A Deal with the Devil

And season 3 has started off with a bang. Episode 2 picks it up with the much-needed background story of Cecil, understanding his character more, the decisions he has made, and the potential future of his character. This relationship he has with Mark has been terrific throughout all of Invincible, now more than ever, where it feels like the tension between Cecil and Mark is at its peak, where I even get nervous just seeing those two both on the same screen. I can't even blame Cecil for his actions because we have seen firsthand where Mark has gone out of line and shown his true colors. Furthermore, the scenes with Mark, the Guardians, and Cecil were also great, where at most times, I don't care for the Guardians, but this scene where they stood up for Mark and went against Cecil had great tension and could lead to more of a potential story in the future. Overall, a fantastic episode, with the only mediocre scene still being between Mark and Eve.

This episode doesn't pull any punches as it delves into the fractured trust between Mark and Cecil. The episode masterfully weaves together a compelling narrative that explores the complexities of difficult choices made in the name of the greater good, even when those choices involve morally gray areas.

Mark's discovery of Cecil's manipulative tactics, understandably shakes Mark's faith in the Global Defense Agency and its leader, leading to a powerful confrontation. The episode title takes on a dual meaning, referring both to Cecil's literal deals with dangerous individuals and the metaphorical "deal with the devil" he seems to have made in his pursuit of global security

The episode doesn't shy away from the brutal action that Invincible is known for. Mark's confrontation with the Reanimen is particularly visceral and serves as a stark reminder of his immense power and the potential consequences of his anger. The animation during these sequences is fluid and impactful, highlighting the raw force of the clashes.

This is a pivotal episode that raises significant questions about trust, morality, and the sacrifices made in the name of protection. It sets a tense and uncertain tone for the rest of the season, leaving viewers eager to see the ramifications of the choices made and the rifts that have formed among the heroes. This episode proves that Invincible continues to deliver compelling storytelling with its signature blend of superhero action and mature, thought-provoking themes.

This episode changed my perspective on world history.

I've realized I've been overly idealistic and I think society forces people to be idealistic to ignore the realities of world we live in.

This episode was about being pragmatic.

Evil people don't actually exist, good people don't actually exist, it's all about "can you see the forest from the trees?"

Most people are so deep in the forest they never look for the trees.

Mark can't see the bigger picture because he lacks wisdom. Cecil Stedman Is a wise man who use to be an idealist but has acquired wisdom through his actions.

Mark doesn't know what to do with the knowledge Cecil Stedman has bestowed upon him because mark lacks wisdom, but mark will learn the hard way, like so many people do.

This episode was brilliant, I've been thinking about it for days after watching just once.

The scenes with Cecil were quite good but damn every scene Mark was in completely felt forced and his emotions and of those around him felt forced as well. This felt more like I was watching a teen drama about 13year olds than a superhero cartoon. Half the guardians suddenly switching sides in the heat of the moment and also suddenly beating those opponents that even had to save them previously is pretty incosistent, which brings me to my (hopefully) last point. The glaring power level inconsistency during this episode. Mark couldnt beat those humanoids that saved him before but suddenly he can take them all on single-handedly.

This is unironically one of the best episodes of the series so far and the season is off to a really great start In fact I'd say that this might be in the top 3 best episodes of the whole series and as someone who hasn't read the comics all I have to say is OMG. There was so much action, tension and drama and it goes straight to the point with not some useless filler or anything. The fighting scenes were also really well animated in this episode and if they continue like that this might be the best season so far. The ending is pure satisfying and i look forward for more episodes. Invincible is PEAK.