[0:00]Welcome to the Heavy Spoiler show. I'm your host Paul, and in this video, we're breaking down.
[0:08]Everyone's been asking what I'm going to be wearing for the season finale, and it's a big one. It's the big one. I've come as Paul, the biggest villain in the show, which we will discuss in this video. But yes, we're here to talk about the ending of another season of Invincible. Episode 8 caps off the insane run from Mark Grayson in the most devastating way. Wrapping things up from the destruction of Planet Viltrum in the last episode. It sets us up for even crazier and more terrible things to happen in season five. As always, this episode makes some major deviations from the comics, but it's still packed with Easter eggs and references to the source material. Throughout this video, we'll be recapping the entry, breaking down all the changes from the comics, and deciding whether or not season four sticks the landing. If you want to catch up on the source material for this episode, though, then you'll want to check out issues 77 to 80. That will give you a good starting point if you want to read beyond this as well, and yeah, start off there. As always, we have our shirts at the store below as well. So if you're a fan of the series and want to support us, then please check them out with some big, big discounts too. Now, we begin where we left off last week, after Mark realized the Viltrumites were coming to Earth. We start off seeing their arrival with Thrag looking over the planet. Hey, there's my house. We then witness the Viltrumites come crashing down and start killing everyone. They fly through the city and slaughter everyone in their path. To make matters worse, their arrival causes a tidal wave to hit the city, which in the aftermath, wipes out the survivors. Now, while we don't see the full extent of their destruction, issue 77 starts off in a similar way with a splash page of the Viltrumites brutally murdering the heroes of Earth. Including Adam Eve, who's getting sliced in half by Anissa. There's also immortal layer as well, who once again is getting his head ripped off. Dude cannot just keep that thing on. However, here the attention is solely focused on the civilians. It emphasizes the true threat of the Viltrumites coming to Earth, and kind of nicely plays into the ending and what could happen if things go bad. If they do, they'll exterminate everyone, and it's not just the heroes or friends of Invincible. This is a small change, but it's something we've seen the show do time and time again as it brings much more focus to the devastation that results from Invincible trying to save the day. And yeah, I'll never forget that kid's arm getting ripped off in the Conquest fight. Speaking of that, this also brings things full circle from how we opened this season. There, the city was being repaired from Mark's fight with Conquest, and we're now seeing it being destroyed once again as the result of Invincible's actions. Thrag also flies towards the camera in a way that Invincible's been shown doing throughout the show. Very much making this an outcome of Mark's actions. However, we see it was all a dream and that Mark is simply imagining it. He's then shaken out of his nightmare by Nolan, who tries to comfort him saying there's nothing they can really do, and who knows, maybe the Viltrumites aren't even on Earth. Okay, Nolan, maybe Oliver wasn't born yesterday then, or last month, which to be fair, he kind of was. But Mark knows that's a lot of crap, and they just sit there in silence, knowing that Earth is most likely screwed. Tech Jacket also pops in to ask exactly what their plan is, and they both just completely ignore her. Shows not only that they don't give a shit about her opinion, but also that they don't really have a plan. This plays out pretty much exactly the same in the comics, except there Nolan mentions feeling bad about leaving Oliver, and he's pissed that he now cares about people like a stupid human. The show has obviously been putting a lot more emphasis on Nolan's redemption and accepting his humanity, so I can see why they left that line out. But it's another example of how they kind of glossed over all that stuff in the books. We also see Allen getting a pep talk from Talia as he prepares to step in Thaedus's shoes as the new leader of the Coalition. Now, he's responsible for like a trillion people's lives across the galaxy and basically the fate of the universe. Which Talia conveniently reminds him of, but assures him that Thaedus wouldn't have chosen him if he wasn't the right you know, man for the job. Also, notice how we can see Thaedus's statue of Atlas still sitting on his desk. This symbolizes the weight that Thaedus once carried now rests on Allen's shoulders. They kind of skip over this in the comics and just cut to Mark waking up with him in the role, like we saw last week. So, I'm glad they filled this in. Also, I've just realized the coalition's logo is a collection of planets, or a coalition if you will. Back in space, Mark and Nolan once more ignore Tech Jacket as she tries to offer up a plan to use her base to search for the Viltrumites. She even says that they're all probably dead, and Earth's a shithole anyway, just to see if they even give a reaction. And yeah, they were just completely ignoring her. This is a funny little gag, but it's also a reference to the comics where Invincible and Nolan ignore Tech Jacket after he gives this big speech about staying to help them fight. Which is a recurring gag in the books, and really only Allen is friends with Tech. I honestly don't even think Mark likes him in the comics, and I don't even think they even talk to each other at all. Besides like that one panel that we talked about in one