Why Oliver Doesn't Exist In Invincible's Other Universes

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Invincible comics. Invincible season 2 introduced another Viltrumite in Oliver Grayson, the child Omni-Man had with Andressa — and yet, the character doesn't appear in every universe. Following Oliver's (Lincoln Bodin, Christian Convery) debut in Invincible season 2, the character has become a firm fan-favorite. So far, the show hasn't yet shown the extent of his powers, but as the series goes on, he will undoubtedly become a force to be reckoned with. Oliver has gone through quite an evolution between seasons 2 and 4, from his skin color changing from purple to pink to using his superpowers for good.

Oliver wasn’t the only new character in the show’s sophomore season, however, as it also included a new villain, the dimension-hopping Angstrom Levy (Sterling K. Brown). In Prime Video’s superhero series, Levy sought to destroy Mark (Steven Yeun), as he and his father, Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), were responsible for the suffering endured by the other universes Levy had visited.

Surprisingly, the youngest Grayson child wasn't present in Levy's other worlds, a fact the villain let slip in the second season's final episode. At first glance, this might seem like a minor detail. After all, alternate universes often diverge in unpredictable ways. However, Oliver's consistent absence across so many realities suggests something far more deliberate; there’s actually a pretty simple but no less meaningful reason why he can only be seen in Invincible’s main world.

Angstrom Levy's Alternate Dimensions Reflect Worlds Where Omni-Man And Invincible Are Both Evil

The first episode of Invincible season 1 saw Omni-Man murder members of the Guardians of the Globe in cold blood, thereby showing that he wasn’t an envoy sent to Earth to help its occupants, but that his race had much darker intentions for the planet. Of course, Omni-Man’s true goal didn't become obvious until he went toe-to-toe with Mark in Invincible season 1’s final episode.

As a Viltrumite, Omni-Man was ordered by his commander to subdue Earth and prepare it for Viltrumite rule. However, he fell in love with Debbie (Sandra Oh), and together, they had Mark. Since his job on the planet hadn’t gone according to plan, Omni-Man thought that he could entice his son into joining him, and they would conquer Earth together. Mark, however, saw who he really was and the misery and suffering Omni-Man left in his wake, and he rejected his father’s offer.

When Angstrom Levy was introduced in the second season, he revealed that his world's version of Mark had gone over to the dark side and set out to destroy Earth with Omni-Man. The Mark in Levy’s alternate universe was evil and apparently had no qualms about subduing the human race. Invincible being evil in an alternate reality isn't all that surprising. He often reveals his quick temper and cruel streak. As it turns out, he succumbed to those urges in the other dimensions, as opposed to fighting them like he does in the show’s main world.

Omni-Man Didn't Leave Earth In Angstrom Levy’s Alternate Universes

After revealing his true intentions for Earth and nearly killing Mark, Omni-Man left the planet in shame, as his son didn’t think conquering and murdering millions of people was a noble quest. As a result, Omni-Man disappeared, and he began to see the error of his ways. These events, however, only happened in Invincible’s main world. In the alternate universes, Omni-Man and Mark become a dark dynamic duo who conquer Earth.

Since the alternate Marks joined their father's quest to conquer Earth instead of showing him how misguided his mission was, Omni-Man had no reason to run away. He began his mission, preparing the humans for Viltrumite rule. If the opposite had happened and Omni-Man changed in the show’s alternate universes as he did in the primary one, then those worlds wouldn’t have become oppressed by the Viltrumites. Interestingly, it's never revealed whether Omni-Man and Mark were successful in the other dimensions, since the humans continued to fight back. Still, the damage to Omni-Man's character had already been done.

Why Invincible's Main Universe Having The Only Known Oliver Is So Important

Oliver’s importance in Invincible goes beyond him being Omni-Man’s son and Mark’s younger brother. His existence is tied to a very specific sequence of events: Omni-Man’s departure from Earth, his encounter with the Thraxan species, and a rare moment of vulnerability that leads to Oliver’s birth. In most realities, Omni-Man never reaches the point of self-reflection required to create Oliver. Instead, he continues down a path of domination, bringing Mark down with him.

The Viltrumites are not a race that gives up their posts out of love. From a young age, they are taught to conquer and kill, as they believe it is their birthright to be the masters of the universe. The fact that the Omni-Man in Invincible’s main world defied expectations is a big deal, especially because he doesn’t change his tune in any of the other alternate universes. It’s essential to remember that Omni-Man is part of a race that kills each other just to remove the members they deem weak.

In the show's main story, Omni-Man feels guilt and regrets his actions, something which Viltrumites are not allowed to entertain. It’s because of these emotions that Omni-Man decides to turn against his race and eventually understands that conquering worlds isn’t altruistic, no matter what Grand Regent Thragg and the Viltrumite leaders before him have claimed. Omni-Man’s betrayal isn’t taken lightly by his people. Even when his life is in danger, his evolution in Invincible’s primary world from bad guy to good guy is remarkable.

What Happens To Oliver In The Invincible Comics

Unlike Mark, Oliver has always believed that killing the enemy is the correct solution to ensure they never rise again. After ending the Mauler twins’ lives in Invincible season 2, he finally begins to understand that murdering people, enemies or not, is actually a bad thing. Still, that’s not something he really wants to believe.

Invincible season 4's final episode sees Oliver fighting for his life after sustaining catastrophic injuries during the Vitrumite war, but don't worry — he does survive (for a while, at least). Robert Kirkman’s Invincible comics outline what happens to the half-Thraxan, half-Viltumite character. Allen the Alien discovers a virus capable of killing anyone with the Viltrumite gene, and Oliver decides to help him in his mission, which leads to him and Mark coming to blows (this was shown near the end of Invincible's fourth season).

Oliver has always been a complex character who teeters between good and evil. So, while it looks like he joined forces with Allen, he was actually helping Grand Regent Thragg plot against the leader of the Coalition of Planets. Eventually, Oliver comes to his senses when he finds out that Thragg was not just going to let Mark live his best life, as the Viltrumite leader plans to kill him and his entire family.

It is this piece of information that turns Oliver against Thragg. The two fight, and when Oliver valiantly tries to protect Terra, Mark’s daughter, Thragg kills him. Fortunately, the Invincible TV show has yet to reach this storyline, so Oliver’s fans still have time to watch him grow, mess up, and become the hero he was always meant to be.