What does Invincible season 3 episode 4's Viltrumite reveal mean?

While Invincible season 3 has so far centred primarily around Mark’s (Steven Yeun) evolving dynamic with Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs), his half-brother Oliver (Christian Convery) and the fallout with Cecil (Walton Goggins), the closing moments of episode four reminded us of the much larger intergalactic threat at hand.

Allen the Alien (Seth Rogen), Nolan (JK Simmons) and fan favourite Battle Beast’s (Michael Dorn) action-packed prison break very much prompted viewers of the Viltrumite Empire’s looming campaign against Earth.

As the three teamed up to take down the Viltrumite prison guards and escape, Nolan shared an integral piece of information in episode 4 about his people with Allen, which will help shift the course of the upcoming battle.

But what does this game changing intel mean in the grand scheme of things? Read on to find out more!

Invincible season 3's Viltrumite reveal explained: What does it mean?

The Viltrumite’s secret is that they are a dying species – despite their imperial power, their impressive strength and ability to overthrow entire planets.

So far in Invincible, the Viltrumite empire’s main mission has been to conquer all planets across the universe – and they aren’t afraid to annihilate entire species in their wake if they don’t comply or are seen as too weak. (Poor Thraxans!)

However, their mission of conquest takes on a whole new meaning now, as revealed by Nolan to Allen in the closing moments of the fourth episode.

“No one’s coming. We don’t need to worry, no reinforcements are coming. They’ll know what happened but they won’t come. They can’t.”

“There are fewer than 50 pure blooded Viltrumites left in the universe. This is the empire’s most closely guarded secret. It’s also why we can beat them.”

The Viltrumite’s galactic ‘conquests’ have actually been a front for a desperate hybrid breeding programme. The nearly extinct Viltrumite population has been searching for other species in the galaxy which they can produce viable offspring with, in an attempt to bolster their numbers.

As a result, if the Viltrumites didn’t produce successful progeny amongst their conquered planets, they would soon die out as a species.

However, Nolan struck gold on Earth as the species are genetically compatible, as Mark’s progression proved that human hybrids can be almost as strong as pure-blooded Viltrumites.

Aside from being a major moment in Nolan’s complex arc, signifying a potential redemption for the former Viltrumite conqueror, this information is key to changing the trajectory of the fight against the Viltrumite empire.

Now that Allen – and in result, the Coalition of Planets – knows that the Viltrumites are in such a vulnerable position, this changes everything, helping to spark a much needed revolution.

How does this set up the Viltrumite War?

Armed with this vital news, plus Nolan and Allen’s team-up, the Coalition of Planets leader Thadeus is now more confident that they can combat the intergalactic threat of the Viltrumite empire.

In the comics, Nolan joins their cause, helping Allen track down a number of resources to help stop his people in the looming war.

The two set out on a number of missions in an attempt to retrieve key weapons (remember Nolan’s books?) species and individuals (such as Space Racer, Tech Jacket and other allies) to help bolster the COP’s ranks – with mixed results.

This then sets up the monumental eight-issue Viltrumite War event, with Allen, Nolan, Mark and Oliver proving integral in the many battles against key Viltrumites – including Anissa (Shantel VanSanten), Thragg and Conquest.

While Anissa was introduced in season 2 of the animated series, we’ve still yet to meet the two remaining major antagonists. However, with the certain events setting the stage for the Invincible War in the final few episodes of season 3, we could certainly meet Conquest in the closing moments of the third instalment.

The grizzled war veteran – rumoured to be voiced by Breaking Bad’s Jonathan Banks – subsequently appears in the wake of the major conflict on Earth.

His arrival – and subsequent brutal battle with Mark – sets the stage for the beginning of the larger Viltrumite War arc.

With two major events for Mark looming large, there’s certainly a lot for Invincible fans to look forward to!

Invincible season 3 is streaming weekly on Prime Video – you can sign up now for a free 30-day Prime Video trial.

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