of our previous episodes in issue 78. There Mark just says the war is over, and then leaves Tech Jacket in the dust. As the crew start approaching Earth, Nolan tries to give everyone a rundown of their plan to find the Viltrumites and report back to Telescrea to gather reenforcements. But Invincible isn't about to wait for all that nonsense and just immediately bolts for the planet. Somewhat of an echo of the entrance of the Viltrumites as well, as we can see as he skims along the water. However, once he's there, he sees that everything is fine. But where where's all the destruction and death? What in the Thrag is going on? Also, hold on a second, why does that bus say 'Curtis Cliff?' Oh God, Paul is voiced by Cliff Curtis. Oh shit, he is the baddy. Oh shit! Nah, mate, if if this was Wanda Vision, I'd definitely would have used that to confirm he was indeed the villain. Uh, but I think Paul might be all right, but I'm still suspicious. Paul is a Viltrumite spy and this bus confirms it. Not finding hide or mustache hair of any Viltrumites, Invincible then breathes a sigh of relief, thinking maybe he was wrong after all. This happens the same way in the comics, but with one major difference that we'll get into at the end. Because it's like the moment of the whole episode. We then see Mark reunite with Debbie, who starts to fill her in about Oliver almost being killed and blowing up a planet. However, before he can get to the cool part of the last episode, Mark looks back to see Thrag strangling Debbie and ripping her head off. Oh no! He says it's just a small taste of what's in store for him after what he did to the Viltrumites. Debbie's blood then splatters across Mark's face and just flows onto the carpet, and it plays into his constant anxiety. But yeah, and it's very fucked up seeing like that absurd amount of blood coming out. It's just another one of Mark's trauma visions, though, and Debbie is completely fine. Whoo! You can basically kill anyone else, but we will go to war for Debbie Grayson. Now, while this is just a fake out, we do see Mark having the same vision of Thrag ripping Debbie's head off in issue 77, but it happens while he's still on the Ventura, not while he's talking to her in conversation. The show also makes it way more brutal, but I love the slight shift to have it happen in the middle of their talk. It cements just how even more traumatized Mark is now than he was at the beginning of the season. I also mentioned that Paul is included in Debbie's death panel in the comics with his head smashed in with a picture of Mark, which is not included here. And further proves that Thrag is working with Paul. Theory confirmed! But to be fair to Mark, you can totally understand why he feels this way. I mean, it's just been non-stop for the character. One ass whooping after another. There's been the Invincible War, Conquest, and like even before that as well. He's was constantly getting the shit kicked out of him. I even remember reading the comics at this point and just being blown away by how there's no downtime. Debbie also points out in the comic that Mark has been gone for 10 months, which gives you an idea of how long Mark has probably been torturing himself with seeing everyone he loves die. Another change I want to point out here as well is that Mark comes back to see Debbie still wearing his costume. Here, though, he shows up as himself. It's a slight difference that maybe I might be reading into, but I felt it was a nice touch to show that Mark is really trying to convince himself that everything's okay, and he can just go back on with his life and act normal. With Debbie's head still intact, Mark realizes that he needs to go to Eve, but he tells Debbie that Nolan's also outside if there's anything she wants to say to him. We then see Mark fly off as Nolan hovers over the house, which calls back to how he hovered around in Episode 3 when trying to gather the courage to confront Debbie. However, this time, Debbie makes the first move and comes out to scold him about Oliver getting hurt. Nolan once again tries apologizing and says he's really trying his best and that it broke his heart to see his son injured. But Debbie says he's an absolute shit, and in order to care, he'd have to have a heart, which he doesn't. This kind of set Nolan off a bit, and he super speeds in front of her to block her from going in the house. And may, I did, I did think, 'oh, fucking hell, is that vision going to come true?' Even though I read the comics, is he going to do a Thrag? However, Nolan once again proves he's done with mindless murder and begs her to just stop treating him like she doesn't know him. And that she needs to let him make things right. Which I don't know if 'need' was the right word to use there, Nolan. Debbie rightfully says she doesn't need to do anything, but he says that he knows she'll forgive him because she believes that people can change. And that she does know him, even if he was hiding parts of himself. We can see this does soften Debbie up a bit, in a tiny way, but she still holds strong and says she doesn't care where he goes, but he's not staying there. Which I guess is technically not a no, but still not great. This is very similar to the comics, though, where Nolan and Debbie pretty much have a conversation just like this, but it's much, much shorter. There Debbie does let Nolan in the house, and they talk about her breaking up with Paul, which the comic shows a couple of pages right before and again, not included here. We are so damn vindicated on our Paul Watch, though. It's it's crazy. Debbie's line of him not needing to do anything, though, is ripped right from the comic, but it pretty much ends with them reconciling. Debbie even says she