Mark Grayson has spent most of season 4 terrified of what he’s capable of. In the first three episodes alone, he killed a possessed Rus Livingston to prevent a Sequid invasion. He also nearly beat Titan to a pulp after putting his half-brother Oliver in danger. It’s a fear he’s been carrying since season 2, and it’s getting heavier with time.
If he’s willing to hurt humans, his temper shrinking to the point violence is go-to, what does that say about him?
That’s the mental place Mark finds himself in season 4, episode 4 Hurm. Mark walks into Art’s shop and tries to give back his black-and-blue suit. He tells Art he’s become just like his father.
Art responds by showing Mark what he’s been working on: an updated version of Mark’s classic yellow and blue suit. It’s a reminder of the idealistic hero Mark started out as, and a hint where the rest of the episode is heading.
Hell Gets the Wrong Grayson
Then Mark gets pulled to Hell and everything gets complicated.
Lava Elemental warrior Volcanikka decimated the Darkblood Clan, leaving Damien with no warriors until they can be resurrected. Satan lost his throne to Volcanikka with Hell on the brink of falling under her control. Desperate, Damien decided to summon Omni-Man aka Nolan Grayson. To complete his ritual, he used a vial of Nolan’s blood he’d collected back in season 1 during his investigation into the murder of the original Guardians of the Globe.
To Damien, Hell needs a weapon powerful enough to stop Volcanikka. Omni-Man, who’s ruthless and powerful fits that description. However, since Nolan was still in space at the time, the ritual summoned his closest living relative instead, which is his oldest son Mark.
And yet, the snafu is just what Damien and Mark needed. Not only is Mark more willing to help despite his hesitation, but the whole scenario forces the young hero to view the world from a different perspective.
Hell is Good(ish) in the Invincible Universe
It turns out that Hell isn’t what humans think it is. The demons call it the Under-Realm. Satan isn’t a villain, he’s actually a guardian of sorts. Damien explains that Volcanikka wants to release the creatures known as the Vile to wreak havoc and rule the Earth. The Vile are also immortal, leaving the demons of Hell with no choice but to subject the Vile to endless torture in order to protect the human population.
The parallels to Mark’s dilemma couldn’t be more blatant. Hell… I mean the Under-Realm is full of beings doing monstrous things for genuinely good reasons. Containing and torturing the Vile isn’t done for the sole reason of being cruel. It’s a burden but it’s also in the demons’ opinion, necessary for both the human and demon worlds. This perspective puts some of Mark’s actions in a different light.
He still resists at first. His first instinct when he sees Satan is to attack. That reflex that something that looks monstrous must be evil is the same reflex that’s been driving him insane for several seasons. When Damien tells him that Hell’s reputation is just myths invented by surface dwellers, Mark doesn’t fully believe it. But he listens, which is a step.
Falling through a “bottomless” drop with Damien, Mark does something he hasn’t done in weeks: he asks dumb, curious questions. How does Damien talk with his helmet on? Does Heaven actually exist? Damien says that as far as he knows, it doesn’t. Mark seems genuinely fascinated. It’s a small thing. But after watching him spiral in rage and guilt for three episodes, seeing him be a confused, slightly goofy kid again is refreshing. The old Mark who longed to be a hero is still there.
Mark Comes to Terms with his Graying Morality
While fighting Volcanikka, Mark punches her head off the rest of her body!
The scene is framed to resemble how he killed Rus at the beginning of the season. Only this time, there’s no guilt or hesitation. He explains that if he doesn’t kill her and she makes it to Earth, no one would be able to stop her.
Before, Mark would feel genuine remorse whenever he took a life, even when they had it coming. Now, he realizes that sometimes he’s going to have to make hard calls like this, but it shouldn’t be his only solution to his problems.
When Mark returns to Earth, he picks up the yellow and blue suit from Art without a word. He flies through the sky with a light-heartedness that’s been missing. While sitting on the roof of his house and chatting with Eve, he tells her, “I’m not OK. But maybe…I’m getting there.”For the past four seasons, Invincible keeps putting Mark in situations where the “right” thing to do is murky at best. The universe doesn’t have objective morality. All you can do is make the best call you can and keep pushing yourself to be better. And sometimes, all you need is a trip to Hell to get yourself back on the right track.
