Invincible Universe Guide

Latest posts by Stefan Stevanovic (see all)

Invincible is an animated series that has taken the world by storm. Like many modern comic book adaptations, it portrays the main superhero as a deeply flawed person. Omni-Man gave us one of the best animated moments in recent history when he turned on his old allies and killed them all.

Like in many other modern series, you never know who’s going to die next. Getting attached to characters is unwise, as they don’t last for long. Regardless of all the gimmicks, Invincible is, first and foremost, a story of a teen and his father, each with a completely different agenda. The two of them clash at the end of season one, reaching a reconciliation of a sort.

I watched this series in awe. Like everyone else, I was shocked by the twist at the end of episode one. Regardless of the shock value, there are some really interesting characters in this show. Although most Guardians of the Globes look like your generic superheroes, a few of them have really innovative powers. If you’re a comic book fan, you should definitely watch the series and read the comic.

Key Info Up Front

Invincible is a comic book and animated series that has blown up in the last year or so. It has a few epic plot twists with a righteous main protagonist who has a vicious, authoritative father. Although this is a superhero comic, the story mainly focuses on the relationship between father and son and all the tough decisions they have to make together.

Background

Invincible is an American comic book released by Image Comics from January 2003 to February 2018.

The story follows Mark Grayson, a 17-year-old teenager who has just discovered his incredible powers. Mark is the son of Nolan Grayson, the strongest person on Earth, and a member of the alien Viltrumite race. Nolan Grayson goes by the superhero name Omni-Man and is loosely based on DC Comics Superman.

As the story progresses, Mark learns how to use his powers, creating a superhero persona known as Invincible. In time, he learns about his father’s dark secret and ultimately decides to confront him.

Robert Kirkman was the sole writer of the comic. Cory Walker did the art for issues from 1 to 7 and from 127 to 132, while Ryan Ottley did the artwork for all other publications. The title has a total of 144 issues and is categorized as a finished project. Despite using vivid colors, Invincible is notorious for its graphic violence.

Background of Invincible Animated Series

On the 26th of March, 2021, Amazon Studios released the first episode of the Invincible animated series. It is a straight adaptation of the comic book produced by the same person who wrote it, Robert Kirkman. Steven Yeun borrowed his voice for Invincible, while Sandra Oh voices Debbie Grayson and J.K.Simmons voices Omni-Man. Seth Rogen was also a part of the cast, although he didn’t have any say regarding writing, directing, or producing.

The first season features eight episodes with running times from 42 to 49 minutes. Wind Sun Sky Entertainment provided the colorful artwork, with Amazon Studios, Skybound Entertainment, Skybound North, and Point Grey Studios assuming production duties. The series became a major global hit after the first episode, in which Omni-Man turned on his team.

The animated series was an instant hit. Both audience and critics lauded the animation, writing, storyline, action sequences, voice performance, and authenticity. As was expected, the series was renewed for the second and third seasons in April 2021. I, for once, cannot wait for new seasons. The series reminds me of “Boys,” another comic book adaptation that turns the superhero concept on its head.

Plans for Invincible movie

Two of the animated series producers, Skybound Entertainment and Point Grey Pictures, are planning to make a live-action Invincible movie with Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen as the main directors and writers. Universal Studios has offered its assistance as the distributor.

As for the production, it falls upon David Alpert, Bryan Furst, Set Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Sean Furst, and the comic book creator Robert Kirkman. We still have limited information regarding the movie, but the shooting is likely to start in the very near future.

Main Characters

Although the series features a lot of characters with supernatural powers, they are not necessarily the main protagonists in the comics. Instead, the story revolves much more around Mark Grayson, his human friends, and his love interests. The thing that was especially interesting to me was the dynamics between Invincible and Omni-Man.

Invincible and His Allies

Invincible

In many ways, Mark Grayson is your usual 17-year-old teen with regular school and love issues. Upon exhibiting supernatural powers, his world turns upside down. Suddenly, he is forced to fight incoming alien forces and meet the high expectations of his strict father.

