Invincible [Episode Discussion] - S02E04 - It's Been a While

[u/mwthecool]

Episode 4 - It's Been a While!

Mark answers the call to save an alien species, but the mission has unexpected personal consequences.

Full cast, crew and characters

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[u/TheAzulmagia]

You gotta be [INVINCIBLE] fucking kidding me!

[u/shinyscreen18 → u/TheAzulmagia]

THEY BROKE THE TREND. EVERYBODY PANIC.

[u/Machizzy → u/shinyscreen18]

to do us like that before going on a mid season break is child abuse.

[u/SnazzyPurpleMan → u/Machizzy]

No, Mark just wedged Invincible into that sentence because of some unknown force

[u/808Taibhse → u/SnazzyPurpleMan]

Nolan said it to try and stop Mark from swearing Infront of his lil brother

[u/PerceptionTiny6385 → u/TheAzulmagia]

Best one so far

[u/canisignupnow]

stupendous sleep bear ripe fine carpenter birds follow automatic gray

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/giga___hertz → u/canisignupnow]

Who does she play

[u/PerceptionTiny6385 → u/giga___hertz]

Andressa

[u/KarrotMovies → u/PerceptionTiny6385]

WE NEED MORE RHEA SEEHORN

[u/kzoxp → u/PerceptionTiny6385]

That was why she sounded familiar! What a range on Seehorn tho, didn't even realize it was her

[u/kzoxp]

That leak about *S2 part two returning in early january better be true...

[u/usuarioxh]

that short moment when mark didn't hold back hyped me up like crazy.

[u/-Mortlock- → u/usuarioxh]

so telling that my man was able to fight and beat an experienced viltrumite too. can't wait to see how much stronger he gets

[u/Anjunabeast → u/-Mortlock-]

He hesitated and lost though. Should’ve tried to incapacitate or restrain her.

[u/PerfectMix877 → u/Anjunabeast]

He'll learn from it, he's starting to understand viltrumite culture a little better with these fights. Nolan really screwed the pooch by being just sentimental enough to not murder his wife and child but not teach him any important context that would help him.

[u/Responsible-Pea9696 → u/PerfectMix877]

Yes yes, Debbie was his pet, but his pooch?

[u/CryptographerLost825 → u/usuarioxh]

The invincible theme dropping had me quaking in my boots lmfao hype asf

[u/Butt_Stuph → u/usuarioxh]

If he kept going he would've killed her right?

[u/Darkerdead → u/Butt_Stuph]

well yea. it was only cause he was hesitant that she stabbed him

[u/N-ShadowFrog → u/Butt_Stuph]

100%. He was in a prime position to do the Nolan Signature Neck Slice.

[u/Bane-- → u/N-ShadowFrog]

I rewatched it and he was definitely hesitating, but right before she stabs him his face gets very serious and I think he was going to finish her and was just too late with his decision

[u/MyARhold30Shots → u/usuarioxh]

Fr I was so damn hyped, almost shed tears of joy. That's my GOAT🙏

[u/MyARhold30Shots]

That Viltrumite in the cave holding Mark's head down into the ground with one finger is INSANE disrespect💀. How are they doing my boy like this man.

Also I'm praying Mark gets some good training / that Nolan saying "read my books" was some sort of message and there's helpful notes in them. Because if he doesn't learn how to have that killer instinct he had for a sec while fighting Thula, bro is really not that strong on the Viltrumite scale lmao

[u/HippieDogeSmokes → u/MyARhold30Shots]

We see 2 covers and one had someone wearing viltrumite gear on it

[u/ImABawz1 → u/MyARhold30Shots]

Nolan saying read my books is 100% foreshadowing

[u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

Hilarious that Eve's "place in the city" is the old Teen Team base. Reminds me of a panel from a (I think Hawkeye) comic where Clint says "Tony never checks the rent for any of our safe houses! Do you really think I can afford to vacation in Tokyo every year?!"

[u/ralanr → u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

Yeah it’s something that is glossed over a lot in comics. They just left a perfectly usable base and it still functions.

[u/JohnnyAK907 → u/ralanr]

Not really. Rudy built it so it makes sense he would maintain it.

Rudy is at heart a pragmatist.

