Summary
- Omni-Man’s absence in season 2 of Invincible will have a significant impact on the story, as it reveals a larger threat in the Viltrumites themselves.
- Mark, also known as Invincible, is left in a challenging situation after being betrayed by his father. Others, including the Guardians of the Globe and Cecil Stedman, will be wary of trusting him.
- Earth is now more vulnerable to attacks from enemies like the Viltrum Empire, as Omni-Man is no longer there to defend it. Mark, as Earth’s only remaining Viltrumite, is its best hope against this new threat.
Invincible creator and executive producer Robert Kirkman has teased the significance of Omni-Man’s absence in season 2. After being Earth’s longtime protector, Invincible season 1 revealed Omni-Man’s mission to spread the Viltrum Empire to Earth. Following an emotional and bloody confrontation with his son Mark Grayson, also known as Invincible, Omni-Man spared Mark’s life and abandoned Earth, with his whereabouts and next move unknown as the series heads into season 2.
Kirkman shared with Entertainment Weekly how Omni-Man’s absence will impact the story of Invincible season 2. He hinted that the Omni-Man reveal in season 1 and his departure from Earth are only the beginning of a more extensive threat that will have a long-term influence on the series. Check out Kirkman’s comments below:
“But also, Omni-Man is gone and he could not be more essential to the survival of Earth. I think that, if anything, people should be aware of the fact that not only did Omni-Man become a threat at the end of the first season, but he also revealed a larger threat in the Viltrumites themselves. That threat is going to come into play in season 2, and Omni-Man is not there to defend the Earth, especially from his own people. That ends up being a terrifying prospect that hangs over the series for a good long time.”
What Omni-Man’s Absence Means For Mark
Omni-Man’s actions have put Mark in a nearly impossible situation. Mark already had his hands full in season 1 as a teenager juggling traditional adolescent challenges while also learning to master his newfound abilities, on top of being forced to confront harsh truths about what it really means to be a superhero. Now Mark also has to grapple with being betrayed by his father and the man who was seemingly the gold standard for all superheroes, along with the fact that Omni-Man came close to killing Mark at the end of Invincible season 1.
Omni-Man’s betrayal will make others distrust Mark, including the Guardians of the Globe and other superheroes, and the Global Defense Agency’s leader Cecil Stedman. Cecil and even superheroes who have worked with Mark before will be wary of trusting him because he is the son of Omni-Man and because of his Viltrumite lineage. Cecil is heard in the Invincible season 2 trailer saying, “There’s only one way this kid goes back out there, and that’s on a very short leash.”
Countless enemies, including the Viltrum Empire, are more likely to attack Earth now that they don’t need to worry about Omni-Man. Cecil recognizes that Mark is one of the best superheroes left to defend Earth and will have to rely on him, but only to a certain extent, and only out of necessity. While Mark and his mother Debbie Grayson navigate the personal impact of what Omni-Man did, others will distrust Mark, and maybe even try to punish him. Yet, as Earth’s only remaining Viltrimute, Mark is Earth’s best chance against the larger threat that has been introduced in Invincible.
Source: EW
