Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Invincible season 2, episode 1 and the comics!

Summary

• Donald Ferguson is alive in Invincible season 2, episode 1, raising questions about his resurrection after being killed by Omni-Man.
• Donald is revealed to be a robot in the Invincible comics, with his brain preserved and used to power his mechanical body.
• Donald may not be aware of his robotic nature in the show, but once he discovers the truth, he gains enhanced powers and will likely play a larger role in the series.

Donald Ferguson is alive in Invincible season 1 ending included the devastating moment where Omni-Man killed him by crushing his back. The fact that the house Donald and Omni-Man were in blew up moments later seemingly laid to rest any hope that the agent of the Global Defense Agency could survive.

This is why Donald's appearance in Invincible season 2 is sure to catch viewers as off-guard as it does some of the characters in the show. Invincible season 2, episode 1 nonchalantly shows that Donald is very much alive and well and working for the GDA still. Despite creating confusion with Donald's appearance, the show does not directly address how this is possible. In a world with superheroes, the multiverse, and much more, there are a number of potential explanations. However, the truth behind Donald's return can be found in the comics.

The following information is based on the Invincible comics

Donald Is Actually A Robot In Invincible

The key to how Donald is alive in Invincible season 2 is that he is a robot. However, he was not always like this. Donald was a normal human field agent for the GDA, but he died during one of his missions. Cecil Stedman used the agency's resources to recover his body and preserve a portion of his brain. This is then used to power Donald's mechanical body. By making Donald an android, he has the ability to be rebuilt time and time again. Even though his body was likely completely destroyed in the house explosion, the GDA could use D.A. Sinclair to make Donald a cyborg.

The animated series did not reveal this fact about the GDA agent during season 1, allowing the impact of his death to land with viewers. This mirrors how the truth about Donald and his backstory was not revealed until later on in the comics. Readers had to wait until Invincible #38 to realize his robotic nature. Of course, the show managed to change Donald's story in a sizable way by having Omni-Man kill him in season 1. It is unclear, though, if Donald was an android in season 1 or if this is the first time Donald has been brought back as a machine.

Does Donald Know He's An Android In The Comics?

Donald does not appear to know that he is a robot or that he died by the time Invincible season 2 begins. This is consistent with the comics, although the show could seemingly show viewers a character arc that appeared off-page in the source material. Donald is the one who revealed his robotic nature during a conversation with Rick Sheridan, and he confirmed that his memories were altered so he didn't his death. It was only after years of being an android that he learned the truth, but how he learned the truth and his reaction were not covered in the comics.

Donald's android body allows him to become much more powerful in the comics once he becomes aware of his true self. This includes having the ability to turn his arms into various objects and weapons because his body is 98% machine. He has also possessed powers of flight and superhuman durability. Assuming Invincible follows the comics in this fashion, Donald will be poised for a much bigger role as the series continues.

New episodes of Invincible release Fridays on Amazon Prime Video.