Has Omni-Man Really Changed After Invincible Season 2, Part 1?

Invincible may be setting up a wild redemption arc, with season 2, episode 4 suggesting that Omni-Man may have finally changed for the better.

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Invincible season 2, episode 4!

Summary

• Omni-Man's character development in Invincible season 2 suggests that he may have changed for the better, turning from a villain to a hero.
• His time on the planet Thraxa has shown that he has turned against the Viltrum Empire and is fighting against their ideology.
• The comics provide a precedent for Omni-Man's redemption, as he teams up with the Coalition of Planets to lead a war against the Viltrumites, showing his efforts to make up for his past actions.

Omni-Man is finally back in Invincible season 2, part 1, with the series suggesting that the villain may have finally changed for the better. Omni-Man was the main villain of Invincible season 1, with his constant presence throughout the series setting him up as a major threat upon Mark's realization of Nolan's true plans. Despite Omni-Man being one of the faces of the series, he barely appeared in the beginning of Invincible season 2, leading many viewers to question where he was. Now that his whereabouts have been revealed in Invincible season 2, it's clear that a lot has happened with Omni-Man, with him possibly making a big change.

Invincible season 2 is finally here, with the highly-anticipated continuation of Amazon Prime Video's beloved animated superhero series now releasing on the streaming service. Invincible season 2 has been subject to a unique release pattern, with the first four episodes releasing in late 2023, and the latter four episodes releasing in early 2024. A lot was packed into Invincible season 2, part 1, with it following up on Invincible's battle with Omni-Man in Chicago while also introducing new threats such as Angstrom Levy as well as Thaedus and the Coalition of Planets. However, the season also gave Nolan Grayson some serious time to develop.

Invincible Season 2, Episode 4 Suggests Omni-Man Is A Hero Again

As it turns out, Invincible season 2, episode 4 suggests that Omni-Man may be a hero again. Omni-Man seemed to have a slight change of heart at the end of Invincible season 1, with him deciding not to kill Mark and flying away after Mark expresses that he still cares about his father. Invincible season 2, episodes 3 and 4 spend some time revealing where Nolan went, with it being explained that he flew to the planet Thraxa, saved its inhabitants, and was crowned king. Since then, Nolan has enjoyed saving the Thraxans, with his place on the planet being much more peaceful than his planned conquest of Earth.

However, Nolan isn't only a hero among the Thraxans. In fact, he has actually turned against the Viltrum Empire. Abandoning Earth was the first step Nolan took to prove that he has an issue with the fascistic ideology of Viltrum, as leaving one's post is expressly forbidden. Things went a step further when three soldiers of the Viltrum Empire arrived on Thraxa, with Nolan fighting back and even attempting to kill them. Nolan was clearly concerned with the lives of the Thraxans that were being killed during the battle, showing a heroic shift from his uncaring attitude towards humans in Invincible season 1.

How The Invincible Comics Set Up Omni-Man's Redemption For Season 2, Part 2

Invincible is clearly setting up Omni-Man's redemption for season 2, part 2, and there is precedent in the comics for this. After being taken prisoner by the Viltrum Empire, Nolan decides to escape, but he can't do it alone. Nolan becomes friends with another imprisoned hero, Allen the Alien, with this being Omni-Man's first true superhero team-up. Nolan's shift in attitude towards the Viltrumites is truly a sign that he has changed for the better, and much of it is thanks to Mark. Omni-Man spends most of the comic series attempting to make up for what he did, leaving readers to decide if he should be forgiven.

Nolan's attempts to protect Oliver and escape the Viltrumite prison may seem as if they are in his self-interest, but his heroic deeds go far beyond that. In the comics, Nolan eventually teams up with the Coalition of Planets in order to lead a war on the Viltrum Empire, with Nolan providing the information that is needed to learn how to kill Viltrumites. Rogue Viltrumites are incredibly rare in the universe of Invincible, but Omni-Man's actions throughout the next few seasons of Invincible will prove that he has truly tried to change for the better.

Can Invincible Really Redeem Omni-Man (& Should It?)

Invincible may be trying to redeem Omni-Man, but can and should it actually pull it off? Nolan's redemption arc is one of the most interesting in Invincible, as it shows just how complex the series' characters are. Most superhero stories deal in moral absolutes, but Invincible has fully fleshed-out characters, with none of them being truly good or bad. It is up to the reader (or in the case of Amazon's Invincible, the viewer) to decide if Omni-Man should be forgiven, but Invincible still has a lot of development to give Omni-Man before this decision is made.

New episodes of Invincible release Fridays on Amazon Prime Video.

• invincible

  Summary:

  Based on the comic book character by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows Mark Grayson, 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.The animated series boasts a star-studded cast that also includes Mark Hamill, Sandra Oh, and Mahershala Ali.

  Release Date:

  2021-03-26

  Cast:

  Mark Hamill, Gillian Jacobs, Jon Hamm, Mae Whitman, Steven Yeun, Walton Goggins, Ezra Miller, Jonathan Groff, Sandra Oh, Djimon Hounsou, Khary Payton, Seth Rogen, Jeffrey Donovan, Sonequa Martin-Green, Mahershala Ali, Malese Jow, J. K. Simmons, Clancy Brown, Zazie Beetz, Zachary Quinto, Jason Mantzoukas, Nicole Byer

  Genres:

  Animation, Adventure, Action

  Seasons:

  1

  Story By:

  Robert Kirkman

  Writers:

  Robert Kirkman

  Network:

  amazon prime video

  Streaming Service(s):

  Amazon Prime Video

  Directors:

  Robert Kirkman

  Showrunner:

  Robert Kirkman