by Corban Reinard
*This Review Contains Spoilers*
It has been two long years since the first season of Invincible aired in 2021, when the show seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Despite having a large comic run that spanned volumes and volumes, many had no knowledge of this franchise. This resulted in very little anticipation for the show, as its marketing was almost non-existent. Perhaps this was an advantage to the show, as it gained popularity over the internet with hundreds of clips, discussions, memes, and more, roping in millions of new fans with only eight episodes. Soon, Invincible swept the superhero genre and set a whole new standard for modern superhero media and television..
It has been two long years since the first season of Invincible aired in 2021, when the show seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Despite having a large comic run that spanned volumes and volumes, many had no knowledge of this franchise. This resulted in very little anticipation for the show, as its marketing was almost non-existent. Perhaps this was an advantage to the show, as it gained popularity over the internet with hundreds of clips, discussions, memes, and more, roping in millions of new fans with only eight episodes. Soon, Invincible swept the superhero genre and set a whole new standard for modern superhero media and television..
Then for two years...silence. Almost no word of progress or a release date for the second season. Many fans waited impatiently and much hype around the show seemingly died off. That is until January 2023, when the first teaser for season two appeared, and the hype resurfaced.. Expectations have shot even higher, and as of October 14th 2023, we now have an official trailer for Invincible’s return, on November 3rd. It is clear to see the show isn’t going anywhere, and everyone's favorite blue and yellow superhero is here for a good while. Fans of the show are living large, especially after being gifted with an additional short film in order to tide them over until season two, that being Atom Eve.
Atom Eve first appeared in season one and quickly became a fan favorite amongst the cast. Not much of her life was shown, but what was shown was enough for some fans to relate and sympathize with her. Her struggles shown through the show, from her relationships, to her parents, to her leaving home, as well as her hinted romantic interest in Mark Grayson (Invincible), only to come up short. While the show focused heavily on Mark and his trauma, fans can also see that Eve has gotten the short end of the stick through the way she interacts with Mark.
Atom Eve takes place years and years before the events of Invincible, beginning with Eve’s birth. The show sets out to establish that Mark is not the only superhero who has it rough. Fans may even be able to argue that Eve had it just as rough as Mark. We see from the beginning that her entire existence seems to be based on secrecy and lies, as she was an experiment created for a secret organization, giving her powers. She was swapped at birth to protect her from being hunted by the organization that created her, meaning her parents aren't her biological parents, which she comes to realize in the course of the episode. We watch her struggle with her identity, not being understood by her parents for her ability to comprehend atoms and being deemed “weird” by her father. She finds it hard to make friends and keep relationships. Atom Eve could very well be a relatable vessel to those with conditions or mental states that may deem them “abnormal” or “different.”
Eve’s struggle to find herself leads her down a path of discovery of her origin, how she was created, and how they have tried to replicate her powers in other creatures since her absence. Eve is forced to confront her “siblings” (failed test subjects of her ability) and fight them, forced to watch them die at her hands, and at the hands of their failed genetic makeup. Through confronting her seemingly “pseudo family,” the author is showing that Eve must also confront and accept her creation and her broken past. When she hugs her lab brother as he dies, it is her way of embracing who she truly is and what her existence means.
Atom Eve takes place years and years before the events of Invincible, beginning with Eve’s birth. The show sets out to establish that Mark is not the only superhero who has it rough. Fans may even be able to argue that Eve had it just as rough as Mark. We see from the beginning that her entire existence seems to be based on secrecy and lies, as she was an experiment created for a secret organization, giving her powers. She was swapped at birth to protect her from being hunted by the organization that created her, meaning her parents aren't her biological parents, which she comes to realize in the course of the episode. We watch her struggle with her identity, not being understood by her parents for her ability to comprehend atoms and being deemed “weird” by her father. She finds it hard to make friends and keep relationships. Atom Eve could very well be a relatable vessel to those with conditions or mental states that may deem them “abnormal” or “different.”
Eve’s struggle to find herself leads her down a path of discovery of her origin, how she was created, and how they have tried to replicate her powers in other creatures since her absence. Eve is forced to confront her “siblings” (failed test subjects of her ability) and fight them, forced to watch them die at her hands, and at the hands of their failed genetic makeup. Through confronting her seemingly “pseudo family,” the author is showing that Eve must also confront and accept her creation and her broken past. When she hugs her lab brother as he dies, it is her way of embracing who she truly is and what her existence means.
Perhaps what hits the viewer hardest is that Atom Eve doesn’t get her happy ending, not yet anyway. In the climax she is forced to watch the death of all of those which she loves, including her mother, and her scientist protector who has followed her since her birth. Eve uses her powers to erase her creators memories of her, albeit, a sort of sloppy and rushed solution. The short film makes things easy for her in the end by letting her do whatever she needs to, which feels like unsatisfying reasoning. However, this is the quick wrap up that was used to solve this issue, and it is, unfortunately, disappointing and worthless. Her family is still dead. Her parents still don’t understand her or anything about her life. She is still alone. Watching through the first season of Invincible after watching this could change your perspective on her, knowing what she has gone through.
Invincible has been known for its immersive worldbuilding. It shows small glimpses of the larger universe to make the viewers wonder what else is out there. This show continues this trend by showing it’s a large world out there. A large world with more stories and infinite possibilities. Worldbuilding is important to make audiences feel like the world is lived in instead of feeling like an empty hub with mindless drones. To create a special to extend the story of a side character is an endeavor worthy of praise. The special did not need to be made, but the producers understood how much the world mattered to the fans and wanted to give them more. Even if it wasn’t the continuation of Mark’s story, it was an unexpected and much appreciated gift in the end.
Invincible has been known for its immersive worldbuilding. It shows small glimpses of the larger universe to make the viewers wonder what else is out there. This show continues this trend by showing it’s a large world out there. A large world with more stories and infinite possibilities. Worldbuilding is important to make audiences feel like the world is lived in instead of feeling like an empty hub with mindless drones. To create a special to extend the story of a side character is an endeavor worthy of praise. The special did not need to be made, but the producers understood how much the world mattered to the fans and wanted to give them more. Even if it wasn’t the continuation of Mark’s story, it was an unexpected and much appreciated gift in the end.
