Invincible Season 3: Mark & Eve's Relationship & Rex's Emotional Arc Previewed By Stars

Mark, Eve and Rex are undergoing some of their biggest emotional challenges yet in Invincible season 3. Steven Yeun found himself further having his own judgment of his titular hero's actions bleed into his actual performance for, while Gillian Jacobs was presented with the opportunity to continue to evolve Eve as she determines what kind of hero she wants to be. For Jason Mantzoukas, on the other hand, he was moved by the opportunity to showcase more of Rex's growth after his near-death experience in season 2.

Invincible season 3 picks up three months after the shocking season 2 finale, in which Mark killed Angstrom Levy and returned home after being trapped in an alternate universe with the help of future versions of the Guardians of the Globe. As he returns to his superhero activities, Mark finds himself grappling with the request he got from the future Eve, in which she told him to determine how he feels about her, in order to let her either move on or be happy with him. At the same time, Rex and the Guardians find themselves conflicted about working with the ever-secretive Cecil.

In honor of the show's return, ScreenRant interviewed Steven Yeun, Gillian Jacobs and Jason Mantzoukas to discuss Invincible season 3. The former two offered some insight about what's to come from Mark and Eve's blossoming relationship, including the struggles amid Mark's lack of filter and Eve's own struggles to determine what she wants from her future. Mantzoukas, meanwhile, expressed his eagerness about Rex's growth following his near-fatal fight with the Lizard League, and how that will influence the Guardians' schism.

Yeun & Jacobs Found Interesting Layers To Mark & Eve Through Their New Relationship

"He's very lucky that he has a very understanding person in front of him, receiving his gobbledygook."

While previous seasons of the show have certainly sought to establish Mark's desire to be different from his father, Invincible season 3 has really focused on his conflicts with holding back during his superhero fighting. When it came to how that influenced his performance in the booth, Yeun found that part of what helped him capture these internal conflicts was his own issues with Mark's immaturity at certain points in the show:

Steven Yeun: You know, what's interesting is the writers do such a phenomenal job of capturing, I think, Mark's youthful kind of — I've been very kind in saying innocence [chuckles], but his journey to maturity. And I think, for me, how I engage with that struggle is as a 41-year-old man with two children, it's hard to revisit aspects of your teens or your 20s where you're just like, "You don't know about that yet?" [Chuckles] And I think that tension just kind of bleeds into it. If Simon and Meredith and Robert released me just admonishing Mark, in between takes, "Mark, what are you — Alright, fine, let's do that again." It's its own process.

As for Eve, this season sees her still trying to emotionally come to terms with her inadvertent destructive actions in Chicago and how she can be a hero again, now turning towards college and studying architecture. Jacobs indicates this will continue to be a big part of Eve's season 3 arc, as she "still doesn't know" what's the best way to use her powers to help people:

Gillian Jacobs: Yeah, so she feels very conflicted about being a superhero, full stop, and how she can use her powers to help people. She's still really grappling with the consequences of what happened in Chicago, that's really weighing heavily on her. She's still isolating herself away from everyone, so I think she is unsure of what to do and how to help. She wants to help, deeply, that's what she knows. She wants to help, but what form that takes she still doesn't know. So, yeah, she's got an interest in architecture and all these things, and it all plays into her powers. So, she's still kind of on that journey that we saw at the end of season 2, of, "What is the best use of my powers? How can I actually help people?"

On Mark & Eve's Relationship:

So this next question is actually for both of you. I also find it fascinating how we're seeing the evolution of Eve and Mark's relationship. I don't want to get too heavy into spoilers, but obviously, Invincible season 2 left on that note from future Eve. What was it like for both of you, getting to explore this evolution of their relationship, and what can you share about how the superhero side of things is going to really impact that side of things for them?

Gillian Jacobs: Well, I was just thinking about how Eve was sort of his introduction into being a superhero, in a way, absent his father and growing up with his father's powers and everything. But being a peer, being of the same age and showing him a way to be that. And now, I feel like he's sort of repaying the favor where she's very uncertain and confused, and he's reaching out to her — unless I'm misspeaking. But I think that they have a connection, like I was saying, that they're both kind of questioning how to best use their powers, so I think that bonds the two of them, and where that leads them, the viewers will have to watch and see.

Steven Yeun: Yeah, without giving spoilers, there's that aspect to it, for sure. For me, I'm a little bit more judgmental on Mark, and when I think about [him], he just kind of talks and maybe doesn't really consider all the consequences of just talking. Whatever's in his head, he just spills out. He's very lucky that he has a very understanding person in front of him, receiving his gobbledygook.

On How Mark's Blue Suit Arc Impacts Oliver:

Now I also love that, within these first few episodes, we see Mark and his brother starting to really bond over his brother's burgeoning powers. But again, this is coming at a very heavy time for Mark, emotionally. What can you share about how that's going to evolve, especially as Mark enters his blue suit arc?

Steven Yeun: I think I can only speak to Mark, so I don't want to give any spoilers, but I think Mark is on a journey of realizing what it means to have these types of powers, what it means to be a leader, what it means to care about others and also do difficult things. So, I think he's faced with all these moral quandaries at a young age, in addition to having to look out for people he loves and things like that. So, yeah, generational things passed down, and you're going to see different aspects of people as they go.

On Season 4 Progress:

Before I let you both go, I'm glad we also have Invincible season 4 already confirmed. I'd love to hear from either of you, have you heard any updates on when you might start getting in the vocal booth or even seeing scripts from it?

