We’re one episode away from the Invincible Season 2 season finale on Prime Video, and we’re still meeting new characters. Not only that, this latest is a big one: Shantel VanSanten as the voice of Anissa, a new Viltrumite threat for Mark (Steven Yeun) to deal with.
we finally got to meet one of the next big villains of the series: General Kregg, voiced by Clancy Brown.
First introduced in issue #44 of the comic books by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, Anissa is one of the most controversial characters in the comics for reasons we’ll get into shortly. However, for the time being, it’s pretty clear she’s not just an important character to the show, she’s important to Mark’s understanding of both the Viltrumites… And his own threshold for how to be a hero.
That said, you might want to know a little bit more about Anissa, Shantel VanSanten, and whether we have an Anissa death to look forward to in the future. Looking for answers? Read on.
Who Is Anissa On Invincible?
Anissa is first introduced on this week’s episode of Invincible, Season 2, Episode 7, “I’m Not Going Anywhere” in the most horrific way possible… While Amber (Zazie Beetz) and Mark are on a date, she puts Amber in a chokehold and threatens to kill Amber if Mark doesn’t come with her. Yikes!
What follows, though, is an intriguing philosophical discussion mixed with a giant monster fight that positions Anissa as the carrot to General Kregg‘s stick. She lays out for Mark that if he gives the planet to the Viltrumites, they will get rid of all disease, easily destroy threats like the Kaiju they’re currently fighting, and turn Earth into a paradise. All he has to do is step out of the way and let the Viltrumites take over without a fight.
But that’s, you know… Fascism. And though Anissa’s offer does seem far better than Kregg’s “take over the planet or die” offer from “It’s Been A While,” it’s still not something Mark can accept. Anissa beats the heck out of him easily, then leaves the planet towards the end of the episode to consult with Kregg, so there’s definitely more on this to come.
When we last see her in the hour, she’s beating up Allen the Alien (Seth Rogen) — or so she thinks. He’s actually way stronger than before and is tricking her so he can get taken into custody.
What’s Next For Anissa In Invincible Season 2?
Spoilers past this point: not much. We’ve got one episode left in Season 2 of Invincible, and while the Vilrtumites, including Anissa, will always be a looming threat, we won’t see her again in the finale. Mark has more pressing and personal things to deal with before the season wraps up.
But don’t worry, there’s a lot more to come from the comic books, which we’ll get into right now.
What Happens With Anissa In The Comic Books? Does Anissa Die?
Spoilers for the comics past this point. We are mere steps away from an epic event titled “The Viltrumite War,” which finally pays off the plot that has been set up for the past two seasons of the show. You can figure out what happens, I bet, but the Viltrumites finally attack… And lose. In the aftermath, a number of Viltrumites take residence on Earth in disguise including Anissa, who hates it.
What happens next is… Controversial, to say the least. There’s a lot more that happens post-Viltrumite War, but the big event Anissa is known for in the comics is — trigger warning here — raping Mark. The reason Anissa and the others are on Earth is that Thragg, the big bad in charge of the Viltrumites, has commanded them to breed with humans. Anissa is assigned Mark, and that’s what she plans to do, despite Mark not wanting anything to do with it. That’s rape, in case it wasn’t clear.
And in fact, Anissa becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son who she names Marky. She later marries a regular Earth guy and has a daughter.
So, that’s it for Anissa, right? Nope. In the final storyline of the series, Anissa joins the fight against Thragg, helping out Mark this time, in Invincible #139. While fighting Thragg, Anissa is previously wounded. She tells Mark she regrets raping him, but does not regret having Marky, and then dies.
Anyway, look forward to all that, I guess?
Who Plays Anissa On Invincible? What To Know About Shantel VanSanten:
Fans of Prime Video superhero shows probably know VanSanten best as Becca Butcher, aka Billy Butcher’s (Karl Urban) wife from The Boys. She’s been working for years, though, including on One Tree Hill, as Karen Baldwin on For All Mankind, and recently as Special Agent Nina Chase on all three FBI shows.
In movies, she’s most notably been in The Final Destination, and 2022’s American Murderer. Perhaps most notoriously, though, she was in the t.a.T.u. movie, t.a.T.u.: Come Back, which was renamed You And I in the United States, starring opposite Mischa Barton.
The 38-year-old Minnesota native only posts on Instagram, but she posts once a week whether you like it or not. Mostly it’s inspirational quotes and notes about her charities, but occasionally she’ll post behind-the-scenes photos as well. You can join her over one million followers there.
Invincible Season 2 Premiere Dates And Episode Guide:
Invincible Season 2 Part 2 officially premiered on Prime Video on Thursday, March 14 at 3 am ET / 12 am PT. Though Season 2 is eight episodes long, only one episode will premiere on Thursday, followed by the next three Thursdays.
Here’s the full list of episodes in Invincible Season 2:
- Thursday, November 2, 2023: Invincible, Season 2, Episode 1 – “A Lesson For Your Next Life”
- Thursday, November 9, 2023: Invincible, Season 2, Episode 2 – “In About Six Hours, I Lose My Virginity to A Fish”
- Thursday, November 16, 2023: Invincible, Season 2, Episode 3 – “This Missive, This Machination!”
- Thursday, November 23, 2023: Invincible, Season 2, Episode 4 – “It’s Been A While”
- Thursday, March 14, 2024: Invincible, Season 2, Episode 5 – “This Must Come As A Shock”
- Thursday, March 21, 2024: Invincible, Season 2, Episode 6 – “It’s Not That Simple”
- Thursday, March 28, 2024: Invincible, Season 2, Episode 7 – “I’m Not Going Anywhere”
- Thursday, April 4, 2024: Invincible, Season 2, Episode 8 – “I Thought You Were Stronger” *Season Finale*
One thought on “Meet The Invincible Season 2 Cast: Shantel VanSanten As Anissa”