wishes things could just go back to how they were before he went insane. It's just another great addition to the show that doesn't let Nolan off as easy as the comics and lets Debbie make the decision. Cecil also shows up during this scene in the comics and starts shooting Nolan, thinking he's come back for Earth, and Omniman is just like, 'Ah, nice to see you, Cecil.' We then see Mark reunited with Eve, who's absolutely shocked he's still alive. But Mark's like, 'Oh, come on, baby, don't you know I'm Invincible?' We also see the title card fully break away into space, and then a bright light regenerates it back to its original white background. This represents a new beginning for Invincible, and potentially the Viltrumites after all the characters have gone through. The white uniform of the Viltrumites is now cracked away, and that's gone with the destruction of their planet. Now, Mark's ready to build something new, along with the Viltrumites as well, and this title basically works to take us into season five. After having a spicy reunion, we then see Eve catching Mark up on everything he missed while in space. Which include her powers being back and putting Invincible Inc. on hold while she focuses on going back to school. She also mentions how she's put on a couple of pounds, but Mark plays it smooth and says he just noticed how much he missed her. Mark also admits to Eve that he's not really doing okay, and that if the Viltrumites do decide to come to Earth, there's really nothing they can do to stop them. This is pretty different from the comic, where Mark apologizes to Eve for leaving and talks about how hard it must have been for her. He comes in and sees she's put on a lot of weight and is crying, and it's like a big, big, shocking reveal. And I'm I'm not being nasty there, either. But yeah, I got some flashbacks to around the time. I mean, this has always been a controversial thing. And people were even calling her 'Fatty Eve,' and it's just one of those things that people have wondered for a while, like how are they going to handle it in the show in 2026? Obviously, the show's taking things in a more mature direction rather than it being played as like, I don't know, something to be ashamed of. For the show, I love how we see Mark being more vulnerable here with Eve and giving him a chance to unload some of his grief. Also, I love how the show has Eve going back to a more normal life, while when Mark's gone in the comics, she was basically just hanging around waiting for him to get back. In the comics, she not only keeps Invincible Inc. going with Bulletproof, but also stays at home with her parents, just because she doesn't really see a point in leaving without him. Here, we see that she's taking the initiative to start up her classes again to continue helping people without her powers and is staying at home to help her dad after he heard his back. Again, it gives Eve a bit more of her own character growth that doesn't fully depend on just being Invincible's girlfriend. Mark also doesn't tell her about the Viltrumites coming to Earth in the comics and only mentions that he was in a coma for a while. Yeah, you left out some pretty big, big details there, some gut-wrenching details, you could say. However, Mark admitting his fears to Eve is another way the show puts Eve and Mark on a lot more equal footing in their relationship. We then hop on over to the GDA where Cecil and Donald are meeting with D.A. Sinclair and his girl to check out his new project. This is a transdimensional portal that he and Cecil have been developing to find Robot and Monster Girl. Who, if you don't remember, are now trapped in the Flaxen Dimension after Episode 4. However, Sinclair is clearly much better at making murdering robots as a giant tentacle monster comes through the portal and nearly kills Cecil before Donald can smash the controls and shut it down. Also, almost pulled Sinclair into it, but in closing the doorway, it severs the tentacles. Like some Marvel wizard finisher thing. This leads Cecil to shut down the whole thing, and it also leaves Robot and Monster Girl to fend for themselves. Now, this is another new addition for the show, but it just sets us up for something later down the line that we'll probably see next season. We then head over to Talescria, which I always pronounce wrong, where Allen is struggling to step into his new leadership role. We witness as the other planetary leaders of the Coalition grill him on where the Viltrumites went. However, Allen steps up and reminds him that it's a big galaxy, and that Nolan and his sons are the ones who saved them. But the other leaders, especially the bird lizard lady, are still not having it. We also see as the Darrin lady takes a jab at Allen. He says they need strong leadership and asks if he's forgotten what the Viltrumites did to his people. Which, if you don't remember, they were nearly all killed by the Viltrumites, and Allen was experimented on at birth to be able to fight them and save Eunopa from extinction. Dude was literally born for this shit, and this is why the line's little comment cut so deep. However, once again, he steps up and says, as much as he loves having this conversation, they're doing everything they can, and that when they find them, he will be the one to decide what happens next, and he then ends the meeting. That is a fucking leader right there. We do get a scene similar to this in the comics, but it happens way, way later in issue 122. There, it's about a different subject, but here he emphasizes the immense pressure that Allen's now under in finding the remaining Viltrumites. This also sets us up for some big reveals down the line, which you'll have to tune into our season five prediction