Episode Title 
Why did you make me do this? You're fighting so you can watch everyone around you die! Think, Mark! You'll outlast every fragile, insignificant being on this planet. You'll live to see this world crumble to dust and blow away! Everyone and everything you know will be gone! What will have after 500 years?
Appearing in "Where I Really Come From"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Deborah Grayson
- Amber Bennett
- Cecil Stedman
- Donald Ferguson
- Guardians of the Globe
- Art Rosenbaum
- Allen the Alien
- Titan
- Connie
- William Clockwell
Villains:
Other Characters:
- The Immortal (corpse)
- Viltrumites
- Sequids
- Titan
- Isotope
- ReAnimen
Locations:
Synopsis for "Where I Really Come From"
Mark must prove he's become the hero he's always wanted to be by stopping an unstoppable force.
Plot
Picking up from where the previous episode had left off, Immortal's bisected corpse drops to the ground. Mark, stares at Immortal's remains and manages to piece together that it was indeed Nolan who had killed the Guardians of the Globe. Nolan attempts to deescalate the situation and explain, only for Mark to attack him, believing Nolan to be acting under some form of influence. Nolan distances himself from Mark and reveals that he is indeed acting of his own accord. Nolan then takes the time he has to explain to Mark the truth about him and Viltrum.
Nolan tells Mark that, although he hadn't lied about Viltrum's existence, he had lied about its true nature. He states that Viltrumites are a species of conquest, and that they only became as strong and as advanced as they are by weeding out and slaughtering the weakest among them. When only their strongest remained, they began to expand their empire to the stars, conquering planet after planet with ease. Planets who submitted would receive the benefit of Viltrum's technological advancements, while those who resisted would be culled.
However, after so long, their forces began to thin, making it more difficult to conquer more planets who were readily defended. As such, they elected to change their strategies. Select Viltrumite soldiers would be sent to planets marked for conquest and would whittle their defenses covertly. Nolan was chosen to do the very same for Earth. He had waited until Mark had demonstrated Viltrumite powers before setting the next stage of his plans into motion.
Mark doesn't take this information well, despite Nolan's reassurance that it's for the greater good. Mark is unable to shake the callousness of Nolan's plans, believing himself to simply be another human to rule over had his powers never manifested, even calling into question Nolan's love of him and Debbie. Nolan continues trying to explain delicately how long Mark will live for, and how futile resisting the Earth's conquest is. Mark takes a firm stance against Nolan and vows to defend Earth from him and the rest of the Viltrumites. Nolan attempts one more time to talk his son down, but when it becomes clear that Mark will not change his mind, Nolan relents and the two engage.
Nolan fights Mark
Mark engages Nolan, a fight he is truly unprepared for
A brawl breaks out between the two of them, with Nolan having the clear advantage from the get-go. All the while this is occurring, Cecil tracks the fight, which is broadcast in full view of himself, Debbie, and the New Guardians. Cecil orders the Guardians to remain at their headquarters, knowing good and damn well that Nolan will kill all of them if they interfere. The team object, but both Rudy and Samson insist on following Cecil's command. Rudy hopes aloud that Mark will live up to the title of Invincible.
As the fight is taken to the sky, Cecil sends out jets in the hopes of distracting Nolan and enabling priceless seconds for Mark to gain the upper hand. Mark attempts to reason with his father, only for the latter to rebuff him. The jets arrive and target Nolan, dealing no damage to him whatsoever. Nolan takes his attention off Mark and retaliates, destroying one jet. Mark rushes to the pilot's aid, saving him from a fall to his death. The pilot expresses gratitude to Mark, only for Nolan to effortlessly crush the pilot's skull in an effort to illustrate how meaningless Mark's efforts really are.
Mark looks at destruction
Mark is horrified at the destruction he caused when Nolan punched him
Nolan continues to ridicule Mark's love of human life before punching him with such force that he causes an earthquake-level shockwave upon landing in the city streets. The results of the catastrophe traumatize Mark, who quickly rushes to the aid of the people in the building he had crashed through. He desperately tries to reassure the occupants of the building that everything was going to be okay. However, his stress, alongside the sheer weight and faltering integrity of the building result in the whole thing collapsing. Standing amidst the rubble, Mark holds the severed arm of a mother whom he had attempted to save from the building.
