In an interview with ScreenRant's Grant Hermanns for Invincible season 4, Pace explains why Thragg makes this deal with Mark instead of killing him. He discusses Thragg's decision to be very direct and reveal the plan instead of keeping it a secret, why Mark is more valuable alive than dead for now, and what it means for season 5. Check out Pace's comments below:
I love that last scene with Mark. I think there's something really interesting about that he's very direct with Mark about what he plans to do, and that he respects Mark, in a way. I think that there's a little bit of, "Destiny is calling. You could be the hero of this story. You could be my ally here. I don't know how this is going to play out, but this is what I'm going to do now. Now, what are you going to do?" I think that's what [that scene] is. You would think that maybe it would serve him better to just do it and not even let Mark know, and then people start popping up with powers on Earth, and then it dawns on him, but he doesn't do that. He's very direct to him. He says, "This is what I'm going to do." I think it shows he's wise to how formidable Mark is. He's not going to kill him yet, and Mark's not going to be able to kill Thragg. So, that's the way he's looking at it. "I'm not ready to kill you, but this is what I'm doing, so what are you going to do?" I think it's interesting. It's such a great way to end the season, because it kind of sets us up for everything that's to come.
Thragg has made it abundantly clear that he is more than powerful enough to kill Mark, but doing so would not help rebuild the Viltrumite race. Instead, Mark is proof of how the Viltrumite lineage can be successfully extended, leading to the infiltration of Earth in the first place. Mark is not just inspiration, though, as Thragg has now forced him to be an accomplice in this horrific scheme, with the alternative meaning certain death for billions.
Being so forthcoming about this evil plot and backing Mark into an impossible corner is part of what separates Thragg from other Invincible villains, as he is not only the ultimate warrior with unparalleled strength, but has the strategic prowess to outsmart and manipulate his enemies. This makes him a different and formidable threat for the show heading into season 5, especially now that he and his fellow Viltrumites have embedded themselves into human society.
Omni-Man, Anissa (Shantel VanSanten), and Conquest (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) brought destruction to Earth at various moments, but the war with the Viltrum Empire has otherwise mostly been a looming threat throughout Invincible's seasons, and a conflict that would take place far away in the galaxy. That distance is now completely gone with Thragg and the Viltrumites on Earth, which also sets up season 5 to be unlike any season thus far.
The aftermath of this cliffhanger is confirmed to be on the way, as it was announced in July 2025 that Invincible season 5 was renewed and all voice recording had already been completed. The early renewal and wrapping of all recording bodes well for the series returning in the early months of 2027, which has been the case for all recent seasons, and continues to fulfill Robert Kirkman's assurances that there will not be another nearly three-year hiatus as there was between seasons 1 and 2.
As important as the Viltrumites on Earth will be in Invincible season 5, they won't be all Mark has to face in future seasons. There are other established villains who still have not been permanently dealt with, including Angstrom Levy (Sterling K. Brown) and Volcanikka (Indira Varma). Additionally, the season 4 finale's post-credits scene reveals that Thaedus left Allen the Alien (Seth Rogen) a biological weapon that can kill all Viltrumites and any species close to their biology, which puts the lives of Mark, Omni-Man, Oliver (Christian Convery), and all humans at risk.
All Invincible season 4 episodes are now streaming on Prime Video.
Release Date
March 26, 2021
Network
Amazon Prime Video
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Mark Grayson / Invincible (voice)
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English (US) ·