Steven Yeun: I don't even know if there's anything for us to say, other than we hope we can deliver to you a great show every year.

Gillian Jacobs: I like that, well done. [Laughs]

Invincible Season 3 Is A "Crucible Season" For Rex

Mantzoukas Is Floored By The Growth Rex Has Undergone Heading Into This Season

Having started off as both a professional and romantic rival for the titular superhero, Invincible season 2 saw Rex faced with the biggest opportunity for growth as he fought off the Lizard League alongside Dupli-Kate and Shrinking Rae and survived after being shot in the head and left for dead. Heading into season 3, Mantzoukas was thrilled to get to explore what a kinder side of Rex looks and sounds like, while also humorously expressing that he has "the most interesting storyline" on the show:

Jason Mantzoukas: You know, I feel like this is a really exciting, cool growth period for Rex. I really think the Lizard League fight and everything that he went through in season 2, and now going into season 3, we really are watching, I think, the most interesting storyline on Invincible, Rex Splode. First of all, let's be clear, the most interesting storyline is Rex Splode really growing up, really coming into his own and becoming an adult, which I very much understand. Understanding that his actions have consequences, and that his bluff and bluster is just that, and that there is a very scared person under there who needs to grow up.

It's really cool because, yes, it's absolutely like, I'm getting to do cooler, interesting, emotional stuff that's very exciting. But really, that is all testament to the writing. In the past, Rex Splode oftentimes functions as, like you're saying, a bit of humor, a bit taking the piss in scenes, a jokey kind of side character. And I think in this season — in these episodes, rather — he gets to do really incredible stuff and have scenes that have emotional weight, that really land, and that was really fun to do, and to do in the booth. But, I was getting to say really great lines.

The scenes they wrote for Rex were much different than just Rex off on the sidelines quipping, he becomes a different character. It becomes a richer character, which is always fun to do, because, listen, I'm always glad to be funny and brash and loud and all that kind of stuff, which is what Rex has been for the most part. But now, I think, especially post Lizard League fight, it's a real moment for Rex where he becomes self-aware, and that's interesting to play a character who's on that journey.

In the midst of his growth this season, though, the Guardians learn of the extent of Cecil's dark secrets as he begins utilizing a weapon that nearly kills Mark, while also employing D.A. Sinclair to create more Reanimen. This, in turn, leads to the Guardians splitting up as some take Mark's side while others feel it's nothing new. When it comes to how this will impact Rex's growth going into the rest of the season, Mantzoukas is careful not to share too much, despite how he "would love to spill the beans":

Jason Mantzoukas: It's interesting. I'll be honest, it's hard to have a rich conversation about this stuff, knowing that I can't speak to very specific moments, and I think that kind of on a big picture, broad-stroke scale. I think, in micro, for Rex, he gets to have different types of scenes with people. He gets to have different moments with everybody, you're getting to have Rex bounce off of people in a different way. But I think, in a larger context, what we're seeing writ large is the continued expansion of this world. What I love about this series, what I loved about these comics, was the constant forward movement that is always not just eating everything up, but getting bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger.

And that, to me, is very rich. The cumulative nature of what's already come, never mind what's to come, is awesome. So, season 3, I think, is a real crucible season. What a cool season to — well. [Laughs] It really is hard! It's hard to talk about this stuff when I can't speak to specific moments. I would love to spill the beans, but then I'm gonna have to answer to Robert Kirkman and this f----ng guy, he's a real as---le. [Laughs] And as a comics reader, boy, it's so exciting to be inside of this story that I love so much, that I spent so much time processing.

On Rex Supporting Mark & Eve Dating:

ScreenRant: Another thing I love that we're seeing in these early episodes is that Rex is being very supportive, in a sense, of Mark sharing his feelings with Eve, even though, again, in season 1 he was very possessive of her, despite his own extracurricular activities with Dupli-Kate.

Jason Mantzoukas: Yeah, that's kind of what I mean, there's a real sense that whereas he, in the earlier seasons, was so narrow-focused and so insecure and all of that teenage kind of stuff, now I feel like he really has broadened. He's emotionally richer. He's able to forge relationships with people that are meaningful and not just superficial. It's great. His stuff with Mark is great, Rex's stuff with Eve is great. It's really terrific.

On Season 4 Progress:

I love we've already got season 4 confirmed, and I'd love to hear if you know how far along they are in the development or when you might get back in the vocal booth for it?

Jason Mantzoukas: That I don't know. I know it's already in process, I know all of that's going on, but I can't speak to where they are in their process. You'd be shocked to find out they do not keep me in the loop on stuff until they're like, "Hey, Tuesday, get in your closet. We need to record you." It's so funny because, at a certain point, I had to be like, "Hey, can I get the full script? I want to read what's up. I want to read everybody else's stuff." Because I'm only seeing my couple of pages here and there, so when I started getting the full scripts, boy, incredible.

About Invincible Season 3

Based on the award-winning comic book series by Robert Kirkman, co-creator Cory Walker, and contributing creator Ryan Ottley, Invincible follows 17-year-old Mark Grayson, as he inherits his father’s superpowers and sets out to become Earth’s greatest defender, only to discover the job is more challenging than he could have ever imagined. Everything changes as Mark is forced to face his past, and his future, while discovering how much further he'll need to go to protect the people he loves.

Stay tuned for our other Invincible season 3 interview with J.K. Simmons!

Source: ScreenRant Plus