TV Review: Invincible Goes to War in Episode 6
Father and Son collide as the Viltrumite War Actually Begins
Invincible has officially entered its full-blown war arc, and Episode 6 makes it clear that it’s personal. Episode 6 takes place in the aftermath of last week’s cliffhanger, which focuses in on why we’re fighting: ideology, legacy, and above all else: family.
It starts with some emotionally charged segments that, yet again, highlight what’s immediately working for this season: a condensed, multi-issue episode packed with montages. This one shows the contrast between the Coalition of Planets and the Viltrumite Empire.
The show is careful to highlight the difference between unity and control, between a fragile alliance and an imposed empire. It’s your classic sci-fi evil empire framing like you’d see in Star Wars or Dune, with fleets of ships. armies colliding, and even space lasers. Yet, Invincible grounds it in something a bit more human.
The Viltrumites still position themselves as saviors, bringing order to a chaos universe, but the cracks in that ideology are starting to show. The cost is too high, there’s too few of them left, and that lie is becoming too painstakingly obvious to the viewer and the few Viltrumites who remain.
A lot happens in this episode but it’s basically an all-action episode bouncing between two fronts, starting with the Coalition. The rebels, led by Thaedus, scramble to hold the front line, while familiar faces return into the fold to aid them.
Characters like Allen and Tech Jacket regroup with the coalition. There is even a reintroduction of Battle Beast, which adds another layer of chaos to the war, which surely enough, quickly turns in favor as months pass. Each hero shares their own sentimental moments whether it be through battle, seeing them bond over video games, or even just reuniting with an old friend.
The war is pretty good and even though it’s just begun, it feels like we’re in the thick of it already.
Yet the real story is about Omni-Man and Oliver
In the aftermath of the battle between Mark and Conquest, we find the boys stranded and forced to survive together. Here, we see all our main characters slow down to let Oliver have moments of catharsis with his father.
This is where Invincible continues to separate itself from other superhero stories. Because after all the destruction left by Nolan’s actions, we’re left with a deeply uncomfortable question: who are you when your role models have failed you? Likewise, for Nolan, how do you pick up the pieces of a life you destroyed? It’s something that continues to be explored right here.
Nolan, to his credit, or perhaps his guilt, tries to make amends. Yet it’s always rocky.
For example, early in this episode, Nolan buries Conquest, a gesture that feels less like an homage to honor. Yet, it is selfishness out of obligation due to the person he used to be, or is this actual empathic reform?
The show does not let him off easy, as Oliver questions everything about it; lest we forget, conquest almost killed the Grayson boys along with Atom Eve.
This episode highlights a lot of the ways Nolan pretty much failed his sons across the board as a father. So naturally, because it’s TV, Oliver and Nolan spend a lot of time together, and that becomes the emotional core of the episode.
A tale as old as time. This plot features an examination of who they are today compared to who they used to be, but it’s done through survival adventures and a whole lot of eating alien monsters for nourishment. Still, what’s important are the conversations about family and identity; with Oliver processing who his father really is and what that means for him.
There’s some real growth seen here in this episode. Not of forgiveness, but understanding.
And yes, this is packed with action, but it is the quieter moments that land the hardest. The ones where characters are forced to sit with what they have done and what they are becoming. It’s big, it’s brutal, and most importantly, it’s emotionally messy in all the right ways.
And it’s taking it all one step further… bringing the war to Viltrum itself.
Episodes of Invincible are available to stream on Prime Video. New episodes drop Wednesdays at midnight PST.