We learn a lot about the Viltrumite Empire in season 4, episode 2 of Invincible. “I’ll Give You the Grand Tour” doesn’t hold back by exploring the toxic, social Darwinist mindset that plagues Viltrumite culture. We also get a glimpse into how corruptive this viewpoint is through Thaedus. He’s a Viltrumite who was so intent on stopping his own people, he became the very thing he was fighting against.
Who Is Thaedus?
The Viltrumites are a race of near-invincible aliens who have spent millennia conquering planets across the galaxy. They either subjugate or wipe out entire civilizations in the name of what they call progress.
Thaedus was one of them. Born a Viltrumite, he became disgusted watching his people commit atrocities across the universe. He was the first to betray the empire, assassinating its Emperor Argall. The act was so destabilizing it triggered a civil war that killed half of Viltrum’s population on its own. He then founded the Coalition of Planets, an alliance of worlds dedicated to stopping Viltrumite’s expansion.
The Scourge Virus
Traditional warfare was pointless because the Viltrumites were too powerful to beat in open combat. So Thaedus made a drastic choice. He used his own DNA to develop a biological weapon called the Scourge Virus, designed to attack Viltrumite biology.
The virus is highly contagious with no treatment or cure. Symptoms include bleeding from the eyes and mouth before death. Even those who survive suffer from weakened abilities. Billions died during the outbreak, costing Viltrumite 99% of the population. Only 50 full-blooded Viltrumites survived the Scourge Virus. The bodies of the deceased were disposed of in space to prevent another outbreak. Because there were so many casualties, a ring of corpses formed around the planet.
The Viltrumite Empire hid the extent of the damage to preserve their image of invulnerability. The planet was put on lock down and any non-Viltrumites present were executed to prevent news of the virus from spreading. Once the Scourge Virus ceased after infection levels reached their peak, the Viltrumite Empire faced a different crisis. Nearing extinction, the Viltrumites realized they could never rebuild their population on their own due to inbreeding, meaning their offspring would have genetic defects. So they decided to search for planets where the inhabitants were genetically similar to them.
To inevitably lead the Viltrumites to Earth, where they discovered that humans were the perfect species to breed with. So they sent one of their finest agents and Scourge Virus survivor Nolan to find a mate to breed with and ensure that the child inherits his powers. He was also tasked with weakening Earth’s defenses so that the Viltrumite Empire could conquer it with little to no resistance.
Thaedus’ Hypocrisy
By trying to annihilate the Viltrumites, Thaedus only emboldened them to continue their mission to subjugate other planets.
Grand Regent Thragg sees the Viltrumites as naturally superior, believing that mindset justifies the need to rule over those who are considered to be lesser beings. Thaedus rejects those beliefs, yet decides the entire Viltrumite Empire should be wiped from existence because he felt they didn’t deserve to live.
Thaedus internalized the same ideology he claims to hate. He just redirected that energy right back at the Empire. The reasons behind their actions differ, but the results look the same.
Even in season 2, we saw hints that Thaedus still clings onto some aspects of Viltrumite culture. When Allen the Alien was on life support, he decided to shut it off to force his body to regenerate. It was a risk that could have killed him, but it’s also based on the fact that Viltrumites get stronger once they’re near death. Thaedus defended it as being necessary for the greater good. Doesn’t that sound familiar?
The worst part is that Thaedus made another strain of the Scourge Virus that’s even deadlier than the original. He learned absolutely nothing from his first attempt to wipe out the Viltrumites, nor does he seem to recognize the damage he indirectly inflicted onto other planets like Earth.
He founded the Coalition of Planets to protect the universe from the Viltrumite Empire. But if he’s capable of using the same beliefs the Viltrumite uses to achieve his goals, is he really the “good guy”, or is he the lesser of two evils?
Does the End Justify the Means?
When Nolan learns the truth about Thaedus’ betrayal, his reaction is telling. He attacks Thaedus in a rage, then pulls back and demands the virus is only used as a last resort if they fail to win the Viltrumite War. He doesn’t excuse what Thaedus did, but he also acknowledges that his own people are a threat that needs to be put down.
Invincible isn’t asking you to hate Thaedus. It wants you to recognize that the Viltrumite Empire needed to be stopped, and that the method Thaedus used made him complicit in causing the kind of devastation he claimed to oppose.
In a previous article, I wrote about the no-kill rule in superhero stories and how it can cause more harm than good. Thaedus takes that argument to an extreme. He looks at the Viltrumite Empire the same way Mark looked at the Sequid hive mind and decides the only “responsible” choice is murder.
I’m not trying to say that Thaedus is evil because I don’t think that he is. He genuinely believes he’s doing what heroes like Mark are too soft to do, even if it risks becoming the very thing he set out to destroy. And you’re left to decide if Thaedus has a point or if he’s hit a line he shouldn’t cross.
