Invincible Season 2 Cameo Mocks Marvel’s Biggest Movie Multiverse Problem

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Invincible season 2, episode 8, “I Thought You Were Stronger.”

Invincible season 2, episode 8 includes a cameo that pokes fun at a well-known superhero, and the character’s appearance mocks Marvel’s biggest multiverse problem. Prime Video’s Invincible set itself apart from other superhero projects with its gritty tone and self-aware approach to storytelling in 2021. This left viewers eager to get their hands on Invincible season 2. And while the sophomore season features many of the strengths that made season 1 great, it also utilizes overused tropes from the superhero genre.

This is somewhat inevitable given that Invincible is a superhero story at its core. Even if Mark Grayson’s narrative doesn’t fit the typical formula, it’s bound to feature common elements of superhero comics. And Invincible season 2 continues a recent trend, one that’s become increasingly stale thanks to Marvel and DC. The Amazon series is part of the problem, but it also manages to mock its role in overusing this trope.

Invincible Mocks Marvel’s Overuse Of The Multiverse

Season 2’s “Spider-Man” Cameo Pokes Fun At The Concept

Invincible season 2’s ending features a Spider-Man reference, as the Amazon series uses Agent Spider to make fun of the Marvel hero and the franchise overall. Agent Spider’s appearance was teased in the Invincible season 2 trailers and promotional footage, and even if the show’s “Spider-Man” cameo was a bit disappointing, it made good points about the superhero genre. Mark encounters Agent Spider after flying through a portal to an alternate universe. Invincible‘s take on Spider-Man is fighting a villain that’s awfully similar to Doctor Octopus, and he’s even voiced by Josh Keaton, who portrayed Spidey in The Spectacular Spider-Man.

The Amazon show couldn’t be more heavy-handed with its commentary, especially as Agent Spider remarks, “I know you’re from another dimension. Got way too much experience with that.” This is obviously poking fun at the Spider-Man comics’ lengthy history of using the multiverse, as well as its recent efforts to bring it to the big screen. Spider-Man: No Way Home and the Spider-Verse movies revolve around the concept of the multiverse, and Avengers 5 and 6 are likely to do so as well. Invincible is teasing the franchise’s overuse of the multiverse — something that’s led to other shows and movies hopping on the bandwagon, too.

How Marvel Movies (& DC) Have Overused The Multiverse Concept

Too Many Recent Movies Use The Concept For Fan Servie Or As A Plot Device

The MCU and the DC Extended Universe have both use the concept of the multiverse in their recent movies, and it’s getting overdone — especially since neither franchise is doing anything particularly interesting with it. While Marvel’s multiverse started as an interesting way to move things forward after Avengers: Endgame, Phase 4 and Phase 5 never quite deliver on the excitement surrounding so many universes and timelines. Spider-Man: No Way Home effectively uses it to deliver fan-service, but movies like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and shows like Loki keep it contained. Thus far, the franchise hasn’t made any major connections between projects, raising questions about where it’s going.

By contrast, the DCEU’s multiverse mostly exists to explain away the franchise’s lack of connections and repeated reboots over the past decade. It’s no secret that DC movies have been fairly inconsistent when it comes to whether they’re related, and certain characters and stories — like all the Batman movies — don’t add up with other projects. The timelines set up within the franchise allow for multiple iterations of characters and mostly disconnected stories, especially heading into James Gunn’s DC universe era. Like Marvel, the DCEU has yet to do anything super satisfying or groundbreaking with its multiverse.

Invincible Admits It’s Part Of The Burned-Out 2020s Multiverse Trope

Season 2’s Storyline Plays Directly Into This Trend

With its hilarious multiverse line, Invincible acknowledges that it’s also part of the problem, as season 2 relies heavily on this concept to bring its story to fruition. This isn’t inherently a negative thing, but it does come at a time when multiverse stories are becoming increasingly common. Given the mixed reactions to recent Marvel projects, it’s safe to say people are feeling a bit fatigued by this phenomenon. And with so many stories attempting to capitalize on it, it removes their sense of originality. Invincible‘s differences from other superhero fare are what made season 1 great, so season 2 digging into such a common concept is a bit disappointing.

Of course, it helps that Invincible is aware of this problem and willing to poke fun at the overused multiverse story. It allows the series to maintain its tone and stay somewhat fresh, which bodes well going into Invincible season 3. Hopefully, Invincible continues finding ways to stand out among all the other superhero fare as it moves past season 2’s multiverse storyline.