"This Missive, This Machination!" is the third episode of the second season of Invincible, and the eleventh episode of the show overall.
Synopsis[]
Mark starts his college career, Debbie struggles with personal trauma, and Allen the Alien returns home to find a new threat facing the Coalition of Planets.
Plot[]

Allen's virtual training session.
Allen the Alien discusses his findings from Earth with the Coalition of Planets. Descending from the planet Unopa, his world was attacked by the Viltrumites and his species joined the Coalition to help stop the Viltrum Empire. Bred to be the strongest of the Unopans, Allen's role is to evaluate planets for beings powerful enough to challenge the Viltrumites. He explains Mark's defiance and Nolan's abandonment of Earth; while others remain skeptical, Coalition leader Thaedus supports his findings, believing they now possess an advantage.

Afterward, Thaedus reveals to Allen that he believes that there is a mole within the Coalition and tasks Allen to find it. Later on, Allen is confronted and brutally attacked by three viltrumites; Thaedus then secretly sabotages his recovery.
While Mark attends college, Debbie joins a support group for late superhero spouses, but is shocked to learn an acquaintance she made is the husband of the late Alanna/Green Ghost. She later reveals she is Omni-Man's ex-wife and leaves in shame. Mark meets a shapeshifting insect-like alien from the distant planet Thraxa, who tells him his people are in danger and asks for his help.
Against Cecil's orders, Mark travels to Thraxa, where he unexpectedly reunites with his father, who serves as the Thraxans ruler.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Steven Yeun - Invincible
- Sandra Oh - Debbie Grayson
- J.K Simmons - Omni-Man
- Seth Rogen - Allen the Alien
Featuring the Voices Of[]
- Zazie Beetz - Amber Justine Bennett
- Peter Cullen - Thaedus
- Rob Delany - Nuolzot (debut)
- Grey Griffin - Amanda/Monster Girl (human form), Thula, Woman
- Walton Goggins - Cecil Stedman
- Malese Jow - Dupli-Kate, Lucinda
- Jason Mantzoukas - Rex Splode
- Ross Marquand - Rudy
- Tatiana Maslany - Telia
- Andrew Rannells - William Francis Clockwell
- Ben Schwartz - Shapesmith
- Jay Pharoah - Data Twin #1, Cute Guy, Council Member #1
- Fred Tatasciore - Marvin, Data Twin #2, Ticket Seller
- Daveed Diggs - Theo, Council Member #2
- Paul F. Tompkins - Narrator
- Lea Thompson - Carol
Trivia[]

"This Missive, This Machination!", Invincible #23.
- This title "This Missive, This Machination!" is a reference to the title card reintroducing Allen The Alien in Invincible Issue 23.
- The title is also shown and said in the episode by the Narrator.
- Thaedus is voiced by Peter Cullen, the actor who voiced Optimus Prime in the Transformers franchise.
- Ironically enough several actors of Invincible who played other characters like the Mauler Twins, Female Cecil Steadman, Thula, Monster Girl, Black Samson, and Killcannon also played Transformers characters in other shows and games in the past.
- This episode also reveals and confirms Allen's knowledge of Unopia's destruction.
- The narrator for the episode is voiced by Paul F. Tompkins who is a comedian in real life and actually worked with Seth Rogan, the voice of Allen the Alien in several film projects in the past.
- One of the members of the Coalition of Planets bares a resemblance to Battle Beast, indicating that are both of the same species.
- One of the council members is the Geldarian Emperor from the Tech Jacket comics.
- It was a spinoff of Invincible that ran in 2002, a year before the Invincible series started. The emperor was known for the creation of the Tech Jacket suit, currently it is unknown if Zack Thompson, the one who posses the Tech Jacket suit will appear in the series currently and if he will undergo a name change like Seance Dog.
An unknown Viltrumite and a Unopan
- Thula, a survivor of the great purge, was previously seen in the flashback of episode 8.
- Allen calls Thula a "bi-clop", another term of saying people with two eyes since he is a cyclops.
- This episode is the first episode to feature two different end-credits sequences.
- Samantha, Black Samson and The Immortal, Shrinking Rae, Donald, are absent in this episode.