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Invincible Episode 8 (TV Review)

NOTE: This review does contain spoilers for Episode 1-7 of  but thoughts on Episode 8 are entirely spoiler-free.

 

Here we are. The final episode of Invincible is now streaming on and is one of the most chaotic finales to a series that I have ever seen! The show has perfectly progressed the character Mark Grayson (voiced by Academy Award nominee Steven Yeun) and if Invincible does return for a second season, I cannot wait to see what they do with the title lead.

Episode Eight takes place immediately after the events that unfolded during the previous episode. Mark witnesses his father, Nolan, murder The Immortal and the line which Omni-Man says to his son, “We need to talk” is very prominent during the final events of the series. This week, Invincible must come to terms with his family and become the hero that everyone wants him to be.

This episode brings every single plotline together to create one of the best finales in recent memory. The action is more gory and ultra-violent than the rest of the series combined yet the emotional aspect is really the highlight during the final forty-five minutes of season one. Everyone must come to grips with the truth and the underlying message that ‘the truth hurts' is at the forefront here. This finale is bleak and extremely dark but because the entire series has been building to this pivotal moment, it feels satisfying.

The first twenty minutes are a non-stop showdown that moves so quickly you cannot fathom what you are watching. It is very fast paced, moves at break-neck speed and is filled with bucket loads of blood. The fight sequences are on another scale altogether. This easily has the most gore out of all the episodes so far and is the only one to make me, as a viewer, be legitimately shocked by what I was watching.

The twists, turns and plot reveals are all handled perfectly. In some other recent television shows, the big reveals during the final episodes have always felt like an idea that had been tacked on. They feel unnecessary and are only there to have the protagonist save the day. However, while Invincible does use its twists to lead into a huge fight, they have been set up since Omni-Man murdered every member of The Guardians of the Globe at the end of Episode One. The show has been building to this moment since its opening five minutes back when the first chapter debuted on Prime.

The show also does feel like the first instalment into a larger series. Season one tells its own perfect story but at the same time there are glimpses of where the show could go later down the line. It bookends the entire series so perfectly, especially in this episode. You can see where each character will go next and can feel a looming threat that will have a large role in future series.

Overall, Invincible Episode Eight is one of the best and most satisfying ends to a series that I have seen in a long time. As usual, the is outstanding but this week the violence is on full display and the gore is dialled up to eleven. It perfectly ends the first part of Mark's arc as the title character and if we see a second series, I will be first in line to see what will happen next. It's a perfect end to a perfect season and I really do hope we see more from these characters. Easily the best show of 2021 so far.

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