r/Invincible • u/mwthecool Omni-Mod • Nov 17 '23

Invincible [Episode Discussion] - S02E03 - This Missive, This Machination! EPISODE DISCUSSION

Episode 3 - This Missive, This Machination!

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.

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u/8dev8 Cecil Stedman Nov 17 '23

On the one hand I get Cecil’s issue

On the otherhand.

Mark ignoring orders to save lives really should reassure you.

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u/lordolxinator Rex Splode Nov 17 '23

I agree in principle, and pragmatically for the most part. I think the issue comes with Mark deciding what actions save lives. In this instance? Sure from all available information, Mark's doing the right thing.

But what happens if Mark has to go all Ozymandias sacrificing millions to save billions? We already see in other realities that Mark was persuaded to that line of reasoning, and while Cecil wasn't privy to that information, he certainly saw Nolan's extreme of bringing Earth into the fold for "the greater good".

If he loses control of Mark, Mark risks falling into the same trap. Seeing more of the universe, seeing more planets with the same issues, seeing civilisations with comparatively brief lifespans as he eventually grows dull to the plight of lesser species (as Nolan would put it). At that point pragmatically it's incredibly hard to look beneath the bigger picture because of your longevity, ability to alter things for the better, and noticing the pitfalls of other races.

Mark is a true hero because he doesn't fall for that easy jaded (Nolan might say pragmatic and realistic) view of the universe. He still believes in saving any and every life he can because he was raised with empathy, has strong bonds to some of the "lesser" humans who are far "inferior" to him when it comes to power, lifespan and capability. In spite of those things, Mark stays true to his morals.

But unfortunately, Cecil can't accept that yet. He's too much of a risk. So until they've researched an anti-Viltrumite weapon, he can't allow Mark slack to make decisions without extreme oversight. He has to carefully limit what Mark is exposed to and how he develops. Allow him to have a normal life as Mark? Sure, means he has stronger emotional bonds and convictions to defend humanity. But allow Invincible autonomy? Too risky. Unfortunately as we see at the end, the 42 billion lives at risk excuse was a trick. And while Omni-Man probably isn't going to fight Mark or attempt to sway him back to conquering Earth again in the next episode, it's still a trick Mark fell for (and totally one Cecil is going to hold over him for months).