breakdown if you want to hear more about. But I will say, watch the alien lizard bird lady. The way she lays into Allen, you can just tell she's troubled. Back on Earth, Mark then continues trying to return to his normal life, and we catch up with him hanging out with William, Eve, and Rick at Upstate University. While telling William and Rick about his adventures in flying through a planet, Mark turns the corner and is met with another PTSD flash. Everyone on campus has been torn apart, and he sees Anissa rip William's jaw off his face. Much like what happened to his brother. I feel like the PTSD and the deaths around them are kind of building off the back of the last episode, as we have Debbie's head being pulled off, like Datu's was, and this now being a repeat of what happened with Oliver. And clearly those attacks are burned into his brain. We then focus in on his mangled face as Mark's brought back to reality again. This is yet another new scene for the show that emphasizes the tremendous amount of trauma that Mark's now gone through, not only in this season, but throughout his entire career as Invincible. Also, I love how the show brings us back to Upstate University for this scene. This is where Mark really began his superhero journey back in season one, and it's here we learn that being invincible meant that he could no longer just be a normal, usual teenager. Parallels how he used to walk the campus with his friends before getting his powers, but he's now faced with the terrifying reality that his old life's gone, and he can never get it back. Sorry, Mark, it's all just blood and superhero fights from here on out. However, notice how even William comfort Mark once he snaps out of it, and they all gather around to help him. This shows that while he may not be able to return to his old life, those people are still there for him, and he isn't alone. Rick also talks about how he's seen what Mark's going through in the mirror, and it's just a nice line that also speaks to his trauma as well. Because yeah, some of these characters have kind of been forgotten about. Now, in the comic, Mark does go to see William after returning to Earth in issue 80, but the conversation is just about William being gay. That's when he comes out to Mark about his relationship with Rick. Uh, but for the show, you know, we've known since season one, so it's cool to see how once more shift for the character has led to us getting this great amount of perspective for Mark. We then meet back up with Debbie to see how she's processing all of this as she unloads on Viltrumite spy Paul about how Oliver's hurt and she can't be there for him. However, Paul tells her that whether she realizes it or not, all this superhero alien stuff is her world now and she needs to embrace it. He also mentions how it's the reason that they didn't work out, confirming that they did break up like in the comics. However, this must have happened off screen.
[16:51]Paul is super cool with it, though, and says he's just glad to be her friend. And mate, I wouldn't want to be dating Omniman's bro, either. I've seen what the guy does to fucking train cars. It reminds her, though, that she's just as much a part of these superhero alien space wars as Mark and Oliver. Now, I hate Paul. I hate the lad, but I don't disagree, but the way that he says she's part of all of this, just like Mark and Oliver. Feels like there could be a double meaning there. Potentially foreshadowing the Viltrumites coming for Debbie and using her to make Mark and Oliver get back in line. Why do you want her to go to space so bad, Paul? You fucking liar. Now, I know I'm a bit invested in the Paul Watch. I will admit that, but in all seriousness, this is such a great scene to again emphasize the importance of Debbie and bring her more into the fold. This is something we talked about in Episode 5 and how she's the one who keeps everyone together. In the comic, Debbie and Nolan get back together immediately after their earlier conversation, and she decides to go back with him to rekindle their relationship. There's really no decision-making process at all, so I love how in the show, Debbie is more in charge of this decision and is going there for Oliver. Not for Nolan, which yeah, big move, and in the comics, I don't even think Debbie mentions Oliver after finding out he's okay, so yeah, much better change. As Debbie contemplates her place in the universe, Eve tries to comfort Mark with some Burgermart as they sit together on the roof. We've seen this is kind of their special place where they have their serious talks, and, oh, boy, is this a serious talk as Eve begins to tell Mark the reason her powers weren't working. Turns out, as we've seen throughout the season, she is pregnant. However, before she can get the words out, Mark's mind once again slips into his PTSD trauma, and Thrag grabs her by the head. He says there will be consequences for everyone he loves and slowly crushes Eve's head and throws her limp body back at Mark. But don't worry, bro, she'll be fine. You're just having a crazy PTSD nightmare. You're fine. You might have severe fucking trauma and have to go to therapy, but you're doing great. We then see as Eve snaps him out of it, and she reveals to Mark that she had an abortion while he was gone. She explains how alone she felt, and that she couldn't handle it all on her own, and that she had to make a decision. So obviously a big thing, and I remember even when I read it in the books, it was still a major, major talking point. The debate over this kind of stuff still rages on today, and I think it adds a lot of depth to the characters. He also talks about their relationship and the cost that their lives have brought to their lives. However, Mark