Nolan's final attempt at demonstrating his ideals
Nolan shows up and the two argue once more. Nolan attempts to gaslight his son, blaming his insubordination for the loss of so many civilian lives, mockingly asking how many more need to die before he gives in. Nolan goes on about the worthlessness of human life and, when asked if Debbie's life is just as worthless, coldly replies that it is. Debbie overhears this and begins to break down. Mark becomes enraged and attacks, managing to land several blows, catching Nolan off-guard. Nolan quickly recovers, grabbing Mark and dragging him into the subway. He once again forced Mark to witness complete and total carnage by holding him in front of a moving train and allowing it to hit the both of them. The train is ripped in half and the people inside continually minced until Nolan stomps, sending the remaining cars careening in random directions. When the dust clears, Nolan caps the event off by squishing a civilian like a bug as he was reaching for his unresponsive daughter.
Guardians and Eve watch Omni-Man
The Guardians and Eve elect to disobey their orders and save lives
Mark attempts once more to strike his father, but Nolan does not buckle a second time. He remains unaffected by the strike and retaliates by launching Mark into the air and brutally pummeling the boy through the clouds. All the while he's doing this, he lectures Mark, coldly remarking that raising him as a human was a mistake, and that the current battle is the beginning of his proper education as a Viltrumite.
Meanwhile, seeing an opening, Samson orders the Guardians to head into the city and aid civilians while Mark and Nolan are in the air. Rudy is hesitant to disobey Cecil's orders, but Monster Girl reassures him that he's not just a robot anymore, giving him the push to follow the others.
Nolan forces Mark underwater, nearly drowning the boy. Just as Mark begins losing consciousness, Nolan throws him into the side of a mountain before landing and dealing a punch so powerful that it causes an avalanche, destroying a small village nearby. Mark vows to stop his father, but Nolan beats him down, insistent on making Mark comply or killing him in the process. Nolan kneels over Mark and brutally batters him, all the while continuing his callous lecturing. However, when Nolan reals back to give the killing blow, he hesitates. As he stares at Mark's broken body, he has a flashback.
In a scene from Mark's childhood, Nolan and Debbie are watching a young Mark play baseball. Debbie from the bleachers, and Nolan standing off to the side. Debbie gently confronts Nolan about his antisocial behavior. Nolan sees the baseball game as pointless, but Debbie gently confides in him the significance of sharing such moments of happiness together with his family. Nolan is, at first resistant, but upon seeing the excitement and happiness in Mark's eyes as he manages to hit the baseball triggers Nolan's fatherly instincts. He joins Debbie in excitedly cheering their son on as he rushes to home base. Mark succeeds in getting a home run and sprints to his parents. Nolan picks the boy up and proudly congratulates him.
Nolan yells at Mark
"Why did you make me do this?"
Back in present day, Nolan finds himself unable to kill his son, despite everything he had said prior. Exhausted and unable to continue his physical assault, Nolan yells at Mark, who can do nothing but listen and weakly breathe. Nolan tries one final time to instill in Mark's mind how futile it is to save the humans. He asks Mark what he'll have in five hundred years, after every human Mark presently knows will have died of old age or other causes. Mark, weakly, responds by saying that he'd still have his father.
Nolan Horrified
Nolan is horrified by what he's done
The seemingly simple response resonates with Nolan. As the seconds pass, the gravity of his actions slowly dawns on him. He pulls himself to his feet and stares at his hands, drenched in his son's blood, before staring straight ahead as if in trance. Mark weakly calls out to his father, causing Nolan to flinch and whimper. Nolan is washed over with a mixture of pained emotions before immediately flying off, leaving Earth entirely. As he exits the atmosphere, he begins crying, leaving a single tear floating in space.
Nolan Weeps as he leaves earth
Mark remains on the mountain, where Cecil sends a chopper to rescue him. During his rescue, it's revealed that William, Art, and Amber have all witnessed the events on the news and are devastated at the potential loss of their friend. The news reports go on to mention the extreme loss of life, only mitigated by the help of the Guardians and Atom Eve. The report expresses concern as to what could have caused the attack, not knowing the true motives behind Nolan's actions.
