Invinciblehas an impressive catalog of high-quality episodes that continue to make it one of the best animated superhero shows of all time, but these ten outings are the series at its very best. Considering how consistent and enjoyable each installment has been, it’s incredibly difficult to pick a top ten sinceInvincibledoesn’t have a single bad episode. While the likes of “You Look Kinda Dead” and “This Was Supposed To Be Easy” may have slightly lower stakes than some of the most memorable episodes,Invincibleuses its side villainsexpertly, ensuring these minor storylines remain interesting and impactful.
Despite this, the franchise is undoubtedly better when focusing on the overall narrative. Season 1 thrived when building up to Mark and Omni-Man’s haunting confrontation, while seasons 2 and 3 shined whenever the story shifted towards Angstrom Levy or the Viltrumites. SeeingInvincible’s strongest charactersin action is always compelling, as the gore and brutality really add a lot of jeopardy to the series. However, most ofthe show’s greatest episodes are also filled with emotion, big character arcs, and relationship development, which is what made these ten episodes stand out and rank higher than the competition.
10"You Were My Hero"
Season 3, Episode 4
Although the first two seasons set an extremely high bar,Invincibleseason 3 has arguably provided the show’s bestbatch of episodes yet, with “You Were My Hero” being one of the most memorable. Split into two separate stories,the first half of the episode focused on Mark going into a future timeline, before the second half finally gave the audience an update on Omni-Man and Allen the Alien. Providing a glimpse into the future added more importance to Mark’s decisions throughout the rest of the series, and witnessing the Immortal’s tragic fate was also fascinating.
Invincible’s 9 Viltrumite Characters, Ranked Weakest To Strongest
The Viltrumites have been established as Invincible’s most dangerous species, but some of them have proven to be much stronger than their peers.
Likewise, the return of Battle Beast in the second half was incredibly exciting, and seeing him help Allen break Nolan out of prison made it clear he wasn’t strictly a villain. The jailbreak scene also helped establish Nolan, Allen, and Battle Beast as three of the show’s strongest characters, suggesting they will be pivotal in taking down the Viltrumites. Overall,the episode was dark, violent, and gripping, three qualities thatInvincibleoften excels at, but it still found time for some mild humor and cemented Mark and Eve as a proper couple, which will be crucial for years to come.
9"I Thought You Were Stronger"
Season 2, Episode 8
Invinciblereally knows how to nail its season finales, and while “I Thought You Were Stronger” may be the weakest of the three so far, it’s still a phenomenal episode.The conflict between Mark and Angstrom Levy built gradually throughout season 2, and their showdown didn’t disappoint. Their battle took Mark to multiple new dimensions, givingInvincibletime to show off its humor by parodying Spider-Man and making aFortnitereference, none of which detracted from the episode’s serious tone.
Although Levy hasn’t been Mark’s most physically challenging opponent in the series, the personal nature of their feud madeInvincibleseason 2’s endingso compelling, as it set up a darker future for the protagonist after believing he killed the villain. There were also small but important moments of relationship building, as Mark’s dynamics with his mother and Cecil were tested, while Rudy and Amanda managed to talk out their problems.Dupli-Kate’s return was also a big shockthat highlighted just how many important moments were squeezed into season 2’s finale, making it incredibly memorable.
8"All I Can Say Is I’m Sorry"
Season 3, Episode 6
Season 3, episode 6 is easily one of the show’s most heartbreaking outings, as it perfectly demonstrates how heroes can unintentionally create villains in the superhero universe. Having lost his sister and niece in season 1’s Chicago disaster, Powerplex wanted Invincible to face justice for his role in the destruction. Upon being ignored, he eventually turned to crime, demanding his nemesis face him, which culminated in a devastating final encounter, where Powerplex accidentally killed his wife and son.
“All I Can Say Is I’m Sorry” felt particularly grounded and raw, perfectly setting the scene for season 3’s action-packed final two episodes.
Scott Duvall’s descent into villainy was expertly portrayed, with Aaron Paul putting in a masterful performance. While the majority of the episode focused on makingPowerplexInvincible’s most tragic villain, Amanda and Rudy also had a heartwarming moment as Rudy found a cure for Monster Girl’s curse, while Rex and Rae had an emotional heart-to-heart. As a result, “All I Can Say Is I’m Sorry” felt particularly grounded and raw, perfectly setting the scene for season 3’s action-packed final two episodes.
7"Deal With The Devil"
Season 3, Episode 2
Cecil has been one ofInvincible’s most interesting characters ever since season 1, and learning about his backstory while the main story progressed worked flawlessly in season 3’s second episode. His rift with Mark reached a boiling point, as he revealed his ace in the hole, allowing him to hurt the protagonist with a sound device should he step out of line. The tension only continued to grow as Mark tracked down the Guardians of the Globe to tell them what Cecil was doing to him.
An Invincible Villain’s Redemption Proves Who Was Right Out Of Cecil & Mark Grayson
Invincible’s big redemption storyline across season 3 pays off during the height of the Invincible War, proving why Cecil was right.
This led to a fantastic confrontation, with some Guardians siding with Cecil, while others sided with Mark, who also destroyed the GDA’s ReAnimen in a scene that resembled his father’s attack in the pilot episode. Despite being presented as a villain at times,Cecil’s season 3 origin storyproved why he is so cold while humanizing him by flaunting his more heroic side. Therefore,“Deal With The Devil” is perfect for understanding Cecil’s character in more detailand exposing Mark’s darker side, making it an absolute classic.
