Invincible [COMIC SPOILER Discussion] - S01E05 - That Actually Hurt

[u/SeacattleMoohawks]

Episode 5 - That Actually Hurt

Feeling confident in his new abilities, Mark risks a team-up with a local villain to take down a crime lord, while simultaneously juggling school and a new relationship.

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[u/Pathogen188]

Good episode, but all of my grievances are still the same and all the things it did well are mostly the same.

I like the greater emphasis on the more minor characters. Titan and Samson getting more screen time is great and I like how Amber is getting more development beyond "Mark's girlfriend" and I like how she's already thinking of dumping him for his tardiness already. Samson has already become one of my favorite characters in the show, and his presence as a more level headed, serious hero is a nice contrast against this more abrasive Rex.

Action is great as usual and the fight with Battle Beast was near perfect. Mark going ape shit was awesome. And I think this episode puts to rest any ideas that Nolan is weaker in the show than in the comic. If anything I think the Viltrumites are stronger. Mark stopping that "small" asteroid is a way better feat of strength than anything he'd done up to that point in the series IIRC. Like even after the corresponding issue I think Mark was still only lifting several hundred tons while that rock would've weighed way more.

Something small I liked was how it handled the "we need to work together seen". It wasn't perfect, but I'm glad that there was no "hey guys, we need to work together" scene, the new guardians just kinda sync up and get shit done.

That being said, I would've liked a bit more build up to it. The only thing we see of them before the end is Samson yelling at them for not working together. Like one scene of them at least attempting to do that would've been all that was necessary, but without it it feels a bit unearned, but that's a more minor complaint.

Still not a fan of Nolan's characterization (which sucks because I think Simmons is doing great). Nolan acting like a genuine father Superman pastiche is pretty relevant later on as far as set up goes. It makes the fight with Mark more emotionally impactful, Debbie's naivete makes her not knowing something was up more believable, and the fact that Nolan is being such a dick, combined with Debbie being more independent makes it much harder to think that this stronger, more independent Debbie would ever consider going back to Nolan after what happened.

Debbie being a bit over reliant on Nolan works as a better set up for their eventual reconciliation, although I understand why they went away from it.

[u/CriticalGoku → u/Pathogen188]

Yeah you really hit the nail on the head with the problem I have with Nolan and Debbie. It's compelling, but it makes it hard as hell to see how they're going to reconcile later on. I worry they're not going to at all, which I think would be a huge mistake as Nolan's love for Debbie is a huge element of his change. It really dramatically changes a lot, and I don't particularly desire to see the Invincible go in an enormously different direction like The Walking Dead given how good the comic is.