REVIEW: ‘Kid Cosmic’ Season 3 Closes Out Craig McCracken’s Superhero Saga In Style

Kid Cosmic Season 3 serves as the conclusion to the Netflix Original animated series created by Craig McCracken. Picking up after the end of the second season, Kid (Jack Fisher) and the rest of the Local Heroes are now the Global Heroes thanks to the Planet Protection Group. With new costumes, a snazzy new base, and a new set of enemies, Kid is finally living his dream of being a successful superhero. However, Jo (Amanda C. Miller) discovers a startling secret about the P.P.G. and it happens to be connected to Papa G (Keith Ferguson).

Before the launch of Season 2, McCracken said that each season would focus on a different character and theme. Season 1 focused on Kid’s journey to becoming a hero, while Season 2 focused on Jo becoming the leader the Local Heroes needed. Kid Cosmic Season 3 puts the focus on Papa G and asks what a hero is willing to sacrifice. It’s often said that the essence of a hero is someone who’s willing to lay down their life for others, and in Papa G’s case, he is willing to make sacrifices in order to make Kid—his only living relative—happy. The other Local Heroes end up making a sacrifice of their own to save the world, and while that sacrifice is hard it ends up being worth it.

The series also continues to embrace its serialized nature, telling a story throughout six episodes. It feels like the perfect length; neither too long nor too short. And there’s enough time for McCracken and his team of writers (including Rob Renzetti and Francisco Angones) to wrap up the ongoing narrative and provide a fitting ending for every character. Endings are hard, but endings that feel both satisfying and true to the characters involved are hard. For every Avatar: The Last Airbender, there’s a Voltron: Legendary Defender. Thankfully, Kid Cosmic‘s ending falls into the former camp.

The animation continues to be top-notch, especially when it comes to the sheer scale of the fights. The second episode features a battle between giant robots, and there’s some insanely inventive use of superpowers; Kid learns just how powerful his telekinesis is during a sequence in the penultimate episode. But there are also quiet moments that say far more than a few lines of dialogue ever could, and I appreciate that directors Dave Thomas & Justin Nichols let those moments sit for maximum visual impact. McCracken gets to design new hero suits for the characters, which draw influence from Battle of the Planets.

Battle of the Planets isn’t the only superhero series referenced in Kid Cosmic. McCracken shows off his geek cred by throwing in references to Knight Rider and various characters from both the Marvel and DC Universes. But the kicker is bringing back Cathy Cavadini, Tara Strong, and E. G. Daily to voice a trio of agents working with the Planet Protection Group. All three of these characters serve as a walking reference to The Powerpuff Girls, down to the visual designs and returning voice actors. Not only is this a great way for McCracken to pay homage to his debut series, but it’s done in a very clever way as well; fans will definitely appreciate the shoutout.

Kid Cosmic Season 3 closes out Craig McCracken’s superhero saga in style, while also dealing with the nature of sacrifice and acknowledging how far its heroes have grown. Whether you’re a superhero aficionado or have grown tired of the genre, this show has something for everyone and deserves to be seen in its entirety.

All three seasons of Kid Cosmic are available to stream on Netflix.