Elsewhere, the Mauler Twins burn down their makeshift lab, but are then apprehended by GDA agents. They briefly attempt to fight back, however more GDA units appear, and realizing they're outnumbered, the two of them surrender. For the next few weeks, Mark recuperates in the GDA's medical bay.
Mark eventually regains consciousness, but is still badly injured. Debbie attempts to comfort him, but Mark is still too heartbroken by what happened that all he can do is cry. Debbie understands and leaves the room to give him space. The moment she leaves the room, however, she breaks down and cries, feeling the same heartbreak as her son. Cecil approaches, offering her and Mark a safety net by forging Nolan's death. Debbie is hesitant to receive the help, but Cecil insists, feeling he was somewhat to blame for what happened, as he didn't foresee Nolan's betrayal.
The Guardians eventually return to their headquarters, exhausted from their rescue efforts. As the group reflect on what happened, Rex eyes the last bloodstain from the original Guardians' murder. He grabs a rag and begins to clean it, only to be stopped by Samson, who proclaims that the team hasn't earned the rights to do so yet. He's met with opposition not just from Rex, but by every member of the team. Upon seeing them all willing to stand together, Samson smiles, and relents. The whole group then works together to clean the bloodstain away.
Cecil tells Debbie how things would proceed
Cecil promises to look after Debbie and Mark
Having not seen Mark in weeks, William visits the Grayson household to try and find him, to no avail. He's met by Eve who had arrived for the same reason. In the process, William inadvertently reveals he knows that Mark is Invincible, before Eve reveals she knows as well. The two of them lament the fact that they know nothing of Mark's status.
Mark, having nearly recovered completely, is awoken by Cecil, who commends his efforts. Mark simply wishes that the whole thing was a dream, a sentiment Cecil openly shares with him. Cecil informs Mark that he's recovered well and that he'd be released in the next day or so. Mark pries gently for information about Nolan, but Cecil has none to give. Instead, Cecil gauges whether Mark is still capable of being Invincible. He informs Mark that Debbie heard everything, and though this infuriates Mark, Mark ultimately agrees it was for the best.
William unintentionally revealing Invincible's identity
In the process of all this, Cecil guides Mark into a seemingly white room. When pressed, Cecil reveals it to be a secret laboratory which projects light in a wavelength that is unable to be seen by normal civilian eyes, due to a chemical suppressant the GDA puts in civilian drinking water. The laboratory contains various weapon tests, as well as a Martian head being dissected, and Immortal being reconstructed, though Mark is only allowed to see all of this momentarily. Cecil informs Mark that Nolan's flown far past the solar system, his current whereabouts are unknown. He asks Mark to return to duty as Invincible, but Mark is still hesitant.
Mark friends visit
Mark's friends visited him in order to see how he was doing
Cecil returns Mark and Debbie to their home and promises to be available if they needed anything in the future. Once inside, Debbie excuses herself to her room, stating she was tired. Mark stares at a picture of his father and, overcome by trauma, places the photo facedown. He offers to order pizza, but discovers Debbie crying hysterically in bed. Mark closes her door and leaves her be. He goes to leave only to be greeted by Amber, and shortly thereafter, by Eve and William. The three agree to go out to eat.
Debbie pays a visit to Art, and the two of them share some scotch as the two of them reminisce and express their disbelief at Nolan's betrayal.
Mark tells his friends how he is feeling
Mark catching up with his friends
Mark's friends are enthusiastic about his return, but their prying about the fight with Nolan cause him increasing discomfort. After he asks them to stop, he's suddenly contacted by Cecil, who informs him that there is an entity traveling towards Earth. Mark suits up and goes to confront the potential threat, while Eve reveals herself to be Atom Eve. Neither Amber nor William know who Atom Eve is by memory, much to her chagrin.
