From its widespread memes, social media trends, and a very active fandom, Invincible has left its mark on every corner of the internet. Whether or not you’ve watched Invincible, you definitely have at least heard of it. Perhaps you’ve seen a clip or two from the show, or spent some time searching for “Omni-man” in what appears to be a normal landscape. Whatever the case, Invincible is without a doubt a pillar of modern media.

Without any spoilers, the story is about teenager Mark Grayson becoming a superhero with the help of his superhero dad, Omni-man, who also happens to be an alien. To be fair, it does kind of sound like a stereotypical superhero story, but I promise you it’s a lot more. Yes, some parts of the premise play into common tropes seen in the superhero genre, but what makes Invincible so special is how well it deals with those themes. Invincible takes the stories of heroism of, say, your average Marvel movie, and then expands on the consequences of every single action, showing the effects of superpowers in a real world. The city isn’t just rebuilt by the next episode, and people have certainly not forgotten what has come before. Collateral damage feels real, and actions have consequences. A season 3 villain’s main motivation is literally to take revenge for the casualties Mark has caused. Invincible raises the age-old question of how to be a hero, but with stakes beyond episodic plot points, there are actual consequences for doing it wrong.

Invincible is also excellent in building a colorful cast of characters and providing them with memorable scenes, many of which have been uploaded to the internet again and again, both in the form of memes and clips. With this, it manages to stay relevant even during the vast expanse of production time between the seasons. Even now, nearly four years after its release, scenes from the first season are still floating around the internet, with certain clips like Omni-man’s fight against the Guardians of the Globe getting over ten million views on youtube. 

Another appeal of Invincible is that it is disconnected from a greater universe, unlike a lot of other superhero media, and that it is one continuous story. Marvel and DC, the two powerhouses of this film genre, have been building up so many criss-crossing storylines that it’s daunting to try to get started.

If, like me, you weren’t in on the initial wave of viewers, have no fear! You can still catch up pretty easily. The total runtime so far for Invincible sits at about 20 hours, which is a very bingeable amount if you’re willing to sit back for a weekend or two. However, do be aware of some things. Invincible deals with some heavier themes and, with the imagery to match it, the show may be very intense at times. Whether or not you’re a superhero fan, or an animation fan, or even a fan of tv shows in general, you probably will end up at least liking Invincible. If only just to understand the references, give it a try!