In theory this episode is great! Fun developments, interesting revelations, exciting set-ups, both long-awaited and fresh confrontations, etc.
But the story's outline is just the outline, and when it comes to this episode specifically I found the dialogue abysmal. It honestly feels like someone presented the outline to an AI, which then wrote the episode for them. More than ever in this usually great, character-driven series, the dialogue and actions do not seem to come from the characters themselves. Instead, they all say and do cliché (and sometimes contradicting) things.
Characters say one-liners and aphorisms which sound sound cool or poetic, but don't make any sense for them to say. Characters do one thing (sometimes for a cliché dramatic effect) and then immediately flip back to contradictory behaviour. Mind you, this could work when done organically and thematically, as Invincible has done incredibly well before! But here characters flip-flop their behaviour in a very stilted, moment-to-moment way, which to my ear actively hindered the voice actors' performances.
I really like this series because of its characters and themes. But this episode, characters said and did what an AI might think these characters would say and do. Their emotions were bent in favour of quips and the themes were buried beneath empty word salad.
Some gorgeous imagery though and the fights were cool.
But the story's outline is just the outline, and when it comes to this episode specifically I found the dialogue abysmal. It honestly feels like someone presented the outline to an AI, which then wrote the episode for them. More than ever in this usually great, character-driven series, the dialogue and actions do not seem to come from the characters themselves. Instead, they all say and do cliché (and sometimes contradicting) things.
Characters say one-liners and aphorisms which sound sound cool or poetic, but don't make any sense for them to say. Characters do one thing (sometimes for a cliché dramatic effect) and then immediately flip back to contradictory behaviour. Mind you, this could work when done organically and thematically, as Invincible has done incredibly well before! But here characters flip-flop their behaviour in a very stilted, moment-to-moment way, which to my ear actively hindered the voice actors' performances.
I really like this series because of its characters and themes. But this episode, characters said and did what an AI might think these characters would say and do. Their emotions were bent in favour of quips and the themes were buried beneath empty word salad.
Some gorgeous imagery though and the fights were cool.