[u/IIDeftEndII]

Fuck man I'm trying really hard to not start reading the comic. I just want more RIGHT NOW. I need to know what happens to Nolan, I don't want him to die and I want to see what his books are all about. Waiting a whole week for one episode is bad enough..

aaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA WHY DO WE EVEN HAVE TO FUCKING WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR WHYY FUCK

[u/[deleted] → u/IIDeftEndII]

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[u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

"My bourguignon is exquisite, you jackass!"

I just know the Mauler's would kill it on Kitchen Nightmares/ top chef.

[u/Smash_Z → u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

The Maulers would kill it on a lot of things. Funny how guys like them stick to a life of crime when their tech could make them millionaires.

[u/mmcintoshmerc_88 → u/Smash_Z]

"And this device gives you ten times you're regular strength, it's great for punching holes in the walls of banks, high security government sites or people really."

"But you could use this technology for general applications and you'd become millionaires possibly even billionaires overnight!"

"But we don't want to be billionaires! We wanna rob banks!"

[u/i_invented_the_ipod → u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

https://preview.redd.it/zbqpn45th82c1.jpeg?width=1320&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=961b36e0704d17a3f67d29d7a46865b2e943dc01

Pretty much.

[u/TLAW1998]

Damn that baby is 🅱️urple.

[u/Machizzy → u/TLAW1998]

Sippin lean already smh Nolan’s never beating the terrible dad allegations

[u/AndrewTheSouless → u/TLAW1998]

The baby behind the slaughter!?!

[u/Lanky_Chemist_3773]

My G just came through holding his guts like it was Halloween candy.

[u/TheDonAntoine → u/Lanky_Chemist_3773]

Holy shit, the guy in this gif did my first tattoo when I was 18. What a coincidence lol.

[u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

To the animators who did the Nolan and Thraxan kissing scene, it was really well done and I'm very sorry you had to animate that. At the very least, maybe you discovered something about yourself in the process.

[u/shadowst17 → u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

I can imagine the dailies:

"More tongue."

"Make it more sensual."

"Good pass but i'm not feeling like they're lovers."

[u/RFB-CACN → u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

The sheer amount of weird fetishes this show covers, man.

[u/Locem → u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

Like two teenagers learning how to make out.

[u/Machizzy → u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

i am sending Amazon an invoice for the required therapy sessions

[u/Business_Reporter420]

Peak as always.The mauler twin clone poisoning the original was brutal af

[u/quantummufasa → u/Business_Reporter420]

I always thought the clone being lesser was a joke.

[u/timdr18 → u/quantummufasa]

It was when they didn’t know who was the clone.

[u/Jefrejtor → u/timdr18]

I like that this one scene has given a whole new sinister meaning to what I assumed was just banter.

[u/brigandr → u/Jefrejtor]

The Maulers bring it up when the newly awakened Rudy says that he didn't expect the feeling of continuity.

We had to make it seamless, otherwise one of us knows he's the clone, and that never ends well.

I suspect this episode isn't the first instance of King Mauler's regicide.

[u/GrimResistance → u/brigandr]

You'd think he would've seen that coming. Like, he should've known what he would do in his own shoes.

[u/DMking → u/GrimResistance]

He thinks he's too superior to the clone to ever think the clone would do nore than obey

[u/TerraSollus → u/quantummufasa]

I assume it’s more of a “if you clone something it can never be perfect ergo the more you do it the worse it gets” the original mauler probably died decades ago. The Mauler Twins don’t know who the clone is, both of em, so they treat each other roughly equally. If one realizes he’s older then he treats the other as a slave until the younger one gets fed up and kills him. Which I imagine only takes a few days

[u/PerfectMix877 → u/TerraSollus]

Aand you answered what happened to the original lol.

[u/macedonianmoper → u/PerfectMix877]

The original probably did it, then the clone realized the same would happen to him and so he made it so you can't know who the original was, maybe it took a few iteration to get there tho.

[u/GBKMBushidoBrown → u/Business_Reporter420]

Ikr but won't they ALL know they're clones now that he has the memory of killing what could potentially have been the original? That's gotta be weird. Even that one might have been a clone but now it's certain.

[u/Negativety101 → u/GBKMBushidoBrown]

I always felt the Mauler's knew on some level the original is almost certainly long dead. But with their personality, if one the clones knows they are older, they will use it to lord over the younger, and they do need each other. They just need to keep that one thing going for the relationship to work.

