The Big Picture
- Invincible Season 2 picks up after a brutal battle between Invincible and Omni-Man, as Mark struggles to escape his father's shadow and become his own hero.
- New heroes like Shapesmith and Bulletproof will join the story, while Angstrom Levy becomes Mark's closest thing to an arch-enemy.
- Levy can cross dimensions and seeks revenge on Invincible, going as far as tormenting Mark's mother and threatening to destroy him.
When Invincible made its debut in 2021, it gave a jolt of life to the superhero genre. The premise of the show is lifted from the Image Comics series created by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker & Ryan Ottley: Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) strives to live up to the example of his father Nolan (J.K. Simmons), who is the world's greatest superhero Omni-Man. Along the way, he fights a slew of threats and meets fellow heroes including Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs), while dealing with the usual teenage problems of puberty and homework. That is upended with the revelation that Nolan is far from the benevolent protector Mark believed him to be; he is secretly an agent of the Viltrum Empire that sought to conquer Earth. Season 1 ends with a brutal battle between Mark and Nolan that leaves the young hero brutally battered — and mentally shaken.
Invincible Season 2 will pick up in the aftermath of that revelation, as Mark now struggles to escape his father's shadow and become his own kind of hero. Not only will he continue to meet new heroes like Shapesmith (Ben Schwartz) and Bulletproof (Jay Pharoah) but he'll also gain a new enemy: Angstrom Levy (Sterling K. Brown). Fans of the comic series will recognize that name, as Levy becomes the closest thing Invincible has to an arch-enemy. His powers allow him to cross dimensions, which seems to fit into the multiverse trend that's currently populating the superhero genre and led to some of the biggest storylines in the Invincible comic — which only served to test Invincible.
Angstrom Levy Is the Closest Thing Invincible Has to a Nemesis
Levy first appeared in Invincible #16, as he pulled one of his alternate selves from a world where Invincible had joined Omni-Man's side and subjugated Earth. He was seeking to accumulate all of his alternate selves' knowledge so that he could freely travel dimensions without having to worry about any potential apocalypses. To that end, he sought the help of the Mauler Twins to build a device that would give him the knowledge he needed. Invincible burst in just as the machine was complete and battled the Twins — which led to the machine malfunctioning and horribly disfiguring Levy.
But Levy didn't just receive physical scars — his mind was also affected by the incident. Swearing revenge on Invincible, he dove through dimensions to learn more about his foe and discovered Mark's secret identity. He then cornered Mark's mother Debbie and tormented her emotionally, even breaking her arm. An enraged Mark tackled Levy through a dimensional portal and fell through multiple alternate Earths, eventually landing on an Earth that was devastated by an unknown force. But Levy wasn't done with his attempts to destroy Mark.
Spawn Helped Invincible Fight His Counterparts During The Invincible War
Levy would once again threaten Invincible — and the world — in Invincible #60. He gathered 16 different versions of Mark Grayson, who were a far cry from the original. Most of them had either joined the Viltrum Empire, or descended into darkness following a traumatic event. Levy struck a deal with the alternate Invincibles: if they visited the prime Invincible's Earth and laid waste to it, he would help them fulfill their goals. Over the course of three days, the alternate Invincibles ravaged multiple cities and battled their prime counterpart, but also battled with plenty of Image characters including Witchblade, Cyber Force and Spawn.
The Invincible War serves as a great example of how Invincible differs from other superhero comics. While most superhero crossovers would span their own separate series (and a fleet of tie-ins), the Invincible War takes place over the course of a single issue. The fallout from this event would also have a genuine impact on Invincible's life, especially considering his relationship with the world, as some people believed he was just as bad as Omni-Man. While the Invincible War was huge in scale and scope, it would more than likely be impossible to adapt. Image Comics' structure means that the rights to the characters lie with their creators, and therefore, said creators would have to give permission. But there are hints that Invincible may meet another hero due to Levy's multiversal meddling...
Through Levy, Invincible Teams Up With Spider-Man
During his first battle with Levy, Invincible was hurled into a strange universe and bumped into none other than the Amazing Spider-Man himself! After helping Spidey battle Dock Ock, Invincible formed a connection with the web-slinger before heading home. The crossover came about as Kirkman was working at Marvel Comics and writing Marvel Team-Up at the time; given that Invincible was his creation, he and Walker were able to incorporate Invincible into the Marvel Universe, even if it was for a brief visit. Not to mention, the issue is chock-full of superhero goodness, from Invincible and Spider-Man discussing their civilian lives to poking fun at each other's name.
Invincible fans have been thinking that Season 2 may adapt this story in some capacity due to Levy's presence, and the breadcrumbs are piling up. One fan noticed in the first teaser trailer that Invincible is reading Marvel Team-Up #14 — which contained the Invincible/Spider-Man story — on an iPad. Further fueling the flames is the addition of Josh Keaton to the voice cast. Keaton is best known for voicing Peter Parker in The Spectacular Spider-Man animated series, as well as a collection of video games. Spider-Man has also slowly become linked with the multiverse, most notably in the Spider-Verse movies and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Finally, Prime Video has several Spider-Man themed series in development, including shows based on Spider-Man Noir and Cindy Moon, aka Silk. Whether Invincible ends up joining forces with other heroes or not, Angstrom Levy will prove to be a formidable force for the young hero that will put his chosen moniker to the test.
Season 2 of Invincible premieres November 3 on Prime Video.
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