The following contains spoilers for Invincible season 3 episode 5, “This Was Supposed To Be Easy,” now streaming on Prime VideoInvincibleis indulging in one of my favorite superhero tropes in season 3, and I love how it tackles the same concepts as Kingpin and the Penguin from a different angle.Invinciblehas been a lot of fun, with a lot of that enjoyment coming from the way it embraces and subverts classic elements of the superhero genre as a whole. From the first episode’s grisly deconstruction of the Superman archetype to all the minor riffs on hero and villain tropes,Invincible’s charactersare at their most compelling when they bring human complexity to flashy concepts.
One of the best minor examples of this in the show has been Titan. Whereas many ofInvincible’s largest threats are cosmic in nature and threaten the entire galaxy, Titan’s control over a single North American city has quietly made him one of the more compelling characters in the show. He’s been built up all season long, butInvincibleseason 3’s “This Was Supposed To Be Easy"finally brings him back into the spotlight. On top of further developing his place in the world, Titan has become a very compelling take on one of my favorite kinds of supervillains.
Image via Prime Video
Invinciblebrings back Titan for season 3, andI love how they approach his character motivations in relation to the classic trope of the super-powered crime boss. After using Invincible to bring down Machine Head in season 1, Titan has been lying low within the superhero show. However, the efforts ofthe villainous Orderto influence Titan force him to recruit his former employer for a new scheme. Titan isn’t just a riff on the Kingpin archetype, though. Titan approaches the conflict from a detached and logical place, but because of how strongly he feels about what he’s doing.
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As Titan explains to Invincible, his efforts to control the crime in their city have improved swathes of the urban environment that Mark has never even considered. Beyond that, his wife and daughter now have more security and opportunities then they ever did before. Titan feels like a character who genuinely believes he’s helping the world by taking charge of the criminal element, and it makes him a more compelling character as a result.I love how Titan feels like a fully rounded character as a result, someone with hopes and fears beyond his own personal ambition.
The Super Powered Crime Boss Is A Well-Worn Trope For A Good Reason
It’s A Great Archetype For Straightforward Superhero Stories And Complex Drama Alike
The crime boss in a superhero world trope has been around for a while, with plenty of Marvel and DC characters like Kingpin and Penguin occupying it over the years.There’s a lot of potential for the concept, especially when realistic emotional connections or origins somewhat ground the heroes. Penguin and Kingpin can be played for complete pulp action but can also be explored from a more character-driven and grounded angle. I love how these villains can be dangerous and detestable, but their human origins and grounded concerns make them easier to understand instead of the grandiose cosmic threats.
Invincibleis able to indulge in both of these angles with Titan. He’s capable in a fight but easy to overwhelm, forcing him to rely on his craftiness to win out over more imposing enemies. However, he’s also grounded by his desire to lift up his community and provide for his family. While I like when the crime boss characters are forced to confront the cost of their decisions and risk alienating the very people they’ve been trying to protect, I thinkInvincibledoes something more interesting with it.
From what audiences have seen of Titan inInvincible, his family is unbothered by his career choice. Neither is his community, with even prison guards treating him with the upmost respect. There’s a recognition that he’s correct in saying the city is doing better under his rule. His decision to buckle any control the Order has over him only reinforces his commitment to improving his home over any grander ambitions for the world at large. As a result,Titan remains more sympathetic and firmly comes across as an anti-villain instead of as an overt threat.
I love how Titan forces the supervillain crime boss trope to be more complex on a macro level and can’t wait to see howInvinciblecontinues to develop it.
In the morally murky world ofInvincible, that’s important. Characters like Mark reckon with the negative results of a purely black-and-white worldview. Titan is a great example of that, an unrepentant criminal who improves lives that Mark never even thought about.Titan isn’t wrong when he tells Mark that bringing him down will only hurt people in the long-run, even if his ruthless approach means he’ll never be an overt hero. I love how Titan forces the supervillain crime boss trope to be more complex on a macro level and can’t wait to see howInvinciblecontinues to develop it.