[u/AJollyEgo → u/GBKMBushidoBrown]

I feel like they wouldn't care about being THE original. They just care about being more original than the other one.

[u/sluck131 → u/GBKMBushidoBrown]

Yes minor comic spoiler: They switch to saying basically "atleast I am not a clone of a clone"

[u/EliotWaugh420]

Viltrumites fight scenes feel so different. And I only noticed* after Nolan says it, It’s not about the power, is the killing intent. When Mark finally flips the switch, you can see it.

[u/mylegsweat → u/EliotWaugh420]

I love when Nolan had a brain spasm and just grabs Marks throat. Questioning himself and his wiring!!

[u/Anon9973 → u/mylegsweat]

It was definitely a good touch for how alien (heh) his mindset is, trying to grapple with the dissonance.

[u/PWBryan → u/mylegsweat]

Going from talking about his regrets to strangling Mark on a dime makes him much creepier

[u/viper459 → u/PWBryan]

yeah someone on this writing team has actually had an abusive dad becuase fuck me, that shit is way too accurate

[u/Theprincerivera → u/[deleted]]

I mean he’s fighting like MANY YEARS of imperialistic superiority programming. It’s a wonder he has a conscious at all.

[u/[deleted] → u/mylegsweat]

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[u/Iorith → u/EliotWaugh420]

They did a decent parallel with Atom Eve, when she stopped treating a supervillain as her personal catharsis moment and actually took it seriously, suddenly the fight was over.

[u/DangerZoneh → u/Iorith]

Yeah, that specific fight is trivial with her powers. She can’t affect organic material but she’s fighting a guy who’s mostly machine. Just, like… turn all of the robot parts into pasta. Easy peasy and you get a nice snack!

[u/Iorith → u/DangerZoneh]

And because she didn't take it seriously, innocents died.

I really am loving her character arc, focusing on how superpowers affect civilians. Probably my favorite part of the season.

[u/[deleted] → u/Iorith]

The couple that died looked a lot like her parents too, adding to the trauma that situation would cause

[u/FishoftheNorth → u/EliotWaugh420]

Never forget S1E5 and the sheer flip in strength after “YOU GUYS ARE FUCKING DEAD!”

[u/Winn3rB0y2 → u/EliotWaugh420]

Yep, when we get more viltrumites v viltrumites every hit is going for the killing blow, its gonna be amazing

[u/kubenzi]

Mark, she’s tearing you apart! Oh hi lisa

[u/musecorn → u/kubenzi]

I did not hit her

[u/axb2002]

“Nolan has superpowers, he’s indestructible. That’s not strength. That’s having it easy”

That’s honestly a great line.

[u/LoneWolf2099 → u/axb2002]

Reminded me of the first episode where Debbie asks Mark something like “Does that make you feel strong?” That I can’t physically make you do something?”

[u/[deleted] → u/LoneWolf2099]

Debbie's so fucking great in this. I love her to pieces.

[u/Tron_1981 → u/LoneWolf2099]

The power of being a mom. If Ma Kent tells Clark to go clean the barn, he's gonna clean the damn barn.

[u/[deleted] → u/axb2002]

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[u/JonathanL73]

I was not expecting that hug from Mark, I was thinking he was going to throw hands with Nolan.

The writer is brilliant for making the alien species insects with shorter lifespans, as it forces Mark to see things from his father perspective.

As always Marks get his ass beaten up.

Was that last Viltrimite voiced by the same VA who voices Kratos?

Great episode, I wish it was longer.

The wait for S2Ep5 will be wait too long now.

So far Levy Armstrong hasn’t really done much yet.

[u/Horceror_ → u/JonathanL73]

Kregg is voiced by Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs, Damian Darkblood, etc.) and Kratos is voiced by Christopher Judge :)

[u/PhantomRoyce]

I love the distinction between Nolan’s earth tone and his Viltrumite ton. It’s like when your dad gets pissed so his accent comes back

[u/RayanH23 → u/PhantomRoyce]

Gustavo Fring talking to his employees at Los Pollos Hermanos vs talking to Walter.

