Invincible: 10 Comic Scenes Too Dark For The Show

Spoiler Warning: This list includes references to moments in Invincible that haven’t aired yet.

Prime Video’s adult-animated series Invincible drew rave reviews for its subversion of superhero tropes and its loyalty to the source material. For those unacquainted with the titular comics, Invincible is a coming-of-age superhero story that debuted in 2003 as a part of the Image Comics Universe.

Despite its comedic elements, the comics have their fair share of dark moments. From character deaths to interplanetary wars, Invincible doesn’t shy away from over-the-top violence and gore. However, much like Prime’s other hyperviolent comic-book adaptation The Boys, it’s natural for Invincible’s future seasons to tone down some of these notorious scenes.

10 Robot’s Betrayal

After ruling an alien civilization for a thousand years in an alternate reality, Robot aka Rudolph Connors looks at himself as Earth’s rightful savior harboring similar plans to rule the world. Robot’s betrayal was a major plot twist in the comics and would most likely be replicated in the series. At the same time, there’s a particular moment that might be a bit too disturbing to show on the screen.

As Robot plans to get Mark Grayson (Invincible) out of his way, he targets his girlfriend-turned-wife Atom Eve. Eve can’t use her powers for her pregnancy and she tries to escape before Robot unleashes a grapple rope around her leg and uses the cable to brutally dismember it.

9 The Mauler Twins’ ‘Accidental’ Death

Ever since the first episode, the Mauler Twins have made their presence felt. Despite having faced off the mightiest of heroes, they interestingly die at the hands of Mark’s half-brother Oliver.

In Invincible #52, a younger Oliver is unable to control the full extent of his powers. Hence, while fighting the Mauler Twins, he punches through one of the brothers. The result is gooey spillage of blood and intestines. As the other twin plans to surrender, Oliver ends up killing him too, adding that it was all ‘an accident’. Given how The Mauler Twins provide comic relief in the show, their demise if executed in such a manner, would be quite dark for fans.

8 Mark & Anissa’s Disturbing Encounter

Anissa is a Vlitrumite who like many of her peers was tasked with procreating on Earth. When she plans on getting intimate with Invincible for this very reason, the hero outrightly rejects her advances and plans to fly back home to Eve. She continues pestering him, adding that she only wants to have a child with Mark for his half Viltrumite heritage.

However, Anissa headbutts Mark and forces herself on him. This scene isn’t just limited to one page in the comics and can naturally make the audience uncomfortable.

7 Conquest Injures Atom Eve

Much like Robot’s betrayal, Conquest’s arrival is inevitable in the Prime series given the Viltrumite antagonist’s impact on the comic storyline. Conquest oversees the world’s destructions at the hands of Invincible’s doppelgangers. He takes the bloodshed a notch higher by disemboweling Atom Eve (even though she survives the attack later).

This news is obviously not received well by Mark who goes on a homicidal rampage and unleashes a death that’s graphic even for the comic’s standards. The fight ends with Mark biting off Conquest’s trapezius muscle and headbutting him until his brain turned into a pulp.

6 Bulletproof Kills His Parents

Bulletproof aka Zandale Randolph always grew up in the shadow of his identical twin Tyrone who was his parents’ favorite child. The latter was also a geneticist obsessed with superheroes to the point that he even drugged Zandale and conducted experiments on him.

After an experiment gives Zandale superhuman strength, an explosion is triggered that takes Tyrone’s life. However, his parents don’t believe him and allege Zandale to be a murderer. This prompts his girlfriend to strike Mrs. Randolph on the head with a pan, a blow that takes her life in an instant. As Mr. Randolph grows infuriated, Zandale ends up killing him too in an act of self-defense.

5 Imaginary Deaths

As the merciless Grand Regent Thragg and Viltrumite forces arrive on Earth after the Viltrumite War, Mark sees a dystopian vision that traumatizes him.

He witnesses Thragg massacring people and even destroying his house. If this wasn’t enough, Thragg then grabs Mark’s mother Debbie and tears off her head. While holding her bleeding head in one hand, Thragg mockingly remarks, ‘Pity your son wasn’t here to see this.’

4 Powerplex Electrocutes His Own Family

The interesting villain Powerplex wished to teach Invincible a lesson as he was disappointed with the collateral damage that such heroes can cause. This prompts him to execute a revenge plan that proves to be fatal for his own family.

His supportive wife Betty agreed to function as bait along with their son Jack. Eager to save the woman and her child, Invincible arrived at the scene only to get attacked by Powerplex who unleashed a blast of electrical energy at him. The blast however ends up spreading in the vicinity and he witnesses his own family get electrocuted.

3 Oliver’s Death

As mentioned earlier, Oliver Grayson is Mark’s half-brother who fights crime under the mantle of Kid Omni-Man (and later Young Omni-Man). Even though he supports the Viltrumite cause, he does rebel against Thragg after the Grand Regent plans on killing Mark and the entire Grayson family.

After he tries warning Mark’s daughter Terra about the incoming danger, Thragg goes on to break the girl’s leg. In a desperate attempt to fight him off, Oliver charges at Thragg but this proves to be ineffective as Thragg rips his body in half.

2 Duel On The Sun

Towards the very end of the Invincible‘s 144-issue run, Thragg and Invincible face off in an ultimate showdown that takes place on the sun. With every consequent panel and page, the fight gets more and more unsettling in visuals terms.

This is obviously because both characters’ skin begins to melt in the face of the burning heat. There comes a point where the reader can just see the two Viltrumites as burning masses of muscle and blood.

1 Thragg Vs. Battle Beast

Battle Beast aka Throkk has always been on the quest to find a worthy opponent in combat. When Thragg proves to be one such opponent, Battle Beast fights him for days until he meets his own demise.

To engage in a fair contest, Battle Beast even cuts open his own abdomen to match the level of an injured Thragg. Finally, the Viltrumite gains the upper hand and pulls out his heart. Blood sprays all over and the mushy insides flow out of Battle Beast’s body. Before taking his last breath, he thanks Thragg for the fight who then wears his skin to symbolize his victory.

About The Author

Shaurya Thapa
(724 Articles Published)

Shaurya Thapa is an Indian freelance journalist who mostly dabbles in writings on cinema, music, and human interest features. When it comes to Screen Rant, he writes lists on a wide array of subjects ranging from international films to mainstream Netflix series and comic book trivia. He also hosts a podcast called ‘BhindiWire’, an Indian parody of IndieWire.

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