Invincible shocked the world with its incredible storytelling, beautiful world-building, and electric characters. The story of Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) works because Mark is very much like all of us. He dreamed of being like his father, only to find out that his hero wasn’t the man he thought he was. With Season 2 of Invincible officially releasing in November, fans at this year’s SDCC were lucky enough to be treated to a special episode starring Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs), available now on Prime Video. The one-hour special tells us the story of Eve and how she became the superhero we know and love in Invincible Season 1.

Based on the work of Invincible creator Rob Kirkman (who also co-wrote this episode), Samantha Eve Wilkins’ origin story firmly works as a standalone story in the Invincible franchise. Samantha was always different from the rest of her peers and was born with god-like abilities. She can see and change every molecule and atom with nothing but a thought. It’s captivating especially because Eve is the complete opposite of Mark Grayson, highlighting the differences in the world of Invincible. The episode starts off with a fantastic action scene featuring the former Guardians of the Globe. We didn’t get much of them in the first season, but they show how powerful the group can be here. Of course, J.K. Simmons reprises his role as Omni-Man in a brief appearance before we discover where Atom Eve actually came from.

Related: ‘Invincible’ Returns Early With Special Atom Eve Standalone Episode on Prime Video

The Genesis of Atom Eve Marks a New Beginning in ‘Invincible’
Image via Prime Video

While Omni-Man is clearly a Superman allegory, Eve shares quite a bit with the Man of Tomorrow. She was rescued from certain death at birth and adopted by a family who didn’t know her true heritage. Sam’s powers and her understanding of what makes up the universe made her unique, a gifted youngster who wants to use her powers for good. Unfortunately, her friends and family only wanted her to be “normal,” completely ignoring her incredible abilities. Sam discovering her self-worth even though the rest of the world rejects her is extremely endearing.

As the plot develops, we discover that the lab that gave Sam her powers has been failing to replicate the process. These lesser experiments are tragic for the same reasons as Sam, but the added weight of them not being “perfect” hits hard, as Sam learns about her family history at breakneck speed. The pacing of this special was handled wonderfully. The episode spends just enough time introducing new characters and concepts that weren’t in Season 1 and is able to balance that with the engrossing story of how Samantha becomes a hero.

No Graysons? No Problem for This ‘Invincible’ Special
Image via Prime Video

Having this episode follow an entirely different cast of characters could have been seen as a gamble. After all, Mark Grayson is the titular character. He’s been at the core of every event in every single storyline we’ve seen thus far. However, every new and returning character in this episode just highlights the masterful worldbuilding and craftsmanship of Kirkman and the Skybound team.

Aria Kane and Jazlyn Ione lend their talents to the voice of young Samantha (Gillian Jacobs voices the character in the present day), delivering stellar performances bolstered by their all-star supporting cast, most notably Jacob Tremblay (The Little Mermaid) and the late Lance Reddick (John Wick). Reddick’s delivery was ice-cold, and he added a sense of gravitas to the new character, Erickson, making him feel like a monster that rivals Omni-Man or Sam’s dad (Fred Tatasciore), the show’s true villain. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tremblay’s Phase Two is a tragedy. He’s been treated like a monster his entire life, and you can feel the child’s pain through Tremblay’s voice performance.

‘Invincible’s Special Episode Is Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice
Image via Prime Video

There is plenty to love from this Atom Eve episode, and we’re just scratching the surface. It’s a coming-of-age story but with that Invincible flair. It’s a traditional superhero story until it’s not, and it goes down a road you’d never expect. One thing that stands out is how much more fluid the animation is compared to Invincible Season 1. The application of Atom Eve’s abilities made for some of the most creative and dynamic action sequences we’ve seen in years. The colors are vibrant, the characters are expressive, and that title card is still iconic.

While the wait for the return of Invincible was long (and still ongoing), the time between Season 1 and now has clearly been spent refining the animation, improving the action, and maintaining the soul of the comics that inspired the show’s creation. Prime Video continues to prove that they are by far the best place to watch superhero content. Invincible is as great as ever, and it didn’t even need its main character to steal our hearts with this special episode.

Rating: A

The Big Picture The special episode of Invincible featuring Atom Eve is a captivating standalone story that explores her origin as a superhero with god-like abilities. The episode showcases stunning animation and dynamic action sequences, with Atom Eve’s powers being creatively portrayed. Despite not featuring the main character Mark Grayson, this episode highlights the masterful world-building and craftsmanship of Invincible, leaving viewers excited for Season 2. Invincible Season 2 will premiere with the first half of its eight episodes on November 3, with new episodes weekly. Following a mid-season hiatus, the second half of Season 2 will premiere in early 2024 on Prime Video.