Warning: This article contains spoilers from Invincible season 2, episode 5, "This Must Come As A Shock."

Summary

• The shocking deaths of Dupli-Kate and Shrinking Rae in Invincible set the tone for unexpected twists in season 2.
• The deaths were intentional to defy viewer expectations and add weight to the Lizard League's threat.
• Just like in season 1, Invincible continues to surprise with gruesome deaths, keeping audiences on edge.

Invincible creator Robert Kirkman explains the shocking deaths that occurred in the first episode of season 2, part 2. The episode "This Must Come As A Shock" picks up several months after the events of the Invincible season 2 part 1 finale. It sees Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) finally returning home after helping rebuild Thraxa. However, he and the majority of the Guardians are quickly sent back to space to face another threat. The three Guardians left on Earth have a confrontation with the Lizard League that unexpectedly turns deadly.

In an interview with Invincible season 2 part 2's premiere. According to Kirkman, the main reason for the deaths was to shock audiences. The deaths were particularly unexpected because they set up a group of villains and three of the Guardians who aren't typically taken seriously. Hence, it reminds audiences that they never know what to expect from the show. Check out his statement below:

We want to make sure that these scenes have the weight and gravitas that we want them to have. The Lizard League is a villain that we have set up not to be taken seriously, and then you’ve got arguably the weakest, most slight street-level heroes in the Guardians of the Globe going up against this joke threat. The audience goes into that setup expecting a fun fight scene, but there’s not going to be anything of note or anything of weight that comes from this, especially when the A-Team is off in space battling the actual threat. Losing these characters in the way that we’re losing them is a good way to give the audience that sense that when you sit down to watch an episode of Invincible, you don’t know what’s going to happen; you can never anticipate where we’re going to go on this show. Or know what’s going to happen to these characters.

This Isn’t The First Time Invincible Has Capitalized On Shock Value

For those who aren't familiar with the comics, Kate and Rae's deaths will come as a shock in Invincble season 2. After all, as Kirkman explained, the show purposefully misled viewers regarding the scale of the Lizard League's threat. On top of that, the show hasn't featured any significant deaths since the season 1 premiere. The first part of season 2 was also less violent than the previous season. Hence, the deaths weren't just unexpected but marked a big shift in the tone and narrative of Invincible season 2.

However, this isn't the first time Invincible has leaned into its shock factor. Much of the season 1 premiere was devoted to exploring the Grayson family dynamic as Mark discovers his powers and his father, Omni-Man (J. K. Simmons), seeks to help him become a better hero. In the very last moments of the episode, viewers are caught off-guard when Omni-Man suddenly murders the entire original Guardians of the Globe team in brutal fashion without warning. Even comic book readers were surprised because the deaths occurred earlier in the show than in the source material.

At the time, Kirkman confirmed the surprise was intended to create more tension around when Omni-Man's actions would be discovered. Similarly, Dupli-Kate and Shrinking Rae's deaths add a hint of mystery regarding whether they'll be permanent or if Rae may return, as she does in the comics. Meanwhile, the deaths are also very reminiscent of the season 1 premiere and demonstrate just how unexpected and gory a world with heroes would really look like. Invincible has once again successfully shocked viewers with a pair of gruesome deaths, raising anticipation for what other turns season 2 may take.

New episodes of Invincible premiere on Thursdays on Prime Video.

Source: Variety