Warning! This piece contains spoilers for Invincible.
After the controversial delivery of the first part of Season 2 last year, the final four episodes of Invincible are finally on Prime. If you're wondering whether it was worth the wait, the Part 2 premiere "This Must Come as a Shock" hints that it absolutely was. So we're here to dig into what Invincible and company have been up to as well as breaking down a huge reveal and the potential for a big change when it comes to an important death!
What's the Status Quo For Invincible Season 2 Part 2?
In case you don't remember, Invincible Season 2 Part 1 left off with Mark (Steven Yeun) discovering his dad, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), was alive and had a new alien wife, Andressa (Rhea Seehorn) on their home planet of Thraxa. After Mark reunited with his dear old dad, Omni-Man was beaten brutally by his fellow Viltrumites for abandoning his post on Earth and was sentenced to death. With Omni-Man out of the way, Mark was left with his father's new family to deal with the fallout.
As the episode begins, Mark heads back to Earth with his half-brother, where his mother, Debbie (Sandra Oh), is less than happy to discover her husband had a secret alien child. Despite that, though, the pair decides they're not going to abandon him immediately. They begin an unexpected new family together as Mark returns to his earthbound life.
How is Donald Ferguson Still Alive in Invincible Season 2?
After his death at the hands of Omni-Man in Season 1, fans were understandably surprised to see Global Defense Agency member Donald Ferguson (Chris Diamantopoulos) alive and well in the first part of the show's sophom*ore season. Those who had read the comics likely recalled just how this could be possible, but for show watchers the reveal only came as "This Might Come as a Shock" hit Prime Video. After discovering something amiss, Donald confronts the G.D.A.'s nefarious leader, Cecil (Walton Goggins), who tells him the truth. Donald was killed by the Viltrumite villain, but his brain survived. So the G.D.A. built him a new robot body that just so happens to make him a superpowered cyborg or, depending on your definition, android.
He's understandably shaken by this reveal but comics fans are likely rejoicing at this deepcut bit of lore for the character who first debuted in 2003's Brit #1, one of Kirkman's lesser known superhero stories alongside legendary artist Tony Moore. The Part 2 premiere adapts the narrative of Ferguson being killed from the pages of the second Brit adventure, Cold Death, but in a way that adds more mystery and a connection to Omni-Man. That series is also where Cecil and the G.D.A. hail from, so if you haven't yet checked out the series that debuted the same year as Invincible there's never been a better time.
Could Atom Eve Be the One to Kill Omni-Man?
Though she wasn't at the center of Season 2 Part 1, Part 2 immediately reminds us that Atom Eve is infinitely more powerful than the other characters in Invincible. We literally see her protect the Guardians of the Globe from being exploded into space as she crafts a Sue Storm-like bubble around them. Not only does she protect them from the explosion, but she also creates an oxygen-filled protective sphere that allows them to survive the wilds of space. Try and do that, Mark Grayson! So, while this may be controversial, after the Atom Eve special we're feeling like the show could be setting up Eve to be the one to kill Omni-Man in the animated series.
Sure, this would be a big change from the comics. But, while the original comic series was running, fans often brought up the fact that Atom Eve is clearly the most powerful character in the Invincible universe. Her ability to manipulate molecules means she can literally change the world and destroy humans from the inside out. While her powers weren't obviously showcased to the max during Season 1, the Atom Eve special highlighted just how dangerous she really is. Created as a weapon by the US government, she was made to defend the Earth. And, as that special illustrated, when she wants or needs to she can override the psychic block that was put on her to stop her from using her full powerset. That was a nod to the infamous — and rather disliked — Jean Grey storyline that revealed Charles Xavier had put a block on her telekinetic powers. So, breaking that tradition here by allowing Atom Eve to have full control over them and using them to kill the abusive Omni-Man would be a great subversion.
With the show currently setting Omni-Man on an arc for a potential redemption, we could see this play into an interesting conflict between Mark and Eve, who will likely get together before the season is through. This all might be nothing but conjecture, of course. But seeing as Eve's abilities are constantly being proven and this was such a big talking point during the original comics, it'll be interesting to see whether the show decides to take this massive step.
Rosie Knight is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything from anime to comic books to kaiju to kids movies to horror flicks. She has over half a decade of experience in entertainment journalism with bylines at Nerdist, Den of Geek, Polygon, and more.