steps up and proves their love's really eternal and tells her he loves her. He holds her, and then apologizes for not being there, but clearly realizes that he needs to stick around more. Now, this happens pretty much the exact same way in the comic with a lot of the dialogue ripped right from the page. However, there it happens a bit later after they have dinner with immortal and duplicate during issue 79. The scene in the comic also takes place outside of Immortal and Duplicate's house, so I love how they brought even Invincible back to their special spot here to make this heavy conversation a lot more personal. I also have to shout out Gillian Jacobs, who voices Eve, so her performance during this moment as Eve struggles to get the words out in order to tell Mark. In the comics, she just kind of comes out with it, but this little subtle addition just makes Eve's reaction feel genuine and even more heartbreaking. It's a really traumatic moment for both characters, and obviously a very touchy subject, but I think that they handled it really well. Unlike the comic, it emphasizes how strong even Mark's love is, but it's also another example of the consequences that come from Mark being invincible. We then see Omniman standing over the crater he left Mark's body in during their fight in season one. He replaces the scene in his head of all the terrible things he said and did to Mark, including the iconic 'Think, Mark,' that has now become a meme. However, his trip down memory lane is quickly interrupted by Cecil and the Two-Face for the first time since Nolan left Earth. Reasonably suspicious about Omniman's return, Nolan tries to assure him he doesn't need to be afraid. But Cecil says, correctly, 'I will never not be afraid of you.' Forgetting Cecil on his previous apology to her, Nolan says that he's sorry for what he did, and Cecil recognizes that the fact that Nolan is even apologizing at all does show he's changed. He doesn't forgive him yet, but we can see that he's trying at least. Plus, you know, Cecil would love to have Nolan in his back pocket just in case, so he probably doesn't want to tell him to fuck off. Nolan then tells Cecil that they won the war, but are missing a couple of Viltrumites, and Cecil basically calls him an idiot. He says they didn't win shit, and now they have a crew of Super Nazis who have Earth as their number one target. Fucking Cecil, man. Always seeing the bigger picture. He is 100% right as well, and Cecil continues pointing out the stupidity of Nolan and the Coalition's plan to protect Earth, but Nolan offers to stay as an extra deterrent. This is a way to make up for his past mistakes, but Cecil tells him Earth isn't his damn therapy couch. And if the Viltrumites do come, he better have his ass ready. He then tells him to get the fuck off his planet. Whoa, damn, Cecil. Give him hell. Like, I can't imagine the PR you'd have to run to say why it the government is now cool with Omniman, and I think Cecil is just rightly like, 'fuck off.' Cecil also hits him with another devastating blow after Nolan says he almost died trying to stop the Viltrumites. He says that's a great start, and he just needs to die 2,341 more times, and then they can talk. This references all the lives that were lost during his attack in season one, which is very, very brutal. But again, I love how Nolan's constantly being reminded of his past. It mirrors how his apologies to about Debbie and Art also went terribly, and again, shows that when he's faced with something he just can't punch his way out of, the words actually hurt him more. We see this perfectly represented by the look on Nolan's face as Cecil leaves. Now, as I mentioned before, in the comics, Cecil and Nolan's reunion happens when he's still at Debbie's, and Cecil just pops in through a portal, and Omniman's like, 'Oh, hey, man.' We then see him pop up in issue 79 in Cecil just immediately brings Omniman back into the fold. He walks him through the GDA as everyone stares and says it's probably a good idea to keep a low profile while they're there. Absolutely zero conflict between the two. And that's basically all that we see of them together. We then see Mark and Eve having another tough conversation as Mark fully breaks down over everything that's happened. He's talking about how he was in there for Eve and just made things 10 times worse in space by giving the Viltrumites nothing left to fight for. He says that he's terrified because he knows that he will eventually have to leave Eve again to fight the Viltrumites, whether they come to Earth or not. And damn, Thrag really messed him up. However, Eve holds him together. She tells him that she knows the risks, but is willing to take on all of it to be with Mark and that they can do it together, even if they're apart. And this show really knows how to hit you in the feels. We do get a similar scene to this in the comics, but Mark's meltdown is about a different event that happens later on, and Eve doesn't really have much to say. The scene here is a lot different, but such a great moment to show us just how strong Mark and Eve's relationship is. Both of them are there to pick each other up and face whatever comes their way. I also love how we get to see Mark have this full meltdown that's been building all season and be so vulnerable with Eve. Forces her to take charge and stop Mark from spiraling. Things play out a bit differently in the comics as far as the timeline of the events of the episode, which we will get into in just a minute, but Mark is pretty much fine after returning to Earth. He's a little freaked out on his way there, but he pretty much just goes back to business as usual once he's arrived. Similar to Nolan in the show, Mark is constantly