Invincible Season 3 has gotten off to an impressive start, but there’s a growing complaint amongst the fans that, honestly, isn’t entirely fair.
Yes, it seems that a certain section of the fanbase has got a bee in their bonnets (or should that be a centipede in their spandex?) about Mark’s fluctuating power levels.
Basically, they think that Mark, with his Vilturmite heritage and the incredible powers that come with that – super strength, invulnerability, flight, and super speed – should be able to tear through the Mauler Twins and other villains like Doc Seismic with the same ease as a toddler tearing through tissue paper or Omni-Man tearing through the Guardians of the Globe (RIP I guess).
Time and time again, however, we’ve seen Mark struggle against foes that he should be able to defeat with a flick of his finger. Here’s the thing, though: I don’t think it’s a particularly fair criticism of the superhero show.
Mark’s invincible, his enemies aren’t
Now, yes, Mark is incredibly powerful. He’s basically… well, he’s invincible (cue the fanfare), but it’s important to remember that he doesn’t want to kill these villains; he wants to bring them to justice.
With that in mind, it makes sense that Mark might be caught unawares because he’s holding back when he fights his enemies. Now I know that “he’s holding back” has become a meme in the Invincible community, but it’s true: he is, and just because you’re stronger than someone doesn’t mean they’re always easy to deal with.
Allow me to explain using something slightly more relatable than a battle with a supervillain. Have you ever tried to get a toddler in a car seat? It’s a f**king nightmare. Yes, you might be 10 times stronger than a wriggling baby, but trying to get them to do something they don’t want to do is nearly impossible.
So while you might be “more powerful” than them, you’re reduced to wrestling with them – using just a fraction of your strength – to get them in the damn seat. That’s what I imagine Mark’s dealing with every time he has to battle some weird supervillain like the Sock Smuggler or Professor Laffy Taffy (don’t Google them, like my editor did. I made them up), he’s effectively dealing with a hyperactive child who doesn’t want to go to grandma’s house (I feel this metaphor has gotten away from me). The only difference is that the children Mark’s dealing with are trying to kill him.
Mark could turn his opponents into a meat smoothie. He could do that with his eyes closed, but he doesn’t want to; he’s trying to be a hero, not a killer like his dad. What’s more, it’s been clear in a lot of Mark’s most recent fights that he’s never really been in any danger.
King Immortal couldn’t even bruise him, and Doc Seismic might have knocked him out, but Mark was up and fighting in minutes, suggesting whatever damage the villain did was pretty inconsequential. In fact, the only times we’ve seen Mark be incapacitated this season are when Cecil used his sonic weaponry and when the Maulers used that weapon that disrupted his nervous system – two weapons designed to incapacitate Viltrumites.
Another more theatrical reason
Prime VideoOf course, this is the Watsonian explanation for Mark’s “losses” (if you don’t know what Watsonian means, Google it and never let it be said that Dexerto didn’t teach you something), but there’s a Doylist explanation as well.
It’s more dramatic when our hero struggles. So, while I understand that it’s frustrating to see Mark tank a hit from Omni-Man and then struggle against a giant centipede, the reason behind it is that it’s more entertaining when a hero isn’t … invincible (cue the fanfare again).
And be honest with yourself if Mark just won every battle without taking a hit, you’d grow bored of this show quicker than Red Rush after his morning coffee. Invincible isn’t the only show where this is an issue, either. It’s why in superhero comics, and basically every superhero movie, show, and cartoon ever, the hero always struggles with villains they should be able to deal with in their sleep.
It’s just part of the genre’s grammar, and if you don’t like it, well, go watch something else because these cliches and tropes are sort of the point. Looking for more of our hot takes? Then check out our list of the best superhero movies or our article explaining why Cecil was right about Mark.
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