The following contains spoilers for the first three episodes of Invincible, now streaming on Prime VideoInvincibleincreasingly established across season 3 how similar Mark Grayson is to one of his newest enemies, which will likely define the arc of the show going forward. Prime Video’s adaptation of the Robert Kirkman comic of the same name,Invincibleis a frequently clever, surprisingly gory, and deeply emotional approach to the superhero genre.Invincible’s charactersreflect longstanding archetypes of the genre, but are forced to confront harsher realities and tougher moral questions than most DC or Marvel heroes have to deal with. This was especially true in season 3, which highlighted the question of villains being redeemed.
On top of the show’s long-running exploration of whether Nolan can ever make up for the sheer number of people he killed back in season 1,season 3 ofInvinciblehighlighted this question by forcing Mark to reckon with his brother Oliver joining him in the field (with far less restraint towards enemies). Mark also discovered that former enemies D.A. Sinclair and Darkwing had been given a chance to work for the GDA instead of facing punishment for their crimes, and these developments set up Mark’s similarities to a character he believes he’s nothing like.
Cecil Used To Be As Morally Driven As Mark Is Now
Image via Prime Video
Invincible’s season 3 storyline delved further into Mark’s similarities with Cecil, making their growing conflict all the more complex and tragic. “A Deal with the Devil” opened with an extended flashback to the origins of the current GDA Director, revealing how he received his scar in the line of duty and how he resisted using former villains as agents. Similar to Mark’s instant fury over the revelation that Cecil started working with Darkwing and Sinclair, Cecil quickly killed the two criminals due to his refusal to accept them as redeemable people, despite them being crucial to his own survival.
Much like when Cecil was fighting with Radcliffe over the ethics of using criminals as agents, Mark is positioned against Cecil.
It’s markedly similar to what Mark is like now, with both well-meaning and heroic young men unwilling to forgive killers just because they can help. However, as time wore on and Cecil worked his way up to control the inmates of the GDA prison, Cecil learned that hard choices can be made to save lives. Accepting that his personal code would need to be sometimes subverted for the greater good, Cecil adjusted quickly to his role in the GDA. Much like when Cecil was fighting with Radcliffe over the ethics of using criminals as agents, Mark is positioned against Cecil.
Cecil & Mark’s Similarities Explain Why They Don’t Get Along
Cecil Is What Mark Could Become, And Mark Doesn’t Want That To Be The Case
This new layer to the relationship between Mark and Cecil adds a lot of complexity to their relationship, especially inInvincibleseason 3. In the past, Cecil was a well-meaning and heroic young agent, willing to risk his own life to save as many other people as he could. This heroism is similar to the way Mark has committed himself to saving others. Both characters were quick to throw themselves into the line of fire.Flashbacks confirm Cecil used to be a lot like Mark, and it’s clear from his deeply held convictions that he intended to remain that way.
However,the harsh realities ofInvincible’s world meant Cecil was eventually forced to compromise his morals. He learned to accept that to be the one who saves the day in any situation, one can’t be focused on being good. This is something Mark hasn’t yet accepted, jeopardizing his working relationship with Cecil. Much ofInvincible’s undercurrent has been about Mark Grayson being confronted with the faults of those he looks up to, and whether or not he can maintain his morals where they couldn’t. Mark doesn’t want to be like Cecil, something Cecil can understand but can’t accept as right.
Invincible Season 3 Is Only The Beginning Of Cecil & Mark’s Complicated Relationship
Invincible’s Later Storylines Challenge Mark And Cecil Further
Invincibleis an adaptation of the comic series of the same name, with over half of the original comics left to adapt for the show. Given how faithfully the show has been reimagining and updating the series, it’s likely thatInvinciblewill continue to carry over major plot points from the comic — such as Mark and Cecil working together again. In the comics,the pair eventually were able to find a working relationship for the sake of protecting the Earthfrom threats like the Viltrumites. However, the tension between the pair remained a constant for the rest of the series.
Invincible Season 3 Creates A New Plot Hole With This Villain’s Return
Invincible season 3 finally properly introduced a villain who has been teased since season 2, but his debut creates a massive story problem.
Cecil’s efforts to justify himself to Mark do come from a logical place, as the abilities of Darkwing and the intellect of Sinclair make them useful assets. Without them, the entire hero population of Earthwould have been killed by Doc Seismic. Cecil never necessarily lets go of that mentality, and some of his decisions later in the series regarding the fate of the Viltrumite powerhouse Conquest further complicate his relationship with Mark. However, by the time ofInvincible’s endgame,Mark comes to empathize more with Ceciland seems to better understand his ruthless approach to protecting the Earth.
Will Mark Become A “Villain” Like Cecil In Invincible?
How Many Of Mark’s Morals Can He Compromise Before He’s Just Like Cecil?
Mark’s development from a well-meaning but naive teenager into a complex but heroic man is at the core ofInvincible. Part of that has meant forcing the character to confront thorny moral issues.Redemption is very much at the core of the story, especially in season 3. While he’s frustrated with Sinclair and Darkwing being accepted as GDA assets despite their previous crimes, Mark killed some of his enemies. Mark has been doing everything to hold himself to strong ethics about redemption, but Oliver killing the Mauler Twins challenged him to justify why some can earn it and others can’t.
It’s possible thatInvincibleeventually pushes Mark to make the kinds of compromises that Cecil has long embraced. This would track with some of the big plot developments in the original comic. However,Mark can find a way to redeem people without excusing their actions. This becomes a major facet of Mark’s relationship to characters like Nolan, and is further explored through his interactions with Cecil. While Mark may never become the same kind of “villain” that Cecil is inInvincible, he may reach a point where he doesn’t feel comfortable calling the GDA Director such a harsh term anymore.