reminded of his failures and haunted by the impending consequences. This forces him to really sit and process how him trying to do the right thing affects everyone else. After their tender moment together, Nolan shows up to tell Mark the Ventura is ready and that he's heading back to Talescria to be with Oliver. However, Debbie then shows up and decides she's going with Nolan too to make sure Oliver's okay. Nolan then awkwardly asks about Paul, who's a fucking Viltrumite spy, and Debbie says they broke up months ago. But that he's a great man. What? She even mentions that he's offered his help and for Mark to call him if there's anything wrong with the house. At this point, do I even have to say it? Also, I love the little moment here when Debbie tells Mark she would do the same for him and that Oliver's no different. Because again, in the comics, she doesn't really mention Oliver or show too much concern for him. She does mention wanting to see him, but it's more excited about exploring space with Nolan. So it's nice to see the show make a proper point to show that Debbie loves him just as much as Mark, and he isn't just some alien baby that got lumped with her. As I mentioned before in the comics, Debbie and Nolan just get back together after Nolan returns to Earth, so this scene is a lot more cheerful there, and they just leave immediately. In the show, Nolan says to ship 'Conland,' and thus the pair have to touch each other and have a moment flying together. Now, obviously, Superman: The Movie showed us that nothing woos a woman more like taking her flying, and it's a nice addition to the show with them getting closer, but it being very awkward. We also see Nolan trying to soften Debbie up by showing her a view of Earth from space. This shows that Nolan is slowly making some progress as it does soften her up. He almost touches her, though, but decides not to, showing that he's also showing respect and showing restraint. In the comics, they just immediately start banging, and we then catch back up with them in issue 85. But yeah, this is a lot more, um, how it would happen in real life. That like, it wouldn't happen in real life, but, you know, if it did happen, this more likely how it would happen. Back on Earth, Mark then meets up with Cecil about their monumental fuck up in space and asks him for a full debrief on what happened so the GDA can prepare for the worst-case scenario. Cecil also tries to confront Mark, saying they'll figure it out, but it's then stabbed through the chest by Thrag. To remind Mark that there's nothing Cecil or anyone else can do to stop them and tells Cecil snaps him out of it. Mark then admits that he's not okay and asks Cecil to set something up for him to get professional help. This is a new scene for the show, but again, shows how Mark isn't alone and has people who care about him. We then cut to a now empty Grayson house where Mark sits alone in his old bedroom. It's been a long time since he came here to chill, and it highlights how you can never truly go home. He's trying to process everything that's going on, and this is his first real moment on his own in quite a while. Quickly, I also want to go through a couple of the posters that we see on the wall. As we know, yeah, he's got a Science Dog poster, which he has had ever since season one. There's also a poster for one of Nolan's novels called 'Hate Tribes on the Planet Reck.' Beyond that, there's a poster for a rock star named 'Rock Slobster,' and there's something called 'Ultra Skull,' which is a reach, but does look like how Thrag looked when his face turned into a skull after Mark punched him. We have talked in the past how the cover was also clearly a Viltrumite guy, and maybe, you know, the the skull doing that thing was something Mark was afraid of as a kid, and then saw that projected onto the Grand Regent Thrag, when it became his greatest fear. Does that make sense? Granddaddy Thrag. However, as we see, like always, Mark isn't truly alone as Eve is there again to comfort him. She suggests he goes flying without a destination or looking for bad guys, but just goes to clear his head. We then follow Mark as he flies across the Earth and past some old battle sites, including the cliff his dad beat him at. He then goes up into space. This is to the song 'Fragments From the Decade' by Death Cab For Cutie, which I did enjoy. Looking down over Earth and finally taking a moment for himself, this reflects the scene with Debbie and Nolan. Something that's happened a lot throughout the show as well with Mark often going to space and the moon to take a break. Feels like him reminding himself of what exactly he's fighting for. In the end, despite all the terrible shit that's happened to him, the Earth is still standing, so he has to be doing something right. He Spider-Man falls back to the planet and then sees Thrag waiting for him. Going into another full-on panic attack, Mark freezes as he stares at Thrag and sees flashes of the Earth being destroyed. This includes the Pentagon, University, and Burgermart where he used to work. He tries to close his eyes and put an end to another terrifying vision, however, when he opens them, Thrag is still there. This confirms Mark's worst fear of the Viltrumites being on Earth, and not able to shake the illusion, Mark charges at the character and punches him in the face. However, all he's met with is a solid mustache, and Thrag doesn't budge. They also do a really clever trick here by making the camera go in and out of focus like Mark's visions earlier. This makes us just assume this is another one of Mark's episodes, but nope, this is very, very real. Mark then starts laying into him, and Thrag just eats his punches and starts dodging them with zero