He has numerous “common” superpowers, including incredible strength, durability, regeneration, power of flight, slowed aging, the ability to travel in space, and so on. Although somewhat timid and weak at the start of the story, he becomes stronger in time. Eventually, Invincible is the strongest entity in the universe, eventually commanding the whole Viltrum Empire.

Omni-Man

Omni-Man
Legends of the Multi Universe Wiki – Fandom

Omni-Man, also known as Nolan Grayson, is the Earth’s greatest defender at the start of the comic and series. As the story progresses, Invincible slowly takes his place as the strongest individual, not only on Earth but in the galaxy.

Aside from being incredibly strong, Omni-Man is cunning, deceitful, and has very little regard for human lives. In fact, he considers the inhabitants of Earth as lower beings. This is something he also thinks about Debbie Grayson, his wife, and Invincible’s mother. Later on, he becomes the ruler of the alien planet Thraxa and has a child called Oliver Grayson.

Debbie Grayson

Debbie Grayson is Mark’s mother. Although we can consider her as one of the main characters in the show, she is rarely in the limelight. Later on, she goes to adopt Oliver Grayson, a child of a Thraxan Andressa, and her former husband, Nolan Grayson.

Despite all the bad things that Nolan does, Debbie always tries to be supportive. At one point, she ends her relationship with Nolan after he almost kills their son. However, the two of them would eventually reconcile.

Atom Eve

Atom Eve, or Samantha Eve Grayson, was born and raised to become a human weapon for the US government. Erias Brandyworth, her creator, saves her from this faith and gives her to the Wilkins family. Eventually, she falls for Mark Grayson, and the two of them get married.

Although madly in love, Samantha aborts their first child. Later on, she gives birth to their daughter, Terra. She also performs the role of foster mother to Markus, Mark’s and Anissa’s baby. Atom Eve can manipulate matter at a subatomic level. She can control elements and use various energy-based powers, including telekinesis, force fields, and energy blasts.

Allen, the Alien

Allen, the Alien
Invicible Wiki – Fandom

Allen the Alien is a member of the Unopans race. He is a victim of numerous experiments that were meant to enhance his physical properties making him the strongest Unopan ever. Despite his enormous strength, he wasn’t powerful enough to take down Vitrumites and would ultimately become a Champion Evaluation Officer.

Allen was one of the first aliens to realize Mark’s great potential. The two of them had the opportunity to fight on the moon, during which Allen teaches Invincible a few valuable fighting lessons. While in prison, he befriends Nolan. Allen eventually becomes the leader of the Coalition of Planets.

Invincible’s Nemesis

Thragg

Thragg
Image Comic Database – Fandom

Thragg is the leader of Viltrumites. He was selectively bred and trained to become the strongest of his kin. With his ascent to power, Viltrume Empire became an unstoppable force conquering numerous other planets and races.

Thragg is the series’ main antagonist. He is very charismatic, has enormous power of will, and is a great leader. In the comics, the villain is portrayed as the strongest being alive, even stronger than Omni-Man and Invincible. He seeks revenge against the two of them as they manage to depose him. During the final battle, Thragg kills Omni-Man but is subsequently killed by Invincible.

Robot

Robot is a mysterious entity that was a member of the Guardians of the Globe and Teen Team. Although everyone thinks that he is a sentient artificial intelligence, Robot is actually a drone controlled by Rudolph Conners, a severely deformed individual. Later on, Mauler Twins helped Conners transfer his consciousness into an artificially-hatched boy, who was made by using the blood of Rex Splode.

As the story goes, one, Rudolph Conners, gets attached to Monster Girl and the two start dating. In one of the later issues, two of them disappear into a strange portal. Although they managed to return from the Flaxan dimension, Rudolph was very different. He now wants to change the world so that it becomes a more peaceful place, something he has done to the Flaxan homeworld, effectively becoming the comic’s antagonist.