Mark talks to Allen
Mark exits the atmosphere, preparing for the worst, only to be met by Allen. Allen frantically informs Mark that there was a Viltrumite living on Earth, something Mark was more than aware of. Mark invites a confused Allen to sit and chat like they did upon first meeting. After being told the whole story, Allen informs Mark that Earth may be in more danger now that Nolan left his post. Allen is befuddled by the idea that Nolan had left his post on Earth, stating that it is uncharacteristic of a Viltrumite to leave their post given their nature. He shares sympathy for Mark having been abandoned by his father, although Allen admits that fatherhood is alien to him given that he never knew his own. He also states that the Coalition would want to know about Mark, as they plan on leading a rebellion against the Viltrumite empire. Despite the overwhelming state of affairs the universe finds itself in Mark is relieved of his previous bad sentiments now that he realizes that all of his troubles were part of a much larger cosmic event. With that, the two discuss their plans for the future, to which Mark states he wants to finish high school. Allen doesn't know what high school is.
Notes
- No special notes.
Trivia
- This episode incorporates Invincible issues #11, #12, and #13.
- After Immortal's attempt to blind him at the end of "We Need To Talk", Nolan's eyes remain bloodshot throughout the entirety of his appearance in this episode.
- This episode is titled after part of a line spoken by Omni-Man to Invincible in the beginning of Invincible #11, and in this episode itself.
- The villainous Viltrumite, Conquest, makes a cameo appearance during Nolan's explanation of who the Viltrumite's are, alongside General Kregg and Thula.
- The scene of Nolan yelling at Mark after having beaten him nearly to death has spawned a popular meme format titled simply "Think, Mark! Think!".
- It's worth noting that Nolan only says this in the comics. In the animated series, he simply says "Think, Mark!."
- Before Mark ends his conversation with Allen, a montage plays out, revealing the current status and plans of several characters in the series:
- Mars is being taken over by the Sequids, led by the mind-controlled astronaut left behind.
- The Mauler Twins are incarcerated. One gives a snide smirk to Pete, the guard that had his arm broken during the Twins' previous escape.
- The Flaxans are busy rebuilding their cities and planning another invasion on Earth, whilst seeking revenge on Nolan.
- A race of subterranian magma people pledge allegiance to a cackling Doc Seismic.
- Titan, along with Isotope, is confronted in his newly acquired office by Mister Liu.
- On an alien spaceship, two purple skinned guards are ambushed by Battle Beast.
- Cecil is overseeing the construction of an army of ReAnimen by D.A. Sinclair.
- This episode shows the Viltrumites invading Allen's home planet of Unopia. Allen later reveals to Marc that Unopia had been destroyed by the Viltrumites after its people had refused their conquerors' demands. To ensure their species survival, Allen's people began reproducing artificially and as a result, concepts such as parental relationships with their children is nonexistent, with Allen never even having met his father. In Nolan's flashback he is among the invading Viltrumite forces and is lacking his current gray hair, meaning that he was younger at the time. Given that his people age much slower the older they get, able to live for thousands of years, it is implied that the invasion of Unopia must had happened centuries ago.
- Curt, an elderly man eating at the Beckwell Community Center, is among the passengers onboard the subway that Omni-Man destroys. He is seen reading a book, likely the same book that Amber had promised to lend/give to him during the events of the previous episode That Actually Hurt. Curt's fate is left ambiguous.
See Also
- Gallery for the "Where I Really Come From" is the eighth and final episode of the first season of Invincible, and the eighth episode of the show overall. series
Cast
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Invincible (Mark Grayson) | Steven Yeun |
| Deborah Grayson | Sandra Oh |
| Omni-Man (Nolan Grayson) | J.K. Simmons |
| Titan | Mahershala Ali |
| Fiona / Vanessa | Nicole Byer |
| Deborah Grayson | Chris Diamantopoulos |
| Machine Head | Jeffrey Donovan |
| Thokk | Michael Dorn |
| Cecil Stedman | Walton Goggins |
| Monster Girl | Grey Griffin |
| Atom Eve | Gillian Jacobs |
| Rex Splode | Jason Mantzoukas |
| Dupli-Kate | Malese Jow |
| Markus Grimshaw | Khary Payton |
| Robot | Zachary Quinto |
| Mauler Twins | Kevin Michael Richardson |
| Fred Tatasciore | Kill Cannon - Eve's father |
| Principal | Reginald VelJohnson |
Recommended Media
- None.
Links and References
Wikipedia
Footnotes: