Rehabilitation& penance in Invincible
and Thaedus and Anissa. and the improved Scourge virus.
Anissa's mini redemption arc (that was happening mostly off screen for us) just follows the point of Invincible big story. Invincible is inherently about rehabilitation, and how it can benefit all, and how the opposite view of the problem is valid but shouldn't be definitive.
Nolan-> was a Viltrumite and therefore raised as a conqueror->changed on Earth because of all the viltrumite-like faces he had to protect and fight alongside with. and because of Debbie-> STILL turned villain on Earth! AFTER changing-> processed the change and fought the evil and did good things again. Rehabilitated!
Sinclair-> did horrible things as a villain (AND IN THE COMICS MARK SAW MUCH WORSE WITH SINCLAIR, and Rick was his friend before it happened, and Cecil said Sinclair will pay. The show made Cecil-Mark confrontation less black-and-white, and people STILL argue about this fight, which means the show did a VERY good job!)->found himself guilty->rehabilitated!
Darkwing II/Nightboy->lost his way after his mentor's death and started killing people->found himself guilty->rehabilitated!
MARK GRAYSON->finally lost his way after destruction of Las Vegas and teamed up with a villain which led to crazy numbers dead/did a shit ton of other questionable stuff->found himself quilty->rehabilitated (and isn't it IRONIC that it was by Cecil, no less! Just like Darkwing and Sinclair but without reprogramming)
Angstrom Levy->went mad because of his multidimensional consciousnesses->did bad things thinking himself a hero (like every other person on this list)->found himself guilty->was going to make up for his deeds but got captured by Mohawk instead
THE WHOLE VILTRUMITE RACE->cut off their own limb (the Great Purge which started as a civil war essentially)->while bleeding from that wound did horrible things to themselves and to the universe->went almost extinct from virus->tried to repopulate and in process found love and companionship they long earned for as a social species. similar to Nolan, their first->rehabilitated and do good now!
Bonus:
Rex Splode->used to be a dick and a cheater->got shot in the head which put things into perspective->found himself guilty->changed for the better.
SO ANISSA'S REDEMPTION ISN'T SURPRISING OR IRRATIONAL. Love on Earth changed her just the same it did every other viltrumite who started family with a human.
Yes, it happened mostly off screen (although she tried to tell Mark about Marky and possibly try to apologise right then, but Nolan and Eve were there and Nolan told her to leave), but it did, just the way it did with the others. And then she died protecting someone. Kinda like Darkwing, if you think about it. Except that he miraculously didn't die.
The only difference between her and other viltrumites is that we saw what she did, and so it from the main character's point of view.
Other viltrumites are rapists, too. other viltrumites have killed, too, did atrocities we don't even see on screen, they are all planet destroyers, murderers, awful, hurting people who hurt other people and each other. And they all changed. And for most of them, the plot allowed it (Angstrom died but he almost made it).
Because Invincible follows Thraxan way.
You know who didn't change? You know who else should have found himself guilty? You know who else should have change the ways of his thinking?
Thaedus.
This guy doesn't truly regret any of his acts. And the scene in s4e2 with Nolan and the virus proved that. Thaedus made Nolan join him for the war by threatening to use the Scourge virus. He made him go collect Mark by threatening to use the Scourge virus.
Let's revisit the scene. Thadeus says, "It's not enough, is it?" Nolan agrees. Thaedus says, "That's why we need you. Mark is already part of it, no reason to leave him out of this." Nolan says no. Thaedus leads him into the labs to show him the virus. Nolan says, "Tell me it would be the LAST resort!" Thaedus says, "I'll use it only if I think we can't win this." which Nolan already admitted! the fact that his and Allen's efforts are not enough to win this!Thaedus knows it now. That's why he showed one of the labs with the virus. It wasn't just about "leading by example, face the wrong you did" because otherwise Thaedus would say he would never use it anymore. Nolan: "I'll get my son. [you got what you wanted, I'm joining the war]".
Like, if what Thaedus was showing was "You did bad things on Earth and you should face it. You'll have to come back sooner or later. I did bad things too, look!" (like he was trying to say. "Leading by example" my ass) then he would be equaling the situations Nolan and Thaedus are in. But it's implied that Nolan would never do such a thing anymore. And what about Thaedus? He says he'll use it, if he has to.
And now, in the latest episode, s4e6. Thaedus, thousands years after assassination of Argall (back when he was still a terrorist), still only sees the Path. Politics. His Way. Near-destruction of Talescria is a minor setback. Reminds me of... cutting off Allen's life support was a necessity. Remember?
