Every season of Invincible<\/em> leaves you shook. Whether it\u2019s a massive character revelation or an even bigger, bloodier battle, when a season of the Robert Kirkman animated show comes to an end, you can expect to be wowed by its finale. That happened again with the recently concluded fourth season, and we can\u2019t get the big, final moment out of our heads.<\/p>\n Much of Invincible<\/em> season four centered on Nolan and Allen recruiting people to help the Coalition of Planets in their ongoing war against Viltrum. That culminated in Nolan going back to Earth, bringing Mark (aka Invincible) and Oliver with him, and several epic battles taking place. The heroes even flew through the center of Viltrum, completely destroying the planet, as a way to hopefully scare off their powerful enemies.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t work. The almost 40 remaining Viltrumites disappeared, and in the season finale, the mystery of their whereabouts and inevitability of their revenge weighed heavily on everyone, especially Mark. Then, it all came to a head when Thragg, the leader of Viltrum and probably the most powerful being in the galaxy, arrived on Earth.<\/p>\n In a quiet, terrifying moment, Thragg gave Mark a choice. Continue to wage war on the Viltrumites, which would inevitably mean millions, if not billions, of lives lost on Earth and beyond, including his loved ones. Or, accept an uneasy truce and let the remaining Viltrumites live in secret on Earth, which would allow them to spread their seed and build the species up once again.<\/p>\n That notion of Viltrumites traveling the galaxy to breed and expand their species has been a throughline throughout the series. It\u2019s the reason why Nolan was on Earth in the first place. It\u2019s why Mark and Oliver exist. And it\u2019s the thing the Coalition of Planets has been fighting primarily to prevent.<\/p>\n The hero in Mark wants to say no. To continue to fight. But the realist in him knows continuing the fight doesn\u2019t end well, especially for the people he loves. And so Mark begrudingly agrees to Thragg\u2019s terms. He saves the galaxy now by potentially. dooming it later.<\/p>\n Note: I haven\u2019t read the comics, so while I\u2019m sure much of what happens next is out there, I\u2019ve only seen the show and am going off that.<\/em><\/p>\n When the episode ended, I found myself torn, just as Mark surely was. On the one hand, it\u2019s a superhero show, and the hero in him should continue to fight against the evil Viltrumites. It\u2019s what everyone else would almost certainly do. What we\u2019d all like to think we\u2019d do. And yet, Mark is also half human. He knows what a fight on Earth with just one Viltrumite can do. The catastrophic damage and death that fighting Nolan and Conquest brought to his world. Contrast that with a war against almost 40 of them at once. Even if they won, what or who would even be left?<\/p>\n However, in choosing to save the world now, Mark is potentially dooming everyone in the future. Surely, anything is possible; this isn\u2019t the end of the series, and there\u2019s more to the story. But if the living Viltrumites are allowed to procreate with humanity, birthing more and more Viltrumites like Mark, eventually, they\u2019ll be numerous enough to stop living in hiding. They\u2019d go back to their old ways, traveling the galaxy and subjugating species or committing genocide.<\/p>\n Truly, it\u2019s an impossible decision and not one Mark, or anyone, could come to lightly. Put in that position, I have no idea what I\u2019d do. But you have to imagine it\u2019s very difficult to almost certainly kill everyone you know and love right now, in this moment, just for the hypothetical promise you can save even more people in the future. It certainly seems easier to push the issue off to those future people. Let them figure it out. I couldn\u2019t help but think how the choice was a fantastic microcosm of modern politics. Some people say \u201cfuck the future\u201d and live only for themselves and their own. Others prioritize the future over themselves, which is brave and honorable, but also incredibly scary. Neither is right, and neither is wrong, but maybe one is easy, and the other is harder. Mark took the easy way out, which we kind of wish he hadn\u2019t, but we also completely understand.<\/p>\n What would you have done in Mark\u2019s shoes? Do you think he made the right decision?<\/p>\n Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what\u2019s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote><\/div>\n![\"Io9](\"https:\/\/gizmodo.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/io9-2025-spoiler.png\")
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