effort until he just shoves Mark. away, which you can basically see creates a sonic boom as he pushes him, once again showcasing how immensely overpowered Thrag is compared to Invincible. However, Thrag doesn't put the beat down on Mark and just tells him to stop. Says that he's done nothing to his planet. Yet, at least. However, he will start murdering if Mark doesn't start being rational. Thrag then goes into a supervillain monologue about how he was made Grand Regent to lead his people back from extinction, and he gives us our current Viltrumite count at 37 after the war. 37, which would mean they lost about like two or three people. Which is insane to think about given all the insanity that we've seen so far. Despite their dwindling numbers, Thrag assures that it's still more than enough to rip Earth a new asshole and pay us back for what he and Nolan did to Planet Viltrum. However, Thrag instead gives Mark an ultimatum and basically says the Viltrumites will now make Earth their new home. They'll hide among the humans while they regain their numbers, and we see multiple Viltrumites have already embedded themselves into new lives on Earth. Creeg already has a girlfriend, and you're still single, mate. We also see Luke and Anissa in moments that are pulled straight from the comics, including Anissa getting wolf-whistled by some guys. Rip their fucking heads off. Both seem to have taken up desk jobs, but it makes me wonder how they chose any identities. Anissa especially clearly seems annoyed. Like, why does Cree get to be a cool-ass biker, but Luke has to wear a suit and work in an office? Why does Anissa have to hold back? Oh yeah, cuz she's trying to blend in. This is also a scene ripped straight from the comics where we see all the Viltrumites in their new identities. He promises that no one will even know they're there, and Thrag points to Mark as proof that Earth can be the salvation they've been looking for. Mark shows it's possible they can regrow here, and he offers Mark a truce and says they will not attack, help, or interfere with humanity in any way. As long as no one comes looking for them. However, if Invincible or the Coalition try to interfere, they'll kill billions and enslave whatever's left of humanity. Leaves the choice up to Mark as to whether or not Earth dies now or later. Which, of course, Mark's immediate reaction is like, 'fuck that.' However, he then sees flashes of all the terrible visions he's seen throughout the episode until he focuses on an image of Eve. Realizing that all of this could come true if he makes the wrong choice, and remembering what he's truly fighting for, I love how during this moment, we can hear Mark's heart beating, and how seeing Eve is what breaks him out of this spiral. Calls back to what she said earlier about how no matter what comes, they'll handle it together, even if they're apart. Now able to see clearly that there's no real option here, Mark does the unthinkable and reluctantly agrees to Thrag's terms. Thrag then comments on the irony of Invincible now being the Viltrumite savior after spending so much time trying to stop them. We then see Mark starting to realize the gravity of what he just did, but Thrag reassures him that he's saved the lives of every living thing on Earth. He then flies off and says Mark will not see him again. Really quickly as well, I want to point out how Thrag actually seems kind of sad when he says Mark will not hear from him again. Like, he actually cares about Mark and still hopes he'll be friends one day. It's a really interesting and genuine reaction from Thrag here, though, that I think showcases how deeply committed he is to the Viltrumites and what he let Mark and Nolan live last week. Thrag genuinely believes what he's doing is right, and that all Viltrumites will one day come together to reclaim their power over the universe. He thinks that Mark and Nolan just don't see it yet because they've been infected by Earth's weakness. It's almost as if he pities us and is just keeping the characters alive until they eventually realize the truth. Like he did after Argall's death. Now, I'll try and make this quick, um, but before we wrap up the episode and get to the end credit scene, this moment plays out very similarly in the comics, but with a few major differences. The first is that this proposal with Thrag happens immediately upon Nolan and Mark arriving on Earth. With everything we've seen the show before this happening in the following issues after Mark's already agreed to Thrag's terms. I love how they flipped this so to put the reveal at the end, having this whole episode built towards this moment and Mark's eventual decision for the fate of Earth. Another change is that Mark is forced to make this decision alone, whereas in the comics, Nolan's right there with him. While much of the dialogue between Mark and Thrag is the same, simply not having Nolan there forces Mark to choose what kind of hero he's going to be in this moment. Which I love because Nolan hasn't done shit for Earth, so why should he be involved in deciding its fate? Every major test Mark has had to face has been alone, so it makes sense that the fate of the world would now rest on his shoulders. One thing I'll mention as well that I thought was an interesting change is that Thrag actually surrenders in the comics, whereas here, he offers Mark a truce. Now, it could just be getting into semantics, but I like how here Thrag is basically just telling Mark how things are going to go moving forwards, and he refuses to accept defeat. As Thrag flies off, we're left with Mark alone flying in the skies, he tries to come to grips with whether or not he's just saved the world or ended it. And we close out with a landscape