Invincible Season 2 has dropped on Prime Video and fans of the incredibly popular animated version of Robert Kirkman’s comic book are perplexed by the return of Donald Ferguson, who is still alive despite being assumed to be dead after Season 1.
The rug pull has fans speculating about what is going on, and who can blame them? In the first season finale, it seemed that Donald was horrifically murdered by Omni-Man, yet here he is in the Season 2 premiere very much alive. What is going on with the character? You might need to refer to the comic book to get your answers, and if you need a hand with that, we can help.
How is Donald Still Alive in Invincible Season 2?
It seems that there may be more to the character of Donald than meets the eye. He might, in fact, be a robot.
In the TV series, Donald, played by voice actor Chris Diamantopoulos, is high up in the GDA and works under the Machiavellian Nick Fury-esque Cecil Stedman. If we look at the comic book that the series is based on, we find there is a character called Rick Sheridan who hasn’t made an appearance on the show yet.
In the comic book, Rick is killed and then brought back to life as he is really a cyborg, and Donald reveals that he empathizes with Rick as he is also a robot.
However, this was not always the case, as Donald was once human, but was mortally wounded in a mission for the GDA. Advanced technology was used to bring him back as a robot, a situation that he did not seem to be aware of.
This revelation did not occur until the 38th issue of the comic book, and it may be a secret that the TV show is holding back too.
Donald Ferguson reveals he’s a cyborg | From Invincible #38
Fans of the show on social media were very confused to see Donald alive and kicking in the Season 2 premiere.
Wait, I thought Donald died. How the fvck is he still alive? #Invincible pic.twitter.com/tB7XaJ3kA2
— Humphrey (@RealHumphrey_) November 4, 2023
Ummm… pic.twitter.com/MJO5XC06B5
— INVINCIBLE (@InvincibleHQ) November 4, 2023
Wait… are we still in a different dimension on #Invincible ? How is Donald still alive? Is that even our Universe and our Mark? pic.twitter.com/5Y3CEsPmR9
— ????? (@TheNiceGuy777) November 3, 2023
How did Donald die in Invincible Season 1?
In the season finale, Omni-Man would work his way through a team of agents, brutally murdering them in an orgy of violence, crushing their heads and literally ripping them apart. He would find Donald Ferguson and after a futile battle, he grabs Donald’s spine and crushes it. However, Donald then hits a failsafe, blowing up the house they were in during the battle.
This sequence, which was not in the comics, also challenges the robot theory, since its brutality implies that Donald is very much a squishy human. Either way, there is inevitably going to be some reworking of the source material to justify this version of events.
Does the series Invincible follow the comic book?
Although the comic book by Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley, published by Image Comics, is the inspiration for the animated series, the show does make a lot of deviations from the printed work.
There are a few differences in the timeline of the TV series from the comic book, but the changes that have been made are there to enhance the viewing experience of the series.
Luckily the show stays very true to the original concepts of the comic, and although fans of the comic will notice many discrepancies, they are made to enhance the TV show, making it narratively more accessible for viewers.
Details such as how Mark gets his name, the introduction of Cecil, and the role of Debbie in the story all deviate from the source, but this is to help the show move forward at a pace that works for animation, and we don’t think the changes are a problem for the animated version of the story.
RELATED: When will Invincible Season 2 Episode 2 be on Prime Video?
