Invincible season 4 is here, and Prime Video's gritty superhero series keeps finding new ways to impress us — which is no easy feat after three incredible outings. The show's latest chapter picks up after Mark and Eve's traumatic showdown with Conquest at the end of season 3, which proves a small sample of the Viltrum threat awaiting the characters in the newest episodes.
Winter Is Coming received screeners for the first six installments of season 4. And even without the final two — which are poised to deliver the series' most high-stakes confrontation yet — it's safe to say this is the best Invincible has ever been. This chapter shifts its focus back to the heart of the story: the Grayson family, their trauma, and their complicated connection to the Viltrum Empire.
The show continues to balance this larger narrative with its sprawling ensemble and the presence of other threats, including the Sequid return teased at the end of Invincible season 3. These smaller opponents test Mark's vow to be more ruthless, taking the show's lead on an emotional journey that proves the real highlight of season 4. Combined with higher stakes, Omni-Man's return, and the supporting arcs woven into Mark's story, it makes for another standout season of television.
Invincible season 4 shifts its sights to the Viltrum Empire after seasons of build-up
From the end of Invincible season 1, the Viltrum Empire is a looming threat hanging over the series — but with Nolan fleeing and Mark preoccupied with other conflicts, it's never completely at the center of the story. And season 4 still takes us on a few detours, especially in its early episodes. But as Invincible season 4's trailer promises, the latest chapter shifts its focus back to the Viltrumites in a satisfying way.
Conquest proves a great segue into this story, as Mark and Eve barely walk away from their fight with Jeffrey Dean Morgan's character alive. If one Viltrumite is almost unbeatable, we're left to wonder how the Graysons can hope to resist the rest of them. That reality ramps up the tensions as Mark and Eve grapple with their trauma and try to keep Invincible Inc. afloat. And it's clearly front-of-mind for Mark, who's determined to prevent further tragedy, even if it means sacrificing his humanity to do so.
Invincible grapples with whether that's truly the right choice, but one gets the sense that Mark will need to be a bit harder as we approach the entrance of Lee Pace's Grand Regent Thragg. The stakes are high for Mark and Earth, but a deeper look at the Viltrum Empire's history highlights where the villains' zealous nature stems from. It doesn't justify all they've done, but it makes for one of the show's most harrowing sequences yet. And it ups the stakes on all sides, ensuring the coming conflict is one that the characters — and the viewers — are thoroughly invested in.
Prime Video's superhero show reaches satisfying new levels of character depth
The increased stakes on all sides make Invincible season 4 a gripping watch. However, the true strength of this outing is in its character work. The new episodes pay off everything that comes before, from Mark's inner turmoil to Nolan's increasingly complicated feelings about his home planet.
Invincible season 4 parallels Mark's and Nolan's journeys nicely. As Mark inches closer to becoming the harder, callous hero his father hoped for, Nolan steadily moves toward atonement. The two will need to meet in the middle to solve their problems, but their growth is believably stubborn and slow. This gives viewers time to savor the journey as they near their inevitable reunion.
Invincible season 4 is clearly Mark and Nolan's season, but the series continues to do a great job fleshing out its supporting cast. Oliver really comes into his own in the new episodes, while Eve and Debbie grapple with their own challenges. And Allen continues to be a delight every time he's on-screen, adding some much-needed levity to an otherwise dark chapter. (I certainly wouldn't say no to a Nolan and Allen buddy-cop movie, but I suppose they'll have to survive the season first.)
Invincible season 4's action is better (and bloodier) than ever
Invincible is known for its character complexity, but the Prime Video series also has a reputation for its over-the-top violence — a tradition it continues in its new episodes. The series has occasionally been criticized for relying too heavily on gore, but it works to its advantage in season 4. It conveys the stakes more clearly, both when it comes to Mark's morality crisis and the impending war.
More impressively, Invincible manages to reach new heights with its action, which is impressive for a series so accustomed to showing blood and guts. There's one sequence, in particular, that had me squirming in my seat...something that isn't easy to accomplish after so many episodes of Invincible and The Boys have desensitized me to such violent turns.
But one-upping itself seems to be a trend for Invincible, and it pulls it off spectacularly in season 4. There are very few snags as the series reaches its peak, and those who have stuck with it since the beginning will be satisfied to see it all coming together at last.