[u/EliotWaugh420]

No other media was able to contribute as much as this episode to my “walking sad and feeling lonely” playlist

[u/GerdDerGaertner → u/EliotWaugh420]

Yeah i like the Nick cave Song at the beginning

[u/ClariS_lover420]

honestly Nolan saying “Read my books!” caught me off guard and i burst out laughing

[u/mmcintoshmerc_88 → u/ClariS_lover420]

"Give them 5 stars on Goodreads Mark! Some people didn't really get it and started review bombing them! Admittedly, the whole massacre thing didn't help but still, pulp Sci fi deserves an audience!"

[u/Smash_Z → u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

I was wondering if some of Nolan's Viltrumite beliefs might have subtly seeped into his writings and led to certain tropes that modern critics might find distasteful.

One of them was called "Savage Planet, Savage Beasts" and I wonder what critics had to say about that lol.

"Amazing worldbuilding from Nolan Grayson, as always. The alien worlds and species he comes up with are always so creative and immersive. Once again, however, he struggles with his protagonist, another physically perfect specimen with little to root for. Also, the reoccurring rhetoric of the alien people as 'savages' and 'inferior' is almost problematic in places. 3/5"

Imagine Nolan getting canceled or something lol

[u/mmcintoshmerc_88 → u/Smash_Z]

"Obviously the book is really good but, this is the second book where a protagonist has forced their kids to fight wild creatures on the alien planet and has said 'Should they not survive, I will shed no tears for they are weak!' Again, the books are really good but does he realise Lord of the flies isn't a parenting manual?!"

[u/ViperrMageRB → u/Smash_Z]

I assume based off his emphasis on the books it’s gonna have some kind of clue on beating the viltrumites/how mark can get stronger or something along that vanes

[u/ralanr → u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

“And get JK Simmons to star as my protagonists if they’re made into a movie!”

[u/regretfulposts → u/ralanr]

"Have him be the narrator for any audible releases!"

[u/AndrewTheSouless → u/ClariS_lover420]

“Aren’t you a traveling guide writter?”

“YES AND YOU SUCK AT GEOGRAPHY!! YOU NEED TO KNOW WHERE KOREA Iiiss”

[u/nervous_nerd → u/ClariS_lover420]

Subscribe to my podcast, Mark.

[u/StannisLivesOn → u/ClariS_lover420]

MY MIXTAPE, MARK, LISTEN TO IT

[u/TheAzulmagia → u/ClariS_lover420]

There's never a bad time to shill.

[u/RFB-CACN → u/ClariS_lover420]

He’s a true businessman. The J Jonah Jameson DNA is showing.

[u/GrungeViBritannia → u/ClariS_lover420]

Haven't read the comics but isn't this some sort of clue? Maybe he has like his memoir or training on how to kill viltrumites written down?

[u/ganzgpp1 → u/GrungeViBritannia]

That's my best guess as well- it might not be specifically on how to kill Viltrumites, but it very well probably has some clues on how to train and practice since Nolan can't actually train him right now. I wonder if there are any powers that we haven't seen yet that the books will reveal to Mark.

[u/Pigeon_Lord → u/ganzgpp1]

I also wonder if maybe it points him to Viltrum? Like a star designation that might actually be the equivalent of a beg red x to tell Mark that this is where you need to go afterwards? Feels like that would also be important info

[u/Jamaicanfirewzrd]

So is the Magnum P.I. mustache standard for every Viltrumite male?

[u/buddy-bun-dem → u/Jamaicanfirewzrd]

I read this somewhere, but the name Viltrum came from the word 'philtrum', otherwise known as the upper lip, which as you know is where a mustache lives.

​

The closest thing I can think of is everyone in Bee movie rocking buzz cuts / beehives.

[u/Yrcrazypa → u/Jamaicanfirewzrd]

Yes, that's the joke. They're named after the philtrum, the part of your upper lip that has the indentation on it.

[u/Machizzy]

me every 5 minutes:

YOU GOTTA BE

​

FUCKING KIDDING ME

Also i cant wait for more Viltrumite v Viltrumite battles, when Gods go to war the bloodshed is fucking insane! The way Nolan finished Thula was so sick(ening) i loved it. And seeing how OP Mark actually is when he went all out was really suprising actually. I was expecting him to be stronger thsn he had been showing us up until now but to actually be able to go toe to toe with a Viltrumite war veteran like that is wild. our boi might acually be...[INVINCIBLE]

​

Also Also did anyone else catch how they made Nolan's sad montage and Debbies sad montage exactly the same including the contemplating suicide bit? cheffs kisserino's my duders

[u/SoundofGlaciers → u/Machizzy]

Yeah I thought Nolan was being an asshole again when he said 'come on Mark, you're holding back!' and Mark was just too weak to compete and Nolan should know by then.

