The Real Reason Aaron Paul Turned Down Invincible Season 4’s Powerplex
Aaron Paul says the mental strain pushed him to walk away from Invincible, turning down a Powerplex return after his Season 3 debut, as he explained on the Kinda Funny Games podcast.
Well, this is not the Invincible update I expected: Aaron Paul is done playing Powerplex. He showed up in Season 3, made a big impression, and then chose to walk away. Not a scheduling thing, not a money thing — he says it messed with his head in a way he didn’t want to live with.
Why Aaron Paul bailed
On the Kinda Funny Games podcast, Paul said he was invited back but ultimately tapped out because the character was getting under his skin in a bad way. He loves the show, loves the team, has watched every episode — but after sitting with what Powerplex is carrying, he couldn’t keep doing it.
It was just way too gruelling on my psyche. Powerplex is not just messing around. He’s going through things. Turmoil. I put myself in that skin, and it was a skin I didn’t feel comfortable in, to be honest.
He added that what the role did to him personally wasn’t something he wanted to repeat. Frankly, it tracks — Powerplex isn’t comic relief; he’s a guy built out of grief and rage. This is one of those voice roles that isn’t just yelling in a booth.
Who Powerplex is, and why he mattered
Season 3 introduces Scott Duvall, aka Powerplex — a former Global Defense Agency scientist whose life blew up when his sister Jessica and her daughter Gretchen were killed in the Chicago battle between Mark Grayson and Nolan. That personal loss fuels everything he does, which is why the character lands like a punch.
Robert Kirkman has been pretty clear about why Powerplex is important: the character forces Mark to stare down the collateral damage he’s left in his wake. Kirkman described Season 3 as the ground shifting under Mark, and Powerplex as the spark for a major rug-pull in Mark’s growth. It’s not subtle — it’s meant to haunt him.
Where Season 3 leaves things
By the end of Season 3, Powerplex is in custody. Kirkman said he had plans for the character going forward, especially after Paul’s intense turn, but that’s now complicated. Paul has confirmed he will not return to the role in future seasons.
What’s next for Invincible Season 4
Season 3 wrapped earlier in 2025, and the train isn’t slowing down. Prime Video has already renewed Invincible for Season 4 and Season 5. Kirkman says the priority right now is getting episodes out on a regular cadence without distractions.
- Season 4 is expected to run eight episodes, same as before.
- The show is aiming to adapt the Viltrumite War arc from the comics.
- Matthew Rhys is joining as Dinosaurus, confirmed by Kirkman at SDCC.
- Prime Video hasn’t announced an official date, but Season 4 is expected to land in March 2026.
As for Powerplex, we’ll see how the show handles a recast or a pivot. The character clearly matters to Mark’s story — it’s just a question of who steps into that very heavy suit next.