Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons) is poised to become a completely different man inInvincibleseason 3. After the runaway success of seasons 1 and 2, season 3 recently premiered on Prime Video, andInvincibleseason 4has already been confirmed. One major continuing storyline involves Invincible’s father, Omni-Man, as he develops from an abject villain into a morally gray hero. Whether he actually achieves his redemption remains an open question.
While he originally signed on to play a monstrous villain,Simmons is thrilledwith the narrative direction his character is going in. In an interview withScreenRant’s Grant Hermanns aboutInvincibleseason 3, Simmons explained how he feels about Omni-Man’s growth. Even though Simmons describes it as “an animated show about superheroes”, he praises the subtlety of the characters and the story. He also has nothing but respect for Seth Rogen’s Allen the Alien. Check out his quote below:
Well, it’s that inner turmoil, right? There’s the alpha, the Viltrumite, the Omni-Man, and then he’s sort of reluctantly feeling these tinges of humanity invading his being. And then, he spends a significant amount of time, basically in avery intimate one-on-one situation with Allen the Alien, of all beings. It was a really fun season to continue to explore what that brings out in Omni-Man/Nolan.
Well, you’re in a room with Allen the Alien/Seth Rogen. You either have to just listen to him never shutting up, or you have to get chatty in return. I love the way that, first of all, plot brought us to that point and we really got to just kind of wallow in it, and see more, hear more, of Omni-Man philosophizing and justifying and arguing and even being funny from time to time.
Yeah, I think that’s it. He continues to sort of chink away at the armor, that Viltrumite armor, and Allen is a smart alien. He’s just continuing to do that becausehe senses that there is a tinge of humanitythere, and that he’s not talking to a brick wall that you usually are when you’re talking to a Viltrumite. So, yeah, again, I think it’s one of those really nice — I’m surprised, I guess, to use the word subtle, because it’s an animated show about superheroes, but there is a lot ofreally interesting subtlety in the charactersand the relationships, and that continues to be one of the things that makes it an interesting job to continue with when you do this kind of long-form storytelling, whether it’s animated or live-action. It’s nice not to feel like your character ever stagnates.
What Omni-Man’s Growth Means For Invincible
It Proves That No One Is Beyond Saving
Aside from Mark Grayson, Omni-Man is arguably the most important character on the show. From the very beginning, he was viewed as the Earth’s greatest protector, and he only became more important after the deaths ofthe Guardians of the Globe. The reveal that he was secretly a villain helped to turn Mark into a hero in his own right. If not for that, Mark could have been a sidekick forever. Ever since his betrayal,Omni-Man has been a constant presenceand narrative foil for Mark.
If Omni-Man could not grow and change, then neither could the Viltrum Empire, Mark, or even humanity.
Allowing Omni-Man to grow means that he can still maintain his role in the story. It also serves as a tool for Mark’s development. Though he despises his father, Omni-Man’s growth proves that Mark can never fully cast him aside. It also means thatOmni-Man truly is a well-rounded character.It would be far easier to portray him as a one-note villain. Instead, the show has engaged in a seasons-long arc that makes him both complex and interesting. Any actor would jump at the opportunity to portray a character with similar depth, which explains Simmons' satisfaction.
Our Take On Omni-Man’s Growth
It Is Crucial To The Show’s Themes
Hope is an essential themein any traditional superhero story. Even in the nontraditionalInvincible, it remains essential. Mark does not fight just to save lives; he accepts constantly losing fights just to prove that he believes in those around him.Even Angstrom Levy has the potentialto change his ways, if only he can set aside his need for revenge. If Omni-Man could not grow and change, then neither could the Viltrum Empire, Mark, or even humanity. By allowing him to develop, the show proves its adherence to its themes. Better yet, it satisfies Simmons' need for complexity.