Conquest

Conquest is one of the rare Viltrum warriors who managed to survive the deadly virus that killed most of his kin. He is known for being fierce, ruthless, and never failing his missions. As Viltrumites charged Invincible with taking over the planet, Conquest was sent to Earth to check on his progress.

After realizing that Invincible never meant to conquer Earth, Conquest attacks the protagonist. A fierce battle ensues, and it seems that the villain has the upper hand. The battle is shortly stopped by Atom Eve, who arrives at the scene. She helps Mark as the two of them eventually manage to kill the invader.

Battle Beast

Battle Beast
Invicibile Wiki – Fandom

Battle Beast is a ruthless warrior who lives and dies by a warrior code. His main purpose in life is to fight new enemies and constantly test his power. He first appears in one of the early issues, where he single-handedly dispatches all the Guardians of the Globe.

Later on, he joins the Coalition of Planets, a group meant to stop the Viltrum Empire. They have a fierce battle during which Battle Beast takes numerous lives. Allen the Alien eventually entrusts Battle Beast with Thragg’s assassination. The two of them fight for days without any one of them having the upper hand. After a long back-and-forth, Thragg, The Grand Regent of the Viltrumites, manages to kill the attacker.

Invincible’s Powers, Abilities, and Weapons

Invincible is a half-Vitrumite, half-human. He possesses the same powers as his father but is initially portrayed as weaker due to his human origin. The race can breed with almost anyone. If a Vitrumite mate has similar genetics as the Vitrumites, the offspring will have similar genetic traits to that of a Vitrumite (which is the case with Mark Grayson).

My main issue with his powers is that they’re generic, for the most part. Invincible is your usual superhero protagonist who can take any punishment and dish enormous damage in return. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have any projectile or energy weapons or something else that would distinguish the hero from a plethora of similar characters. Luckily, an excellent story makes up for this flaw.

Enormous Strength, Speed, and Durability

Like most other similar comic book superheroes, Mark Grayson is incredibly strong, agile, fast, and can take a lot of punishment. He can destroy buildings, airplanes, and just about any other structure on the Earth. According to the lore, he can lift weights beyond 100 tons.

Extreme Durability and Resilience

Invincible is almost unkillable. Even when attacked by his father, Omni-Man, he manages to withstand all the blows and regenerate afterward. Like his father, there isn’t a weapon on the Earth that can permanently stop him. He can also withstand extreme temperatures and airless atmospheres.

Flight

Universe

Mark Grayson can travel more than 8,000 miles, in Earth’s atmosphere, in 25 seconds or less. If he is within a space vacuum, his flight speed is even greater. Due to his ability to hold his breath for several weeks, he can easily space travel.

Longevity and Regeneration

Invincible can take just about any punishment. The only real threats to the superhero are other members of the Viltrumite race. According to Nolan Grayson, Viltrumites can live for several thousands of years. Although Mark can survive just about any damage and regenerate afterward, there were a few situations where he needed a surgical procedure.

Invincible in Comics

The Beginnings

Mark Grayson is the son of the most powerful being on Earth, Omni-Man. On his 7th birthday, his father, Nolan Grayson, sat him down and explained that he is a member of the most powerful race in the galaxy, Viltrumiets and that one day, his powers will manifest.

Since then, Mark has been trying each day to wake up his dormant potential but to no avail. Eventually, he manifests the powers and even beats a villain called Titan. Impressed by his actions, Omni-Man creates the first superhero suit for his son. In the following days, his high school principal calls him “Invincible,” which he, later on, uses for his superhero persona.

He becomes a member of the Teen Team and meets Atom Eve. In the following days, he also met Allen the Allien, who tested his strength.

The Harsh Truth

In the upcoming issues, the Guardians of the Globe were viciously attacked and killed. The only surviving member was Omni-Man. Later on, Mark Grayson was confronted by his father. Nolan explains that Viltrumites are the conquering race and that he was sent to Earth to subjugate its populace.

The two of them fight, with Omni-Man beating Mark to a pulp. However, he doesn’t have the heart to kill him off. After the fight, Nolan Grayson flies off in an unknown direction. Mark becomes a part of the new Guardians of the Globe and has numerous fierce battles, all while waiting for his father’s return.