Turns out Nolan was serious lol, and it seemed like even Mark was surprised by how strong he really is.

So far the pacing of the (first half) of the season is crazy, we already have a omni-man and mark reunion, new viltrumites on screen during the fight scene with Allen, plus a mark+omni man team-up vs said viltrumites. What looks like a viltrumite leader or commander too at the end, Krieg. Oh and Mark has a superpowered baby brother too!

[u/Jackbwoi → u/SoundofGlaciers]

Don’t want to sound like an ass, but it's “Kregg” not “Krieg”

[u/mariofeds]

Steven Yeun knocked it out of he fucking park this episode, the amount of raw emotion behind every word mark says to Nolan is just perfect

[u/Joe_Atkinson → u/mariofeds]

Same with JK Simmons. The power on these two actors is insane. Perfect casting.

[u/Shrekosaurus_rex → u/Joe_Atkinson]

Ironically I think it’s the relative lack of power for most of the episode that sells it - he seems…not quite soft spoken, but closer to that than in season 1, and it works. He’s trying to not care as much, to detach himself, and it’s only when he finally lets himself care and lashes out, that’s when Simmons goes full force.

[u/KarrotMovies → u/mariofeds]

He is honestly such an amazing actor. From his role as Glen to his performances in Burning and Beef. It is cool to have a fellow Korean actor that is almost always casted as a Korean character. He's amazing as Mark and I really loved the emotional depth he gave this episode

[u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

That Nick Cave needle drop was so good. The show's been killing it with needle drops/ the way it uses songs this season.

[u/hafrances]

nah man really was standing next to a black hole like it was nothing 😭

[u/RFB-CACN → u/hafrances]

Everyone who power scaled him back in season one having a seizure right now.

[u/hafrances → u/RFB-CACN]

the comparisons to homelander looking silly now

[u/AndrewTheSouless → u/hafrances]

It was always silly

[u/The_souLance → u/AndrewTheSouless]

For real though, anyone thinking Home lander had even 1% chance was delusional.

[u/robertman21 → u/hafrances]

they gotta redo the death battle so it's an even harder stomp

[u/00Qant5689 → u/hafrances]

It's not exactly nothing since it's very strongly implied he was just about to jump in there and commit suicide in that scene. But even so, getting to that point where you could resist falling past the black hole's event horizon would require you to move at/maintain relativistic speeds, if not more than that. So while he's not exactly at comic Superman's level, he's still decently close to it.

[u/Razhiv → u/00Qant5689]

Considering that Viltrumites can casually space travel, them being able to move at relativistic speeds is kind of a given. Even just reaching the next solar from hours is over 4 light years away. Omni-Man needed to be moving at way past light speed to reach Traxa in the time it took him to grow a beard.

[u/00Qant5689 → u/Razhiv]

I think that if I remember correctly, Viltrumites can hold their breaths for up to about 2 week or so in the vacuum of space, so yeah: going that far within that allotted amount of time would be no easy feat at all.

[u/metalflygon08 → u/00Qant5689]

I assume he made pit stops on places with atmosphere he could breathe in.

[u/qpwjwhst]

Glad to see Clancy Brown returning as kregg

[u/snomflake → u/qpwjwhst]

Looking like sinestro with the voice of lex luthor is crazy

[u/FKDotFitzgerald → u/qpwjwhst]

There’s a tightness to his delivery that makes this performance stand out imo. Like it’s clearly Clancy Brown but he sounds more refined here.

[u/lordgestalter → u/qpwjwhst]

Mr. Kreggs

[u/AfroBandit19 → u/qpwjwhst]

Not how I would’ve imagined Kregg sounding but I dig ittttt

[u/styuone]

So will Marks brother get viltrumite powers?

[u/Sailingboar → u/styuone]

Consider what we know so far. Mark got Viltrumite powers. And Mark's brother looks very much like a Human/Viltrumite.

If it weren't for the skincolor Mark's brother would look just like a younger Mark.

And we know that Mark got Viltrumite powers because of that same DNA.

