Invincible's Parody Of A 60-Year-Old Sci-Fi Franchise Is Perfect
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Published Mar 19, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT
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Invincible season 4 is finally here, and the show just did a perfect parody of this 60-year-old sci-fi franchise. Invincible has a lot of ground to cover in its new batch of episodes, with it building off of the Invincible War and fight against Conquest from season 3 while also leading up to the Viltrumite War. However, the show managed to find time to sneak in a storyline that parodies one of the most popular sci-fi shows of all time, and it is fantastic.
Invincible Season 4, Episode 2's Space Crew Is A Parody Of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Before starting their quest, Nolan and Allen head back to Talescria, the home planet of the Coalition of Planets. The duo explains their plan to gather threats to the Viltrumites, but they know the Viltrum Empire is after them. Luckily, Telia knows a way that they can sneak around the universe. So, Nolan, Allen, and Telia hop on board a run-down ship known as The Venture, and its crew is a clear parody of the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The bridge of The Venture looks almost identical to the bridge of The Enterprise from Star Trek, immediately making this parody clear. On top of that, the costumes that The Venture wears are identical to those of the Star Trek cast, although they have different meanings. The ship's captain wears red, while other crew members wear colors like yellow and green.
When the Invincible cast first boards The Venture, the captain introduces three crew members by name. These are Worg, Download, and Counselor Tuva, clear parodies of The Next Generation characters Worf, Data, and Deanna Troi. The characters even look like the Star Trek figures that they are parodying, making the bit even better.
Interestingly, this Star Trek parody comes straight from the comics, which features the same crew. This isn't the show's only connection to the franchise, however. Invincible made references to Star Trek in previous episodes, and Robot voice actor Zachary Quinto actually played Spock in the 2009 Star Trek movie series. So, while Star Trek definitely isn't essential viewing for Invincible, it certainly makes the show a lot better.
If Mark remembered Nolan's instructions from the end of Invincible season 2, his fight against Conquest would have been so much easier.
Invincible Season 4, Episode 2 Is One Of The Show's Funniest Yet
Invincible season 4's Star Trek: The Next Generation parody is just one of many hilarious elements that can be found in episode 2, with it being a far more comedic outing than the preceding episode. Allen the Alien is a comedic relief character, so obviously, most of his scenes are absolutely hilarious. On top of that, the recurring weird creatures that Allen and Nolan encounter during their journey allow for even more jokes to be told.
Episode 2 also has two of the show's best running gags. The first is that each night, Allen and Telia are very loudly making love in their bedroom, preventing Nolan from sleeping on his uncomfortable couch. The second is a much darker comedic beat, with Allen constantly being shocked by the cruelty of the Viltrumites. Basically, anytime someone encounters Nolan, they want to kill him. This happens so many times that it becomes comedic, fleshing out the Invincible universe while also providing a laugh.
Invincible episode 2 definitely has its dark moments, such as the episode's opening Viltrum Empire flashback. However, it is one of the funniest moments in what is going to undoubtedly be a dark fourth season of Invincible.
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