The Thraxxans

Traxa
Image Comics Database Wiki – Fandom

Mark is approached by an alien race known as Thraxxans. They ask for his help, and he obliges. Upon reaching their planet, he discovers that Omni-Man is their new ruler. He even has a child with one of the locals, named Oliver Grayson.

He explains to Mark that the Viltrumites will never forgive him for not conquering the Earth. While all of this is happening, a Viltrumite expedition reaches Thraxxa. Father and son are beaten, with Nolan being taken to prison and Mark being appointed as the next in line to conquer the Earth.

In the upcoming issues, he faces Angstrom Levy, D.A Sinclair, and a few other enemies. He also breaks up with his former lover, Amber, and professes his love to Atom Eve. All these feats establish Mark as the greatest superhero on Earth.

Cecil’s True Nature

Mark is visited by Anissa. She is a Viltrumite warrior that is supposed to monitor his progress. The two of them get into a squabble which ends in a fight. Anissa tells Invincible that he needs to pick sides.

While Mark is in Africa with Atom Eve, Doc Seismic terrorizes the United States. The two of them try to stop the villain but to no avail. Suddenly Darkwing and Reanimen make their presence known, freeing all the captured heroes and beating Doc Seismic in the process.

After this, Mark tries to apprehend Darkwing, his old nemesis, only to be stopped by other superheroes. Later on, he confronts Cecil, who admits to Invincible that he’s willing to align with just about anyone just to save the Earth.

Cecil releases an army of Reanimen, and Mark manages to beat them rather easily. Cecil uses his trump card: a weapon he implanted in Invincible’s wear a while back. Suffering from enormous pain, Invincible retreats to the Guardians of the Globe headquarter. Cecil follows him and reengages the hero.

Eventually, Cecil stops the fight saying that there is no point in it. Instead, he simply fires Mark from the organization.

Trouble with Oliver

His stepbrother, Oliver Grayson, has started exhibiting superhero powers. It turns out that he has no regard for human lives. During one mission, he murders Mauler Twins, after which, Invincible reprimands him. Not having any income, Atom Eve and Invincible started their own protection company called Invincible Inc.

Soon after, the Earth is attacked by an army of Invincible clones, who try to discredit the superhero by performing various atrocities. They are eventually pushed back, but not before wreaking havoc on Earth and its inhabitants. After these events, Cecil approaches Mark saying that the Guardians of the Globe suffered enormous damage and that he needs him back. Invincible refuses the offer.

In the coming days, a strong Viltrumite warrior lands on Earth. Going by the name Conquest, the villain tells Mark that he has been neglecting his duties, like his father, Omni-Man. He attacks Invincible, and it quickly becomes obvious that Mark is no match for a seasoned warrior.

Oliver and Atom Eve come to his aid but are quickly thwarted. During the battle, Conquest punches a hole in Eve’s chest, but she survives by using her powers. Despite having his arm broken, Mark manages to kill the opponent. Later on, he confesses to Oliver that his stepbrother was right all along and that some people are better off dead.

The Viltrumite War

The Viltrumite War
Image Comics Database Wiki – Fandom

All of a sudden, Omni-Man comes back to Earth. He tells Mark that he was imprisoned in Viltrumite jail with Allen the Alien. Two of them, alongside numerous other warriors, managed to escape the prison, and some of them, including Omni-Man, have now joined a Coalition of Planets, an organization meant to bring down the Viltrumite Empire.

Nolan asks for Mark’s assistance, and he obliges. A team of Allen the Alien, Omni-Man, Invincible, Tech Jacket, and Oliver travel to space to join the allied ranks. While traveling through space, their spacecraft was attacked by a Viltruimite hit squad. Mark was shocked when he realized that Conquest was one of the attackers.

According to the villain, he was captured by the Earth forces after their fight but managed to escape. Not wanting to risk anything, Mark kills him for good this time around. However, he is severely wounded in the battle, and it takes him 10 months to recover from a coma.

