I can’t believe we’re already at the end of season 2 for Invincible.
It feels like just yesterday the show returned from its midseason hiatus and yet here we are. And what an arrival it’s been.
“I’m Not Going Anywhere” featured a little bit of everything and continued a trend of showing how emotional Invincible can get. Couple that with moments of laughter and suspense and you have quite the enjoyable emotional roller coaster.
Before we breakdown the episode, be sure to check out our past season 2 reviews of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth episodes. You can also check out our recap of season 1 for further context.
Spoiler Warning: This review will cover what happened in Invincible Season 2, Episode 7 “I’m Not Going Anywhere” as well as events leading up to it.
Synopsis: Agency and Emotion
After leaving a date with Amber, Mark races off to assist Rex Splode, who left the GDA hospital on a mission, and the two bond. The Immortal wants to quit the Guardians because he’s struggling with Kate’s death but Cecil tells him no.
Donald also wants to resign because he’s upset that Cecil resurrected him and erased his memories, claiming he took away his agency. Cecil then reveals that Donald has died numerous times previously and he has requested the erasure.
Mark meets with the dean, who is his old high school principal, to discuss his failing grades with the dean giving him one last chance. Mark also asks his mom about how she handled dating a superhero.
Rick continues to struggle with the trauma of what Sinclair did to him. This drives him to contemplate suicide, but William calls Donald, who successfully talks Rick off the ledge.
Mark takes Amber on an extravagant date only for Anissa, a Viltrumite, to interrupt and threaten Amber’s life. She tells Mark he has to fulfill his duty of preparing Earth for Vitrumite occupation.
Anissa helps Mark save a cruise ship from a sea monster attack. He continues to refuse Anissa and the two engage in a fight that leaves Mark bloodied but alive.
Amber and Mark seem to agree to breakup as Amber says she can’t live in his superhero world as the challenges are too much. The episode ends with Angstrom Levy calling Mark as he holds his mom and half-brother hostage.
The mid-credit scene sees Anissa reporting her failures to Gen. Kregg. She then engages in a fight with Allen the Alien and seems to take him hostage though Allen also seems to be acting.
Analysis: A Masterclass in Emotional Manipulation
Invincible continues to impress with its ability to juggle. Not just juggle storylines, but also tones, emotions, and its depiction of Mark trying to juggle his life.
One minute, the show can have laughing and the next, you’re feeling dread. That was exactly my experience watching this week’s episode and it made for such a fun experience.
This episode had some heavy moments, particularly with Rick wanting to kill himself and Anissa threatening Amber. It can be quite the shock to get there so it’s remarkable how well the show does at easing you to that point.
First, the comedy in this show is great.
Invincible had its own Deadpool moment as Mark visits a comic book writer at Comic-Con and asks him when the second season of a show based on his comic is coming out. The writer then explains the complexities of animating a show based on a comic and the many challenges and shortcuts the animators take.
What made this joke so amazing was while the writer was explaining what animators do, what he said was happening on screen. This fourth-wall break was phenomenal especially because there are many impatient fans frustrated at how long it took season 2 of Invincible to release.
This isn’t just a nice joke. It sets up a starting point as the show slowly devolves into a more serious output. It’s hard to believe that the same episode that had me laughing at a meta joke also had me really tense when Anissa showed up.
The fact that Invincible can pull all these emotions out of me is really a testament to how well the writers are doing. I’ve heard the comics are just as, if not more, emotional so kudos to Robert Kirkman.
One of the more powerful moments was Donald’s realization of why his memory has been erased. I’ve been open on how his plotline was my least favorite, but this reveal made it super compelling.
Furthermore, his ability to relate with a suicidal Rick was powerful. Not many can relate to Rick’s trauma, but Donald is as close as it gets.
Donald keeps asking himself what he even is because of his resurrections, but now we know he is the person who saved Rick’s life. You don’t need super powers to be a hero and Donald portrays that, despite being mostly a robot.
Another great moment was seeing Rex regain his confidence. He truly seems like a different person and the budding bromance between him and Mark is fun to watch.
Returning to Anissa, I can’t emphasize how well this was done.
Invincible has done a phenomenal job at portraying the Viltrumites as a powerful and foreboding threat. Every time Mark has encountered one, he ends up in a bloody pulp. You could see the GDA scrambling only to realize they could do nothing.
And yet, the Viltrumites do pose some interesting points. It’s easy to just dismiss them as power-hungry warmongers, and some are, but their moral complexities are what make them so unique.
Anissa and Nolan have both laid out what a Viltrumite occupation would look like and it doesn’t seem like the worst thing given how they would take care of issues like climate change and world hunger. That said, the price is a loss of agency and autonomy.
You could even see Mark struggling with refusing Anissa’s offer because he knew there are a lot of benefits. He finally takes his stand, but his wavering is really telling.
Agency was a big theme this week as Donald struggled with his perceived loss of it and Amber seemingly breaking up with Mark because she feels like her agency is gone when she’s with it. It crept up again as Anissa explained what they could offer.
It’s cool to see this thread run though multiple plotlines and help tie the episode all together.
Lastly, just when you didn’t think the stakes could get any higher, Angstrom Levy and his freakish brain had to show up and make it all the more worse. I started this episode laughing and ended it with a lot of suspense. A job well done to all involved.
Final Score (4.5 out of 5 Stars)
Invincible just continues to impress on so many levels including its storytelling, character development, emotion, and its grasp of the superhero genre. You have to understand the genre well enough to break the rules.
The penultimate episode does a fantastic job at setting up what should be an excellent finale filled with some intense battles. Remember, the last season finale saw Nolan beat his son into oblivion in a manner that the show is stilling processing.
I’m expecting something just as big moving into the finale and that’s because of how well this episode did at setting one up.
That said, this episode stands on its own feet strongly as yet another example in a long list of reasons why Invincible continues to be some of the best superhero shows on TV.
Editors Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or experiencing a life crisis, please reach out to the Suicide and Life Crisis Hotline by dialing or texting 988. These services are free and available 24/7/365.
Featured Image: Prime Video (via Screen Rant)
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