Review: Invincible “I Thought You’d Never Shut Up”

OVERVIEW (SPOILERS)

Still literally picking up the pieces from the Invincible War, Mark faces Conquest, one of the strongest living Viltrumites.

OUR TAKE

Do you need a cigarette after that one? Because I sure do, and I don’t even smoke. This, to put it bluntly, the most intense, brutal, violent, and hard hitting episode of Invincible to date, which is why it just might be its best episode so far. After everything Mark has had to drag himself through, physically, mentally, emotionally, even financially, the threat of fighting the Viltrumites has loomed over him all of that time like a sword ready to fall on his head. And even though he’s gone through multiple universes, mentor his brother, and even fight an army with his own face, nothing could prepare him for facing Conquest, who isn’t even the strongest one out there. This fight was already built up to be one of the best in the comics but it handily delivers here. They must have dumped about half the budget into this and they made it count, made all the better by an impeccable performance by Jeffery Dean Morgan, checking off another name off of The Walking Dead’s alumni to join this show. And if that ending is anything to go by, this is far from the last we have seen of his character.

The season wraps with everyone picking up the pieces…again, but it’s a fitting way to finish this season. So many characters have sacrificed so much, others have revealed more about themselves than they would have liked, and the moral ambiguity of this world is on display now more than ever. And yet, to protect what they love, everyone will have to come together again, as more forces gather together both outside Earth, but even within it, as well as other dimensions if the post-credit scene is anything to go by. But we can all agree that Rudy taking Rex’s name after already cloning his body is…pretty weird, right? Like not weird enough to ruin the episode, but still…gross. Thankfully, we won’t need to wait that long for the next season, as we’ve been assured they will be yearly from here on out. Not great for the poor animators needing to keep this feeling consistent, but great for us viewers at least! Now, all that’s left is for us to look back and see how this all came together in the Season Review. Though I have to admit, this season has been so crazy that I might need to re-watch it on double speed. Still gonna pause for the gory parts though.