Meeting Thragg

Upon reaching the Coalition’s homeworld, Talescria, the protagonists discover that it’s under attack by Viltruimte forces. With Mark and Nolan, the allies manage to win the battle, inspiring other captured plants to rebel against Viltrumite might.

In the next days, Invincible joins Thaedus, the leader of the Coalition, as they launch an assault on Viltrum. Mark meets Thragg, the ruler of Viltruim and the main antagonist of the comic. The villain easily kills Oliver. In retaliation, Nolan and Thaedus destroy Viltrum, after which, Thragg kills Thaedus and beats Omni-Man and Invincible.

It took some time for Mark and Nolan to recover. Upon waking up, Invincible discovers that Oliver is still alive and that Allen the Alien is the new leader of the Coalition. While all of this was happening, the remaining Viltrum warriors were making their way to Earth. Upon hearing this, Mark rushes back to his homeworld.

Upon reaching the planet, Mark was relieved that it was still intact. Thragg approaches Mark giving him an ultimatum: Viltrumites should be allowed to freely breed on Earth, or they will destroy the planet. Mark accepts these terms.

Return Home

Upon reaching his home, Mark realizes that Eve has gained weight. Later on, the wife tells him she had an abortion. After a long night of talking, two of them visited Invincible’s home. His father and mother made up and decided to go to Talescria together.

Mark goes to Las Vegas to face Dinosaur. Invincible doesn’t manage to stop the villain who destroys the whole city. According to the villain, climate change will destroy the planet, and he needs to kill millions to save billions.

In the following days, Mark thinks about the logic behind Dinosaur’s actions. He realizes that the villain was right all along, and he frees him from the government imprisonment, effectively putting himself at Dinosaur’s disposal as the two of them try to save the world from climate change.

Scourge Virus

Scourge Virus

Soon after, Allen the Alien approaches the Earth’s orbit, and Invincible goes out to greet him. The Coalition’s leader explains that they’ve brought the Scourge virus so they can eliminate all the Viltrumites on the planet. However, it might also destroy the human population.

Mark is angry at Allen for even considering something like that. Oliver comes to the scene and takes Allen the Alien’s side. The three of them start fighting and, after a short while, are interrupted by Thragg. They talk about the virus and the implications of its use. Reluctantly, Allen decides not to use it, and he leaves Viltrumites alone.

The Guardians of the Globe make their appearance. As they’re threatening to apprehend everyone, Oliver takes advantage of the distraction and steals the Scourge virus. Mark follows him, and the two of them have a fight in Earth’s upper atmosphere. The weapon fires, dousing Invincible in the virus.

After Thragg examines Mark, he realizes that the Earth’s protector is extremely resilient to the strain. He also discovers that Mark has the same genes as Argall, the late Viltrumite ruler. Not wanting to abdicate his power, Thragg kills the scientists who made the discovery and prepares to kill Mark. However, his intentions are prevented by Dinosaur, who saves Invincible.

The Death of Everyone

As Mark was recovering, Dinosaur was preparing to execute another massive attack. He places bombs on Greenland and Los Angeles. Mark was strong enough to prevent the destruction of Los Angeles but couldn’t do anything about charges placed on Greenland.

The explosion causes massive tidal waves all over the world, destroying Sidney, Tokyo, Paris, Dubai, San Diego, and New York. Mark is disgusted by Dinosaur’s brutality, as he hoped that the villain would take a more peaceful approach to solving global warming.

The two of them have a fight, and it looks like Dinosaur murdered Invincible in front of several camera crews. Fortunately, this was just a ruse as the villain never intended to kill his ally. He just placed him in a comatose state while destroying Mark’s lifeless clone as a show for the TV crews.

Dinosaur’s Death

Dinosaur went through all this trouble so that the two of them could talk peacefully. He was still hoping that Mark would see his point of view and that he would realize that the sacrifices were needed for a better world.

