This text incorporates main spoilers for “Invincible.”
If you have learn the “Invincible” comics and know the endgame, then you definately’ve most likely been watching season 3 with dread. Not as a result of the season is unhealthy, removed from it. No, since you knew the ending was going to be a massacre and that one main character would not be making it out.
The penultimate episode of season 3 — “What Have I Accomplished?” — adapts “Invincible Warfare.” Angstrom Levy (Sterling Ok. Brown) enacts his newest revenge scheme in opposition to Invincible/Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) by bringing Invincibles from totally different realities to his. To go dwelling, the Invincibles must destroy Mark’s Earth, “our” Earth.
One of many Invincibles, and an particularly sadistic one, assaults the Teen Crew base, overpowering Robotic, Monster Lady, and Bulletproof. So, Rex Splode (Jason Mantzoukas) stays behind to battle him and let the others escape. When it looks like all is over for Rex, he plunges his hand via an open wound, grabs his personal skeleton, and detonates it, taking out himself and the alternate Invincible within the explosion.
Rex has been in comparison with Gambit from “X-Males,” since they’re each cocky girls’ males with the power to make issues go growth. (Granted, Rex can generate glowing/exploding rods, whereas Gambit sticks to enjoying playing cards.) Comparisons will now doubtlessly be made to Gambit’s heartbreaking sacrifice in “X-Males ’97.” Like Remy LeBeau, Rex Splode is a hero who deserves to be remembered.
RIP Rex Splode, a real Invincible hero
In each the “Invincible” comics and TV present, Rex is not meant to be likable — at first. He is cocky, abrasive, and courting Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs, one of many present’s many celeb voices). Rex’s very presence is standing in the way in which of Mark and Eve getting collectively. Then, worse, Rex cheats on Eve and he or she dumps him. That would’ve been the top for Rex, however as a substitute he hung round. Spending extra time with Rex allow you to perceive why Eve favored him within the first place.
The present has redeemed Rex much more so than the comedian. A part of that goes again to Mantzoukas’s humorous and entertaining efficiency. He walks a positive line between making Rex obnoxious, typically pathetic, and in the end endearing. The present has additionally given Rex extra time within the highlight, which suggests his absence will really feel much more apparent and painful in future “Invincible” seasons.
Rex acquired humbled again in season 2, when he led a few of the Guardians of the Globe on a mission gone horribly incorrect. He and his teammates nearly died, which gave Rex the wake-up name he wanted. He was nonetheless a loudmouth, however one which cared about his mates.
Season 3 has paired Rex up with Shrinking Rae (Gray DeLisle), who’s having doubts about the entire superhero factor. A traditional life sounds good to Rae, however as a lot as he likes her, Rex’s complete id is being a superhero; his nom de guerre is his literal, authorized identify, in any case. Watching Rex and Rae’s scenes collectively, a part of me hoped the present would possibly keep its hand and let Rex reside this time. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.
Rex Splode could not hand over being a hero, so after all he died as one.
“Invincible” is streaming on Prime Video. The season finale premieres on March 13, 2025.