6"That Actually Hurt"
Season 1, Episode 5
A personal favorite of mine, “That Actually Hurt” contained all the things that madeInvincibleso special. It brought in new street villains that expanded on the show’s excellent world-building and continued complicating the balance between Mark’s personal life and heroism, all while delivering some of the best action in the series. WatchingMark and the Guardians face off against Machine Head’s team was by far the biggest highlight, and demonstrated just how brutal the show was.
Several main characters nearly lost their lives, including Mark, who got destroyed by Battle Beast, providing a delightful first impression of the menacing warrior. Seeing the new version of the Guardians unite in the face of danger was also heartwarming, and showed that, despite their flaws, they are true heroes. “That Actually Hurt” introduced so many great villains and highlighted how tough yet naive Mark was as a new hero, creating a bloody and memorable spectacle that will always be one of my most beloved episodes.
5"It’s Been A While"
Season 2, Episode 4
Season 2 includesInvincible’s only midseason finale, and while the decision to break up the action into two batches of four episodes proved to be unpopular, “It’s Been A While” didn’t disappoint. Naturally,Mark and Omni-Man’s grizzly fight against the Viltrumites stole the spotlight, but several other aspects combined to make the episode so good. Eve, Debbie, and Donald all had great moments that developed their characters and conveyed the vulnerabilities that they were attempting to manage.
Debbie was still struggling to come to terms with Omni-Man’s season 1 rampage, Donald suffered an identity crisis after seeing some disturbing footage, while Eve felt guilt over causing casualties that could have been avoided. All these moments combined with Omni-Man attempting to find redemption and helping defend Thraxa with Mark. The combat and drama were extremely entertaining, and the cliffhanger ending of Nolan getting captured cemented “It’s Been A While” as a top tenInvincibleepisode.
4"We Need To Talk"
Season 1, Episode 7
Although the audience was aware of Omni-Man’s true colors from the very first episode,season 1’s penultimate episode is where the public saw his more villainous side. Getting the perspectives of Mark, Eve, Debbie, Cecil, the Guardians, and the public all watching Omni-Man finally snap was incredible, and the intensity of the Viltrumite thwarting each obstacle thrown at him confirmed just how scary he really was at his absolute worst.
The Immortal’s return seemed like it would be a huge deal, yetOmni-Man dealt with Earth’s strongest heroeasily, making it clear nothing could stop him. In addition to the main action, we also saw Robot complete his transformation into his new body, which was made even more fun by having the Maulers be a constant presence throughout. The episode closed with Omni-Man telling his son “We need to talk”, making it a fitting way to cap off such a tension-filled episode, setting up a huge finale in the process.
3"What Have I Done?"
Season 3, Episode 7
Adapting the Invincible War was always going to be tough given how many Mark Grayson variants were involved, but the series managed to faithfully recreate this storyline in the best way imaginable. Each variant looked and felt unique, whilewe were also treated to some new heroes that hadn’t been featured previously, such as Brit, Tech Jacket, Best Tiger, Wolfman, and more. The violence was relentless, with the death toll during the conflict being in the hundreds of thousands across the globe.
What Happens To Invincible’s Evil Mark Graysons After Season 3, Episode 7
Invincible’s evil variants of Mark Graysons are abruptly shunted out of the episode before the climax, setting up their potential return.
Although the fight sequences themselves were brief, they each had a huge influenceon the plot and helped fans understand the scale of what was happening, none more so than Rex’s battle. He sacrificed himself to allow his teammates to escape, and whileRex Splode’sInvincibledeathwas haunting, the series nailed everything about it. Having him take down an evil Mark was satisfying, but the montage and haunting music really brought everything together, and even after all the action in season 3, episode 7, it ended with Conquest’s arrival, raising the stakes once more.
2"Where I Really Come From"
Season 1, Episode 8
“Where I Really Come From” remainsInvincible’s most iconic episode four years later, as it really let the gloves off and deliveredone of the most disturbing episodes of TV in recent memory. To call Mark and Omni-Man’s conflict a fight would be overselling it, as it was mostly Nolan Grayson beating his son within an inch of his life. While that alone is twisted enough to be memorable, the way Omni-Man tries to break Mark down mentally and physically is what makes season 1’s finale so unforgettable.
The episode fundamentally changed the series and its characters, with the fallout still having a knock-on effect two seasons later, proving why episode 8 deserves to be so near the top.
Not only does he punish Mark with punches and kicks, but Omni-Man’s attacks leave Chicago in ruins, even using his son as a weapon to murder a train full of civilians. At times, “Where I Really Come From” is borderline uncomfortable as Mark’s loved ones and allies are forced to watch on helplessly at one of the show’s most twisted confrontations. Additionally,the episode fundamentally changed the series and its characters, with the fallout still having a knock-on effect two seasons later, proving why episode 8 deserves to be so near the top.
1"I Thought You’d Never Shut Up"
Season 3, Episode 8
It may feel like recency bias to putInvincible’s latest episode in the top spot, but it absolutely deserves it.Earning a rare 9.9 IMDb score, season 3’s finale has been universally praisedand is comfortably the show’s biggest achievement yet. The introduction of Conquest certainly lived up to the hype, as his fight with Mark was chaotic and aggressive, instantly making the Viltrumite the most dangerousInvinciblecharacter that we’ve seen so far.
Eve’s near-death experience was a shocking moment that left viewers stunned, especially after just losing Rex in the previous episode, who also received a touching funeral in the finale.Invincibleseason 3’s endingreally upped the stakes and capitalized on everything that came before it by producing the most grueling fight sequence yet, and with the final moments expertly setting up a gripping fourth season while subtly alluding to some big comic moments, it’ll be hard for anything to top “I Thought You’d Never Shut Up”.
