Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Invincible season 4, episode 8, “Don’t Leave Me Hanging Here.”
With Mark and Nolan finally returning to Earth in Invincible season 4’s finale, both got a chance to interact with Cecil, who had very different responses to both characters. Despite being frustrated that the Viltrumites had not been completely defeated, he showed far more sympathy for Mark than he did for Nolan, which makes sense given their history on the planet.
Still, even while showing Mark some compassion, Cecil continued to flaunt one of his biggest flaws, and the show can’t keep letting him get away with it. Given the somber nature of Invincible season 4’s ending, it’s hard to blame Cecil for being worried about Earth’s future, especially since it’s his job to defend it.
Knowing there are unstoppable beings out there with a motive to attack the planet would have anyone on edge, let alone the director of the Global Defense Agency. However, while his concerns are understandable, it felt hypocritical to watch him scold Nolan and state the obvious to Mark, given the major errors he had made in the past.
Considering he’s been forced to make throughout the series, he does get some leeway, but after letting Conquest live and subsequently escape, it’s fair to say Cecil is far from Invincible‘s smartest character in season 4. Therefore, pointing out the mistakes of others hardly seems fair, especially since he didn’t have to face the consequences of his Conquest error.
Instead, it was Mark who nearly died following the Viltrumite’s return, leaving the hero out of action for two months. So, if Cecil is going to continue judging everyone else for their failures, it’s about time he’s held accountable for his own.
Cecil Had No Right To Be Lecturing Others In Invincible Season 4’s Finale (Even If He Was Right)
Cecil may have been right about Mark and Nolan angering the Viltrumites and leaving Earth even more vulnerable, but he really isn’t in a position to be lecturing anyone else. His approach towards Mark was far gentler, as he assured the protagonist they’d work things out and even ensured he had professional help to overcome his trauma.
However, he still started their conversation with, “I can’t say I’m happy about this, Mark,” before going on to say, “It looks like you and your dad just kicked the hornet’s nest without getting rid of all the bugs.” With Nolan, he was much harsher, reacting angrily to there still being almost 40 Viltrumites out there by condescendingly saying, “Great job out there.”
In addition, he claimed Earth wasn’t Nolan’s “therapy couch” and told him to “Get the f*** off my planet“, despite Omni-Man risking his life during the war. Sure, this doesn’t make up for his past atrocities, but Cecil taking the moral high ground after losing Mark’s trust in season 3 does come with a hint of irony.
Likewise, the fact that he completely screwed up with Conquest and is using dead Invincible variants to create ReAnimen without Mark’s knowledge shows he doesn’t have the right to be talking down to anyone else. His points may be valid, but Cecil should be thankful Mark, Nolan, and the rest of Invincible‘s Coalition members fought in the first place.
The Graysons could’ve easily joined the Viltrumites instead, which would leave Earth at the Empire’s mercy, with Cecil having no way of defending the planet. Therefore, while he’s right not to forgive Omni-Man, now isn’t the time to alienate the only powerful allies he has, especially when his avoidable mistake nearly cost one of them their life.
Invincible Season 5 Needs To Hold Cecil Accountable For His Conquest Mistake
Image via Prime Video
While I believe that Cecil is easily one of Invincible‘s best characters and understandably a fan favorite for many viewers, he still needs to be held accountable for keeping Conquest alive and letting him escape. He supposedly told Mark that the villain was dead, yet kept Conquest held in a secret GDA facility until he woke up.
Unsurprisingly, the Viltrumite broke out with ease, leaving Mark to pick up the pieces when the two did battle once again in space. Yes, Conquest did eventually die in Invincible season 4, but he very nearly took Mark with him, not to mention the fact that he almost killed Oliver as well, showing how costly this error was.
Mark didn’t confront Cecil about this upon returning to Earth, since he was still processing his own trauma, but he absolutely needs to call him out in season 5. Cecil hasn’t been shy about criticizing Mark or the Guardians whenever they screw up, and his high standards make him particularly hard to please.
That said, he’s clearly not immune to messing up himself, and Mark deserves to let out his anger by holding Cecil accountable for allowing Conquest to live. Not only will it be satisfying seeing the GDA director on the back foot for once, but it might help him grow, despite how stubborn he can be.
If Mark doesn’t grill him when Invincible returns next year, Cecil may not even know about Conquest’s return, making his escape a complete afterthought in his mind. This makes it all the more important that Cecil gets a taste of his own medicine, which will hopefully help him become an even stronger leader in the long run.
- Release Date
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March 26, 2021
- Network
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Amazon Prime Video
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