shot of the sun and clouds as Mark floats in the air and lets out a cold shiver for what the future holds in Season 5. However, we are left with one little tease to hold us over until next year, where we see Allen receive a message from Thragus beyond the grave. He apologizes to Allen for the responsibility he's put on him, and Thaedus reveals he has one last trick of his sleeve in order to kill the Viltrumites once and for all. He tells Allen about the new scourge virus he showed Nolan back in Episode 2 and promised would only be used as the last resort. However, what Thaedus didn't tell Nolan was that this newly perfected strain of the virus would also affect those with similar genetics to Viltrumites. AKA, humans. Oh, no, not me. Thaedus then ends his message telling Allen that every last Viltrumite must die for the good of all living beings, no matter the cost. Leaves Allen in the same position as Mark with the fate of the universe in his hands. This reveal happens pretty much the same way in the comics at the end of issue 78, but Thaedus doesn't mention that the virus is strong enough to kill humans. Which isn't revealed until issue 85, but having Allen know this information ahead of time makes this reveal much more terrifying and adds to the weight of what Thaedus has just laid on him. And damn, Thaedus can't even die without being a dickhead. But this explains why he was such a dick back on the ship, and just fills in a lot of things about his character because, yeah, he clearly knew this was the case. Now, unlike the other seasons, we don't end with a big tease of minor characters coming back next time, but I love the way this plays out instead. Nicely reflects the choice with Mark and plays way better than just having a montage of villains. Like, there's massive stakes here. But that brings us to the end of Invincible Season 4, and, whoa, what a way to leave us on the edge of our seats. I did say last week that I originally was surprised they didn't end the season with Mark realizing the Viltrumites were on Earth, and now I see why. To me, this was a perfect way to close the season. We're not trying to outdo what they did in episode seven, because that would just be insane, but instead, let us sit with the aftermath of it. The leads us to believe that everything might just be okay, but before giving us and Mark a Viltrumite level gut punch to remind us that something even worse is always waiting around the corner. Among the many insane moments we've got in this season, though, the addition of all the character development we get here in the show made these big moments hit even harder than what they did in the comics. I've seen Mark and Nolan like fly through Viltrum about a hundred times at this point. But seeing in the show, after multiple episodes of them both fighting their way back to redemption, it made me see it with a whole new perspective. That to me is the best thing you could hope for in a comic book adaptation, and how Invincible sets itself apart from the millions of other superhero shows. Now, while I know some people have issues with the animation and stuff like that, I think these last two episodes, in terms of story, really took it over the top for me and made it probably my favorite so far. Episode 7, at least, but 8 was, you know, a nice closer. Season one, I think, ended on an amazing episode. Um, you know, last season did it well. And though it's hard to beat those reveals, I think these two episodes as a final arc work really well. Also, it's insane that we've already reached the end of another Invincible season, but I think, yeah, they've absolutely nailed it again, and I can't see what other terrible things they have in store for Mark next. If you also can't wait and want to find out what happens as well, then be sure to subscribe and stay tuned for our breakdown of what we think we'll see in season five, which we'll be dropping on the channel very, very soon. And if I can brag a bit, or Thrag a bit, if you checked out our prediction for season four last year, we're fucking nailed it. So we've got a pretty good idea of how things are about to go down if you really can't wait for next season. Or if you're like me, and you watch the stuff and then forget about it by the time it comes around. But I want to say thank you for all your support over this season. It really has meant a lot to me, and the views have been insane, the comments have been incredible. You've just you've just made it such a joy to cover, and having the audience we do, I genuinely feel so lucky that you guys are here to support the channel and watch me talk about comics and Invincible because it's just something I love, and I'm getting a bit teary-eyed, but I just want to say thank you. Huge shout-outs to our Invincible expert researcher TJ for all his work on the season as well, and he's been an absolute gem throughout. But yeah, it's been such a fun time analyzing these episodes with him and give him a follow or better yet, just subscribe to our channel on his behalf. As always, though, I love to hear your thoughts below, and if you want to follow us on Instagram and keep up-to-date with what we're doing, then make sure that you check us out at Heavy Spoilers. Did you know as well that members of the channel also get early access to videos like this every single week, and if you click the join button for just 99 cents a month, you'll get a breakdown a week, a week before anyone else. If you want to see what else we're covering, we're also going through The Boys, and of course, we'll be covering that for the rest of the season. If not, though, huge thank you for seeing through this video. I've been your host Paul. You've been the best. I'll see you next time. Take care. Peace.
