. BUCKLE. THE EFF. UP. Invincible season 2 is chaotic, heart-wrenching, intense, and maybe just just a little scattered, but it is absolutely worth the watch and kind of cruel for being this good and leaving us hanging as we wait for more.

Can’t wait to see what part 2 has in store for us.

To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels