we'd be much more fucked up... I wouldn't survive and certainly I wouldn't be saying to my dad all those things about "I'll stop you" and "what if they resist" and I definitely would not be able to say "I'd still have you".
Also did you notice how often (including comics) Mark zones out? It started in s1 after the first Flaxan invasion and it keeps happening. "Are you in there?"
Also Mark doesn't remember shit after Eve "dying" in the first Conquest battle and he doesn't remember killing Conquest in the second battle. Also he doesn't have control over his own life at all, because of everything he experienced, and many times he lashes out are there because he tries to gain this control back, and most of his big decisions don't feel like the right thing. His autonomy is taken away from him. He never feels like he gets a say in this, things happening to him. He can't find the inner strength because of it, because of that lack of control. And he genuinely can't protect himself because of the trauma, parental violence, everything he endured. He really can't protect himself. He doesn't, his autonomy is violated, his guilt is part of his brain, by now, he won't protect himself, he can only act when he's reminded other lifes are at stake. He doesn't act on himself being hurt. And one of the only times Mark protects himself (after Cecil sends Reanimen) everyone looks at Mark in horror. Not that Mark was completely in the right, that's not the point. But he protected himself this one time and how was it perceived..
More than anything, the lesson Nolan taught Mark in Chicago was not "you are not them, you will always endure, they are insects" but "It's your fault, Mark". That life changing event taught Mark that everything, all the death, all the destruction is his fault. "That was your fault." after the building poisoned Mark's mind for the rest of his life. Nolan said that, after the building Mark collapsed unintentionally, and Mark just bowed his head, accepting it as the truth, this belief settling in his bones.
Through the whole story (including most of the comics, except for the ending) it feels like he's constantly drowning. Sometimes he tries to swim, sometimes he floats at the surface trying not to struggle against the current (fleeing Earth after Robot started his evil things), but in the end, he's still drowning. All the time.
I saw some people complaining about Mark not taking all matters in his own hands, or complaining about Mark being too passive, reacting instead of acting, being submissive, push-over etc. But I know people like that who ARE like that because of the stuff they've been through. They mostly don't even realise that they are acting this way because they were hurt in the past. Oh, and what about some people out there who get into abusive relationships after barely getting alive from the last abusive relationship they got into? That are vulnerable to people who would take advantage of them? Would you be confused about why a person with a poorly healed broken leg is more prone to trip and fall and re-traumatize? That's Mark. He's never fully healed, never truly looked after (Cecil only did it when it was serving his purposes and would manipulate Mark at any opportunity, Debbie for two seasons had many things to be fucked up about herself, Oliver is a child, Eve for the most part except maybe season three had her own problems, Amber was hurt by relationship with Mark herself and couldn't provide anything but distraction from superhero bullshit, William is just a bro and doesn't really have access to Mark, Nolan is Nolan (no comments)...) Always getting punched in the places that already hurt. Poking the bruises. tearing the wounds. kicking the broken bones.
All of that... is why he fucks up, why he can't protect himself, why he jumps into danger, why he is drowning all the time, why he can't gain control, why he feels he's letting everyone down, all the time. And yes someone could say he's whiny. But man he is so much stronger than I ever will be. He *lives*. He's also mostly functional. After everything. I could never.