[u/musecorn]

The Maulers and Run The Jewels, name a more iconic duo

[u/warwicklord79]

Oh h so THAT'S why it doesn't end well when the clones know who's the original.

[u/HippieDogeSmokes → u/warwicklord79]

It’s funny that they know acting like that isn’t productive at all and having a clone is really helpful, but they’re so arrogant the moment they get the chance they establish superiority

[u/qpwjwhst]

Love how they made that fight scene look like it was from a comic book

[u/mmcintoshmerc_88 → u/qpwjwhst]

Living up to Ryan Ottley's art is a big ask, but I thought the show did a great job of it for the fight scene.

[u/anders_138 → u/qpwjwhst]

The 2 page spread is pretty much exactly like that, they got the same exact pose in the last shot of it, too. Wish they went with the ripped suit for Nolan cause it looks even more badass, but it was still amazing

https://comicnewbies.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Omni-Man-And-Invincible-VS-2-Viltrumites-7.jpg

[u/Opone2002]

Mark was putting in work against Thula, did not expect him to fight that good against someone so strong.

[u/PhantomRoyce → u/Opone2002]

I notice that Mark doesn’t really fight like other Viltrumites. He uses locks,what looks like some boxing fundamentals and some neat holds. I wonder if he actually practiced of if Viltrumites are just born with the capacity to throw hands

[u/STOCHASTIC_LIFE → u/PhantomRoyce]

Most probably it's training he did with his dad, most probably it'll be an advantage over some Viltrumites with less technical fighting styles. IMO that's what that fight scene implied though I haven't read the comics.

[u/PhantomRoyce → u/STOCHASTIC_LIFE]

You’re right I think. You noticed Mark kept her on the ground. Viltrumites are always fighting in their air for advantage. Even then they are so powerful they don’t need “technique” when almost everything dies in one punch. Mark used strategy to close the gap in skill and experience by making her fight on his terms,on the ground,where HE has more experience

[u/_GreenLotus_ → u/Opone2002]

He has crazy untapped potential. The problem is that his human side holds him back

[u/Machizzy → u/_GreenLotus_]

We saw a little bit of what he is capable of in the very opening of the season, albeit implicitly. Him and his dad can destroy/take over a planet in a matter of weeks. We forget that even though they’re able to fly around earth in less then an hour it’s still a big fucking place with a lot of fucking infrastructure and super powered people. Even tho they’re not at risk of death fighting anything/one on their earth, still it’s probably akin to you and one other mate going to like a Lego convention filled with nothing but angry/scared kids and destroying the entire place while taking on all those 3-12y olds. Would probably still take more then a day which is the equivalent to this (based on absolutely nothing btw but it just felt like an good comparison)

[u/RogueYautja → u/Machizzy]

That would be incredibly fun tho at the lego convention

[u/-Rapier]

Highlight is probably Nolan telling Mark to act, not think instead of telling him to think, not act like in S1E8.

Jokes aside, loved this episode but I also felt everything happened far too quickly to build up.

And now for the agonizing wait until January...

[u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

No offence Cecil but, I could've told you this clone plan wasn't going to work. Read almost any comic ever Cecil! It never ends well!

[u/Treyman1115 → u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

I wonder if he figured that Donald will figure it out eventually on his own. He didn't really try that hard to keep from finding out

[u/Laggingduck → u/Treyman1115]

“Am I a.. a robot?”

“yeah donald no shit, anyway there’s not any time for that we have a situation like I said earlier”

[u/Osmodius → u/Laggingduck]

"I thought it was obvious. Quit wasting time".

[u/limelover420 → u/mmcintoshmerc_88]

Is he a clone or a robot? I figured with the knife bending like that, it probably meant he was a robot with metalic bones just with flesh over it kinda like Schwarzaneggar in the Terminator films.

[u/Zaziel → u/limelover420]

I guess the question is: has he always been a robot?

[u/Knuc85 → u/Zaziel]

This is what I was thinking. Is this Donald #2 or... #3? How about #20?

[u/Front-Review1388]

What a episode. Holy crap. How does a single episode manage to redeem Nolan? It was powerful when he cried for the Thraxan massacre, and him protecting Mark was touching. Mark embracing his Viltrum side by fighting to kill was badass. The animation also looks better here.

10/10 yet again.