Somehow, Mark uses logic to show Dinosaur the insanity of his actions. Having a brief moment of lucidity, the villain asks Invincible to kill him off as the only way of preventing further deaths and destruction.

Feeling guilty for his actions, Mark surrenders to Cecil. However, the director of GDA doesn’t want to imprison him but instead tells Invincible that the best way to atone is to come back to his employment. Reluctantly, Invincible agrees. In the upcoming issues, Atom Even and Invincible have a daughter, which they call Terra.

Thragg’s Exile

In the following episodes, Thragg is exiled from Earth, and Nolan takes the role of Viltrumite leader. Levy Angstrom makes his appearance once again. Although he doesn’t take any serious actions against the Earth and eventually retreats to his own dimension, Mark instructs Robot to find the exact location of this plane of existence.

The two of them go to this dimension. Mark rejoices when he sees an alternate Mark. Suddenly, Robot attacks both of them, killing alternate Mark and leaving the real Mark stranded in that dimension. When Mark comes back to his dimension, he realizes that Robot is now the ruler of Earth. Although he is against it, he eventually realizes that Robot did a lot of good things for the planet.

Time Skip

Time Skip

Eventually, Mark Grayson clashes with Thragg and his children Ursaal and Onann. Oliver comes to the scene just as Thragg is holding Terra hostage. Invincible’s stepbrother helps Terra escape but pays with his life.

Mark kills Onnan, and after that, Thragg and Invincible clash against each other. Seemingly, Thragg kills Mark while Ursaal kills Eve. The villains leave, giving Mark enough time to recuperate. Thragg starts conquering numerous planets in succession and is eventually attacked by Nolan. After a short while, Mark joins the fight.

The three of them have a fierce fight during which Thragg kills Omni-Man. Enraged, Mark starts pummeling Thragg, and the two of them get closer and closer to the Sun. Their bodies are incinerated by the heat. In a desperate attempt, Thragg, who has sustained much more damage, breaks both Mark’s arms. The superhero retaliates by ripping his throat.

Allen the Alien saves Mark from the Sun, while Thragg’s body is pulled towards the star and scorched to ashes. Invincible takes over as the new Viltrumite leader.

FAQs about the Invincible Universe

Question: Which universe is Invincible set in?

Answer: Invincible’s story is set in a world full of superheroes, villains, and alien races. Mark Grayson lives on Earth in the United States. We don’t know for sure, but he probably lives in Chicago. Invincible is a part of the Image comic universe.

Question: Who is the strongest Viltrumite?

Answer: At the start of the comic, Nolan Grayson is portrayed as the strongest person on Earth and one of the strongest Viltrumites. Later on, we are introduced to Thragg, who is the ruler of the planet and a much stronger individual than Nolan. Although Mark is relatively weak at the start of the story, he eventually becomes the strongest Viltumite, with his power surpassing that of Omni-Man and Thragg.

Question: Is Invincible immortal?

Answer: Invincible has Viltrumite genetics. Like other members of his race, he can live for thousands of years. Although he regenerates rather quickly, he is not invulnerable and can be injured by other members of the race.

Conclusion

This Invincible universe guide focuses on Mark Grayson, his superhero powers, and analyzes all of his appearances in the comic series. He is a member of the powerful Viltrumite race, which conquers all planets in the galaxy. Upon gaining his powers, Mark becomes one of the Earth’s protectors. After numerous ordeals, he eventually becomes the ruler of Viltrume.

The thing I liked the most during the first seasons of the series was the dynamic between Omni-Man and Invincible. Despite the fact that Nolan Grayson doesn’t care much about the humans and shows a lot of brutality throughout the show, he couldn’t bear to kill his son. I also like the shocking twist where Omni-Man turns out to be the bad guy.

There are several good reasons to watch the show. Besides the story and the characters, I liked the vivid colors and animations. There’s a lot of action in the series, which should keep you glued to the screen until you finish the whole thing. If you’re too impatient to wait for the new season, I recommend you buy the comics.

Recommended Reads:

Scroll to Top