Invincible Season 3, Episode 6 Review: I'm Shocked By How Good Invincible's Electrifying New Villain Is & The Complexity He Adds To Mark's Story
Invincible refuses to slow down.
Invincible season 3, episode 6 is another great installment that blends the ever-present moral complexities of the show with a powerful new villain and captivating teases for the final two installments. Moving beyond Invincible season 3's Dragon villain, episode 6 introduces another antagonist for Mark to overcome. Invincible's cast of characters adds Scott Duvall, a man who lived a normal life despite having electric-based superpowers, whose life is upended in a retroactive look at season 1's ending.
What spawns from this introduction is a fascinating story and one of the more intimate of the season thus far. I have made it no secret that I have loved this season and, despite a few occasional drawbacks, episode 6 does not change that. Be it the voice acting, the depiction of a villain like Scott/Powerplex, or the continued development of side characters, Invincible season 3 seems unable to fall out of the incredibly entertaining groove it has settled into.
Powerplex Is A Fantastic Addition To The World Of InvincibleThat's Thanks To His More Straightforward Origin Story
As someone who loves Invincible's tendency to poke fun at superhero tropes, I was surprised to find my favorite element of episode 6 was Powerplex's more stereotypical origin story. Powerplex's sister and niece died during Omni-Man's fight with Invincible in season 1's ending. This leads him down a path of revenge, bolstering his electric-based superpowers to the point where he can rival Invincible, though he's driven by hatred.
The villainous arc felt akin to those in Batman and Spider-Man stories, thus giving the feud with Mark a much more intimate feeling than the often nameless, faceless threat of the Viltrumites. I mentioned in my review for Invincible season 3, episode 5 that I sounded like a broken record when praising the arguments about morality this season, and Powerplex added a whole new layer to that. Mark, although inadvertently, killed innocent people by the thousands, so why should he judge the likes of Darkwing, D.A. Sinclair, and, importantly, Cecil?
RelatedInvincible Season 3, Episode 5 Review: I Still Found So Much To Love In This Character-Driven Episode Despite Not Being Pivotal To The Overarching Narrative
Invincible season 3, episode 5 cannot quite match the excellent heights of its predecessor but is nonetheless an enjoyable overall entry.
The story of Powerplex raised these questions. Meanwhile, Powerplex was bolstered by an excellent voice performance by Breaking Bad alum Aaron Paul. Invincible has been criticized lately for its animation quality, which many have attributed to the show's budget being spent on celebrity guest stars. In Powerplex's case, Paul's addition was a stroke of genius, with the veteran actor imbuing the entire performance with an overwhelming sense of pain that made him believable, even in his darkest moments.
Invincible Season 3's Animation Slightly Improves For Episode 6For One Reason In Particular
As I mentioned, Invincible's animation quality is often in the line of fire. I admit to contributing to that to an extent, with my review for Invincible season 3's premiere noting as much. From a personal standpoint, my biggest issue with the show's animation is the lack of overall detail. The animation mostly looks fine, but interactive lighting, shadows, and overall artistry seem to be absent. The Prime Video series seems content with that.
While I wish the overall show had more consistently brilliant animation, it is good to know that Invincible can still turn it up a notch...
This doesn't change completely, but some elements allow for more artistry than is typically on display. The interactive lighting of Powerplex's electric abilities is a standout animation quality here, allowing for a much more dynamic look than in past episodes. While I wish the show had more consistently brilliant animation, it is good to know that Invincible can still turn it up a notch for the big moments and characters.
The New-Look Teen Team Continues To Shine
Some smaller moments also made me enjoy this episode more than episode 5. The moment between Rudy and Amanda was suitably heartwarming, with the former finding a way to fix the latter's de-aging Monster Girl curse, and Oliver's continued Kid Omni-Man exploits were fun to behold.
Then there was Rex and Rae, who argued over living a normal life together or staying on as superheroes. Rae made her decision, leaving Rex more on his own than ever. As someone who has not read Invincible's comics but knows some details, Rex's fate is unknown to me, and I am worried Invincible is setting up his decision to end in tragedy later on.
The Invincible War Is Coming
One of the few elements I do know from the source material is the Invincible War, which Invincible season 3, episode 6 finally teases is here. The returning Angstrom Levy reveals his plans to unleash villainous multiversal variants of Mark on Earth, promising an explosive end to the season. I cannot wait to see how it unfolds, with returning villains making for intriguing conversations, and the evil variants of Mark only likely furthering the moral questions of Invincible season 3 that I love so dearly.
Your RatingInvincible
Release Date
March 26, 2021
Based on the comic book character by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows Mark Grayson, Â a seventeen-year-old who leads a seemingly average life save for the fact that he lives behind the shadow of his superhero father, Omni-Man. Mark goes on to develop superhuman abilities, but he must also learn that his father's legacy isn't as glitzy and glamorous as he's been led to believe.
Pros & ConsPowerplex is a fantastic addition to Invincible's cast that adds depth and rivalry
Aaron Paul's voice performance as Powerplex is one of the best in Invincible's entire run
Invincible season 3, episode 6 has slightly more artistic animation than usual
Supporting characters and upcoming villains get their exciting moments to shine