[u/[deleted] → u/Front-Review1388]

The opening scene did a lot of heavy lifting. Excellent song choice, art, and pacing.

I especially loved how he drifted past all of these absolutely beautiful places in space that anyone would be awed by, but he's so depressed that none of it even registers for him. He's just a zombie floating through space waiting to die.

Not to mention all the parallels between the scene with him and the scene with Debbie, which anchored his story in his misdeeds.

I also really appreciate that he's still Nolan. He's still short-tempered and violent. He's just learned to understand his own feelings a little better.

[u/SoundofGlaciers → u/Front-Review1388]

The episode was insane! Loved it as well. Tho I wouldn't really say 'redeem' yet. People on Earth are still grieving the losses and afraid of his return and he said and did some really evil monster type shit just a few years ago.

Mark definitely surprised himself with how strong he is or can be when he goes for the kill. The whole fight was incredibly well animated. Loved the shot of the viltrimite dude pushing mark into the ground with a single finger.

[u/OfficerBubbles773 → u/SoundofGlaciers]

Not to mention some of Viltrumite Ideology was coming back as he's mourning the loss of the Thraxans. His upbringing tells him to be disgusted by such "weak" creatures yet the humanity he gained on Earth is manifesting in him. I'm loving the arc for Nolan!

[u/Iorith → u/Front-Review1388]

I don't see him as redeemed, but absolutely on his way.

His inability to admit what he did was wrong, his lashing out at Mark for his own emotional disruption, shows he isn't redeemed. He's still figuring out what the hell he is and wants to be vs what he's always been.

[u/kingofthesqueal]

Damn Nolan looking kind of sexy with his long hair and beard

[u/mylegsweat → u/kingofthesqueal]

I can fully see a wave of memes revolving around Nolan flying thru space with those background changes lol

[u/musecorn → u/mylegsweat]

They didn't have to give him the thicc

[u/Own_Emphasis_3195]

We finally got to see Mark throwing some LEGIT fucking hands and it was so hype. That's my boy... Thats...

[u/[deleted]]

[removed] — view removed comment

[u/l1964nywf → u/[deleted]]

Same here; I wasn’t really sure if we’d get that hug. The complicated emotions between them both were excellent. Huge props to Helen Leigh, the writer of the episode. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 she also did the Atom Eve special with Kirkman.

[u/DaHyro → u/l1964nywf]

That Atom Eve special had no right to be as good as it was, the action in that is still the best in the entire series to date

[u/[deleted] → u/DaHyro]

Tell you what’s pretty gosh darn annoying though.

The way Amazon Prime has set up the Atom Eve special so it’s at the end of season 2. Every week when the latest episode ends Amazon Prime throws me straight into the Atom Eve special.

[u/Cjamhampton]

Honestly, there are a lot of comic readers in this sub that suck at not letting small spoilers slip out here and there when they post in these no spoilers threads. I understand how exciting it is to see a bunch of people discussing something you love, but it's better to read without posting in these threads if you can't avoid letting spoilers slip.

[u/suss2it → u/Cjamhampton]

There's literally a comic reader episode discussion thread too, so there's not really any excuse to be dropping spoilers here.

[u/Adventuroustimer]

All of this because Mark is biracial 😔

[u/nothda → u/Adventuroustimer]

they hate to see a lightskin win

[u/Runmanrun41 → u/Adventuroustimer]

Taking the opportunity to plug this

https://preview.redd.it/gp4kit5yr72c1.jpeg?width=1078&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8272ffec320822fdf472dbfcbc02b059deb900f6

[u/00Qant5689]

I like the visual contrast between Mark vs. Thula and Nolan vs. Lucan in the closing fight scene.

For most of his fight, Mark was on the backfoot until he briefly rebounded and tossed her around for a good bit right up until he hesitated, allowing her to shank him. Meanwhile, Nolan had Lucan on the ropes for the majority of their duel, even though it was nowhere near as one-sided as his previous fights last season.

It just goes to show that while Mark's definitely got a fair bit better since Season 1 and has a lot of potential to become even more powerful than Nolan, he's still got a ways to go before he gets there.

