Season 4 of Invincible is currently in the midst of their The Viltrumite War arc. It’s one of the biggest, brutal conflicts to take in the series. Lines are crossed as everyone comes together to take the Viltrum Empire down. And yet, many viewers feel that the Viltrumite War has low stakes, which is making it hard for them to take it seriously.
The Viltrumites Aren’t Terrifying Anymore
Through seasons 1-3, the Viltrumites were pure nightmare fuel. Nolan seemed like an unstoppable force of nature in the beginning of the series. Mark barely survived fighting one Viltrumite, whether it was his father, Anissa or Conquest.
Then season 4 arrived and pulled the rug out under our feet. Early in the season, we learn that Viltrum was ravaged by a virus that killed billions of its people, leaving a mere 50 Viltrumites that survived.
Now we’re heading to war with this knowledge and nothing feels the same. The Viltrumites that were so fearsome in previous seasons are not the same Viltrumites fighting in this war. There’s no sense of dread, especially now that Conquest is dead. We’re not watching humanity’s last stand against an empire at full strength. It’s more like the Coalition of Planets is cleaning up the mess Thaedus made.
The Grayson Men Are an Deus Ex Machina
While Nolan and Oliver wait for Mark to recover from his fight with Conquest, the Coalition is actually holding their own despite losing some territory to the Viltrum Empire. Unfortunately, everything goes south once Thragg and his soldiers invade Talescria after a traitor (Data Twin 2) deactivates the planet’s defenses.
The Coalition is spread too thin and countless civilians lose their lives.Then Mark, Nolan, and Oliver arrive to even the odds. They destroy Thragg’s ship, forcing him to retreat. The episode ends with heavy losses but little tension.
I know this is Mark’s show, but when a major conflict like a planetary invasion is resolved this quickly, it stops feeling dramatic. You don’t have to worry about who will survive because you know that eventually Mark will arrive to turn things around. That predictability undercuts suspense and makes these battles feel routine.
The Best Moments of You Look Horrible Have Nothing to Do With the War
Nolan and his son Oliver are stuck on a desolate planet while they wait for Mark to wake up. With nothing to distract them, they’re forced to actually talk. Oliver admits he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, even when he learned things that made him question who Nolan really was. He also reveals he was eavesdropping on Nolan’s attempt to apologize to his estranged wife Debbie, where he called hooking up with Oliver’s mom Andressa was “a mistake.”
Instead of dodging the truth, Nolan owns up to his lies and failures. He admits he only said that in the moment to try and make Debbie feel better. In fact, the time he spent with Andressa and the Thraxans played a big role in helping him realize the error in his ways, that he needs to take action to make amends. It’s awkward and sincere as Nolan succeeds in repairing his relationship with one of his sons.
What should be a minor B-plot is actually the highlight of episode 6. It says something about what really matters in Invincible. The giant space battles are fine, but the real drama is in the personal interactions between the characters. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it makes the war feel more like background noise than a real danger to anyone.
The same issue shows up when it’s revealed that Data Twin 2 has been working with the Viltrumites this whole time. It should be like a heavy moment. Instead, he’s exposed and shot in the head within minutes. He doesn’t even die in the end! His motives are waved off as wanting to save himself since he thought the Viltrumites would win. Then the show moves on without showing how the betrayal affects anyone. Compare that to seasons 2 or 3, when Cecil Stedman’s decisions had lasting consequences. Those moments had actual fallout that left Mark and his allies questioning everything. Here, they barely register.
What the Viltrumite War Is Missing
Near the end of the episode, Allen is horrified by how many civilians were killed in Thragg’s assault. Thaedus, however, sees the death toll as a “minor setback.” Allen overhears this and calls Thaedus out on his callousness. Talescria was supposed to be a haven for the people whose planets were taken over by the Viltrumites, only to wind up dead by the very Empire they were trying to escape. But Thaedus is focused on the bigger picture: taking the fight to Viltrum so they can kill Thragg and weaken the Empire.
This is what the Viltrumite War arc needs going forward. Allen and Thaedus are both right. The conflict needs more moments where the characters are forced to question what they’re willing to do to win this war.
With only two episodes left in season 4, Invincible needs to stop playing it safe. It still has time to up the ante as we get closer to that final confrontation with Thragg.
