Invincible season 3 review: Kirkman and co need to course correct after unwieldy instalment

But despite the show’s name, chinks definitely started to appear in the second season's armour, with a significantly long gap between the two-parter impeding key events. Can Robert Kirkman and co help course-correct the ship in this third outing?

Following the warning from Viltrumite agent Anissa (Shantel VanSanten) of the impending Viltrumite invasion, the third season charts Mark’s (Steven Yeun) preparations to defend the planet, undergoing Cecil’s (Walton Goggins) training regime to considerably improve his speed, endurance and strength.

But when Mark uncovers Cecil’s shocking tactics and morally murky ethics, he parts ways with the Global Defense Agency (GDA), donning a brand new blue and black suit to mark the new chapter.

Meanwhile, Mark’s rapidly growing half-brother Oliver (Christian Convery) soon tags along on missions with Invincible and Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs). But the two brothers certainly don’t see eye-to-eye when it comes to dispatching villains and the half-Thraxan’s new superhero name - Kid Omni-Man (yikes!).

The third outing of Robert Kirkman’s beloved superhero tale features the signature elements fans have come to know and love, with plenty of exciting revelations, bloody showdowns, complex family dynamics, new suits and fun team-ups.

Thankfully, this time around the season isn’t split into two parts, significantly helping to improve the overall pacing as there’s just so much ground to cover when adapting this mammoth story.

There’s also plenty of character development, explosive conflict and weighty themes to sink your teeth into, including the unintentional collateral damage of superpowered brawls, the toll it takes being a superhero and the ramifications of Mark and Nolan’s carnage in Chicago.

We’re also treated to a Cecil-centric flashback - delving into just how he got his scar - which helps to further flesh out the questionable actions, motivations and morality of the complicated GDA director, who serves as one of the main antagonists this season.

However, the glaring issue with this outing is the sheer amount of new heroes and villains introduced to the already packed ensemble, with Kirkman and co struggling to juggle a multitude of larger arcs among the 'villain of the week' format.

And while there are standout moments among the timey-wimey Dropkick/Fightmaster (Xolo Maridueña) outing, the Multi-Paul (Simu Liu) shenanigans and emotional Powerplex (Aaron Paul) centric scenes, these instalments frustratingly sacrifice crucial time with fan favourites such as Allen the Alien (Seth Rogen) and Nolan (JK Simmons).

The intergalactic duo’s unlikely friendship is one of the show's most endearing dynamics - plus the shifting moral complexity of Omni-Man makes for such a fascinating arc - so it’s disappointing to see these characters relegated yet again.

Frustratingly, a key piece of information is also revealed in the integral Coalition of Planets thread, just to quickly be thrust aside for yet another villain of the week episode. (Less of the D-list villains such as Doc Seismic and Machine Head next season, please.)

Furthermore, while many fans are looking forward to a certain upcoming war, the foundations aren’t laid until later on in the season, raising concerns that this seismic event may unfortunately be rushed.

With a fourth season confirmed at 2024’s San Diego Comic-Con and Kirkman planning a roughly seven-to-eight-season adaptation of the behemoth 144-issue story, the writers definitely need to pick up the pace in key events going forward.

While it’s fun exploring more of the larger mythology this season, the overdrawn drama and will-they-won’t-they romances detract from the larger machinations at play as there’s still so much to dive into, including the introduction of Conquest and Thragg, along with monumental events such as the Invincible War, the Viltrumite War and the Virus arc.

Still, there’s no denying the thrilling action with even more excellent team-ups - including Mark and Atom Eve battling a literal dragon - along with one shocking sequence which genuinely pushes the gore to the limits.

The series also features the debut of Mark’s comic-accurate blue and black suit - and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. There’s also some fun Séance Dog Easter eggs, and in one particular episode, an ingenious use of the title card screen. (This long-running gag will never get old!)

However, with an unwieldy character roster and an overflowing amount of arcs, is the Robert Kirkman adult animated series starting to lose its way? While the addition of this season's star-studded voice cast is undoubtedly impressive, the sheer number of characters is threatening to burst the narrative at the seams.

With a disappointing lack of development in key story arcs, the third season feels like a frustrating adventure so far despite the promising start. However, with only six of the eight episodes previewed to press, here’s hoping the final two knock our Séance Dog socks off!

Invincible season 3 will begin on Prime Video on 6th February 2025 – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.

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