[u/aqueleponeirosa]

Haven't read the comics, but I can't help but feel frustrated seing how Eve utilizes her powers on the story after watching her origins on the special episodes

Like, bro??? She can change the molecular structure of ANYTHING, and her fighting style is "pew pew lasers" (not exactly, but you get my point)

[u/[deleted]]

That guy really made Mark look bad, he flies and breaks Nolan's back with his guts hanging, kid gets stabbed and he can't move ¯_(ツ)_/¯

[u/meme_maker69420]

Bro really mid diffed three viltrumite warriors

[u/aster2560]

How come King Mauler didn’t see that coming since he should have the memory of killing himself from a previous cloning process

[u/ganzgpp1 → u/aster2560]

I mean... I'm not surprised. The Mauler ego is what keeps them in check, and the fact that they're "disposable" as well. Like sure, the Maulers have killed each other previously multiple times- so of course they know it's a possibility. However it still never fails for one Mauler to kill the other.

[u/musecorn → u/ganzgpp1]

He said it himself in S1, it only works if neither of them know who's the original, by design. "King" mauler should have known it would never work

[u/RnRaintnoisepolution → u/aster2560]

He's obvioulsy the superior Mauler, there's no way a simple clone can pull one over on him.

[u/ralanr → u/aster2560]

He was high on himself.

[u/FirstV1]

“You gotta be-

INVINCIBLE

-fuckin kidding me!” 💀💀😂

[u/Foolsgil]

...Bugussy. That is all.

[u/mwcope → u/Foolsgil]

You could've not done this, you know.

[u/ganzgpp1]

viltrumites are apparently stronger than black holes wtf

also listen Mark I am incredibly sympathetic to the no-kill rule, I'm of the belief that anyone can become a good person no matter how many bad things they've done too, but you GOTTA make an exception for Viltrumites because jesus christ

this might be the one time Nolan is right

[u/MrBrownCat → u/ganzgpp1]

He’s 100% right, we saw last season what one Viltrumite could do while fighting another albeit Mark being inexperienced but it still was essentially child’s play for Nolan. If he doesn’t have any feelings towards Mark he wipes Earth no problem in the finale.

Now imagine an entire species who don’t have the same feelings of Nolan and what they could do.

It’s kill or be killed Mark.

[u/lkdresser4]

The second Nolan said “it’s over” I knew it was not over

[u/NGN13]

both debbie and nolan thought about killing themselves in that montage they both had

[u/grilledcheese__]

Clancy Brown as Kregg!!!

[u/bobw123]

Common Mark L (found out his dad got remarried, got beaten near death, somehow ends up recruited into the Viltrumite empire)

[u/mylegsweat]

Holy living hell man, what an episode! When Nolan crushes that Viltrimites head in two! Brutal.

[u/ThoughtHealthy9919]

Can't Fuking believe they killed Thula she is one of the best designs on the show brutal how Nolan killed her but nice to see that they are not adapting all the things from the book but sad to see her die

[u/davidngm → u/ThoughtHealthy9919]

I don't think she's dead, she sounded like she was still breathing.

[u/ZhicoLoL → u/davidngm]

if choking on your own blood counts.

[u/AndrewTheSouless → u/ThoughtHealthy9919]

Nah i dont think she is dead yet, Lucan got his intestines pierced and lived, Viltrumites are resilient

[u/conker1264 → u/AndrewTheSouless]

My man was holding them while fighting

[u/LoneWolf2099 → u/ThoughtHealthy9919]

No way is she dead. Steve Harvey broke Nolan’s back while holding up his own intestines. All Thula has is the Viltrumite equivalent of a broken jaw.

[u/MattMaiden2112 → u/LoneWolf2099]

STEVE HARVEY

Man I dieded

[u/MyARhold30Shots → u/ThoughtHealthy9919]

Yeah Thula was cool asf. Also her cool braid dagger must be made out of some high tech Viltrumite metal to be able to cut through Mark's skin like that. I mean it must be otherwise it wouldn't be worth wearing, looks like she had it back in the great purge flashback.

[u/Sharebear42019]

Any confirmation when season 2 is coming? Was hoping they’d announce it at the end of this final episode

[u/MuscleManWOOO → u/Sharebear42019]

January allegedly

[u/[deleted] → u/MuscleManWOOO]

https://preview.redd.it/34vvafr3872c1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=19d6ec680a28d0664c10670d3bf7dec016cc9def

[u/Physical_Kitchen1470]

The animation during the Thraxan fight was so fluid

[u/brb1006]

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! :(