Invincible season 2 episode 4 (Midseason finale) recap and ending explained: Viltrumites are coming!

Invincible Season 2 episode 4 was released on Prime Video on 24 November, and it marked the mid-season finale of the popular adult cartoon. Following the episode, the show will be going on a hiatus till early 2024. The series has continued to surprise fans and there is more yet to come.

Fans of Invincible may breathe easy knowing that the second season's part 2 is scheduled to premiere in early 2024. Co-showrunner Simon Racioppa revealed to fans in an interview with the Holywood Handle that the show will return "in a few months," as Sportskeeda previously reported.

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Invincible Season 2 episode 4: "It’s been a while" sets up the series’ future

Invincible season 2 episode 4 teases fans with comic easter eggs that allude to more characters joining the ensemble (Image via Image Comics)

The adult animated superhero series' midseason finale is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and offers a lot to ponder. In addition to shocking fans with fresh information and the return of Omni-man, Invincible Season 2 episode 4 also establishes the direction the series will go in Season 2 and beyond. In the previously stated interview, the co-showrunner also made a hint about this.

"You're going to see elements," Simon Racioppa stated. "We're just sowing the seeds for stuff that's going to pay off multiple seasons down the line, so we've only given you a taste of the Viltrum Empire and the interstellar politics at play. We're laying the groundwork and introducing audiences to Invincible's expanded universe, getting off planet Earth for a bit, and seeing the major players out there."

So, let’s break down these “elements” in Invincible Season 2 episode 4 Simon alludes to one by one. Starting with one of the biggest revelations from the episode - Oliver Grayson.

A depressed Nolan drifted into space purposelessly till he came across an alien ship. The Aliens were saying their last prayers as they were seemingly going to meet their maker soon but Nolan intervenes and saves them.

Thus Omni-man found himself on Thraxa. There, he had Oliver Grayson. He is the kid of Nolan's marriage to Andressa, a Thraxan. He is, therefore, a Viltrum-Thraxan hybrid, based on his parents' backgrounds. This leads him to mature more slowly than Thraxans (who only live for a year) because he possesses the physique and physiology of a Viltrumite.

Oliver seems mostly normal except for his purple skin and this exactly what makes him a target for the Viltrumes who do not mend well with inferior races. Another important thing to note and that fans of the comics already know that Oliver will soon transform into the superhero Kid Omni-Man. Robert Kirkman has stated in an interview about how Oliver’s appearance may affect Mark.

"The story of Invincible is really about this poor, downtrodden character called Mark Grayson who gets every possible thing thrown at him every possible time, but he rises to the occasion at every opportunity. So the Oliver storyline will continue to show just how strong Mark is as a character," Kirkman said.

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What did Omni-man mean in Invincible Season 2 Episode 4 when he tells Mark to read his books? Explained

invincible Season 2 Episode 4 also introduces a major character, Oliver Grayson (Image via Prime Video)

Nolan instructs a critically wounded Mark to "read my books" before the Viltrum Empire carts off the jailed and disabled Nolan. Fans of the source material will be aware of the importance of this tease, but others may not get it completely, so let’s break it down

Despite being a superhero, Nolan Grayson has a double life as a human, working as a novelist to support his family. Though his novels may appear to be nothing more than a front for Nolan to keep up his alter-ego, they are truly filled with key pieces of information that will help Mark once the Viltrumite empire makes its way to earth.

Many extraterrestrial species will give anything to know how to combat Viltrumites, and Nolan's writings are full of such secrets. Given that Viltrumites are among the most powerful beings in the cosmos, knowing how to eliminate them would be crucial for Mark.

Since the source material, i.e the image comics counterpart to the show has revealed to fans what is in Nolan's books, it is obvious that Omni-man wants his son to figure out how to take down the Viltrumites so that he may save his brother, his planet and himself.

Space Racer is the man with the invincible gun (Image via Image Comics)

In addition, viewers who were at all observant may have realized that every book that fans see in Invincible Season 2 episode 4, included a hint of something that might appear later in the series' season.

A book about "The Man with the Invincible Gun", was seen towards the end of Invincible season 2 episode 4 and the title obviously alludes to a character called Space Racer.

Space Racer is an extraterrestrial with a pistol that unleashes invincible blasts that can penetrate anything and can only be shot by him. The explosions are also harmful to Viltrumites. If someone tries to grab it or use it, it will fly back into Space Racer's hands. Space Racer frequently goes about on a hoverbike, hence his moniker.

The other mentioned a savage beast which could be referring to the character known as Battle Beast. Battle Beast was previously his planet's Guardian. However, as a result of the frequent fighting, he became hooked to it and finally left to seek suitable adversaries.

He has faced up against some of Viltrum's most powerful fighters. Without giving anything away, Battle Beast is a highly strong character in Invincible. The common theme in Nolan’s books is people Mark can ally with to defeat the Viltrum Empire.

Invincible Season 2 episode 4 also has other elements like Donald Fruegson finding out he might not be human, Angstrom Levy missing from the scene, and Atom Eve moving in back with her parents, to mention a few.

The main plot of Invincible Season 2 episode 4 highlighted that having a kid with a Thraxan is particularly problematic, as the Viltrum Empire expressly prohibits having offspring with genetically distinct species. Nolan now obviously wants Mark to stand up against the Viltrum Empire, demonstrating that he has finally changed in Invincible Season 2.

These teases for the future of the series in Invincible Season 2 episode 4 remind fans that there’s a lot more in store for them. Invincible Season 2 part 2 will return in a few months, till then fans can catch up on the series which is available on Amazon Prime Video.