r/Invincible • u/DepartureAcademic807 Donald Ferguson • Apr 11 '24

It's funny that he didn't give the traditional answer like any superhero COMIC SPOILERS

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u/ReaperManX15 Apr 11 '24

Mark's decision is the more moral one.

When the entity doesn't get the answer it wants, it's first argument is quantitative.
"You would sacrifice millions to save 1 person?"
Once you make that argument, you are turning people into numbers. Into things.
You're no longer a hero. You're an accountant.
Your morality is based on a ledger. On balancing the books.
Once you start thinking like that, you are no longer the good guy.

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u/sabin357 Bobby Hill Apr 11 '24

you are turning people into numbers. Into things. You're no longer a hero. You're an accountant.

I disagree with this completely.

Heroes face real life versions of the trolley problem all the time though. You HAVE to be utilitarian or you are not a hero, because you should seek to do the most good possible, not the good that you want & benefit from. It's the hero's burden. The moment you do something that causes more people harm instead of fewer because it benefits you, you've crossed the line.

1

u/messycer Apr 11 '24

Here's the thing though. Mark never claims himself to be the hero, he just wants to protect those he cares about. He even concludes it in the ultimate line of the series: "being a hero is bullshit". He was never wanting to be the goody two shoes superhero like Superman was, he's just a human given superhuman abilities. And if I was him I would have done the same thing too. Give me the trolley problem and show me my family member or close friend on one track or five random people on another track, I'm not going to kill my loved one. I don't believe Mark would disagree too. And that's okay. Just because you're born with that power doesn't make you wrong for wanting to pick the best for yourself when you're already doing the best you can

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u/rfriar Apr 11 '24

Right? You give me power and I'm going to do my best to save the most amount of people possible; but the second you place a loved one in danger I'm always going to be agonizingly hard pressed not to pick them each and every time. It's a battle of the mind vs the heart; and that's a nigh impossible battle for most people.