The following contains spoilers for Invincible season 3 episode 8, "I Thought You'd Never Shut Up," now streaming on Prime VideoInvincible's season 3 finale battle with Conquest sets up a number of storylines for Invincible season 4 and beyond. The animated adaptation of Robert Kirkman's comic of the same name has been steadily making its way through Mark Grayson's development from an optimistic young crime-fighter to a more complex and capable hero. Season 3's version of the Invincible War and the subsequent battle with Conquest are a big part of the character's development, as it builds off his internal conflict over the morality and mortality of killing his foes by forcing him to use lethal methods to bring down threats.

Conquest notably doesn't die in the season 4 of Invincible. More than that, though, Conquest's attack on Earth quietly also sets the stage for a much bigger twist regarding Mark and his family line, which could set the stage for one of the most important endgame elements of the entire overarching Invincible story.

Conquest Brings The Viltrumites Back To The Center Of Invincible

The Intergalactic Empire Is The Big Threat (And Eventual Endgame) Of Invincible

Conquest's arrival on Earth and subsequent battle with Mark Grayson reasserts the Viltrumite Empire as the central threat in Invincible. While season 3 did revisit the Viltrumite storyline through Omni-Man's steady redemption arc alongside Allen the Alien, the intergalactic empire wasn't central to Mark Grayson's primary plotlines. Instead, much of season 3 focused on Mark's missions on Earth, whether that be fighting magical threats, saving dystopian futures, or contending with villainous variants of himself. However, Conquest's inglorious arrival on the planet and slaughter of countless people in the wake of his battle with Mark underscores just how dangerous Viltrumites are.

Conquest is just as deadly as Nolan was in season 1, but with a gleefully sadistic approach that makes his attack all the more unnerving. Conquest reminds the audience that the Viltrumites are the ultimate big bad of the show in an absolutely brutal way by showcasing just how much it takes out of the heroes to stop even just one. While Atom Eve's power boost gives her a crucial edge in the battle, Conquest proves that even the other forces elements of the show (like the villainous Invincible variants) don't compare to the sheer brutality of the Viltrumite Empire.

Cecil's Decision To Spare Conquest Could Come Back To Haunt Him

Conquest Gets A Rematch With Invincible

Despite convincing Mark that Conquest died from his injuries, Cecil's decision to spare Conquest's life could yield important information they can use to combat the Viltrumite Empire. However, if Invincible follows the story from the comics, Cecil will come to regret that decision. In the original comics, Conquest heals from his injuries in a matter of days and quickly escapes Cecil's custody. He informs the rest of the Viltrumite Empire of his failures on Earth and is sent back into power. His fearful respect of Viltrumite Emperor Thragg also underscores the danger posed by that character in an effective way.

Conquest becomes an important player in the Viltrumite War, which will likely be adapted in season 4. Conquest ends up facing off with Invincible, Omni-Man, and Kid Omni-Man in a battle that levels mountaisn on an alien planet. In the end, Mark is able to win the rematch by choking out Conquest. This proves to be the only way to bring down the deadly warrior, eventually suffocatting and killing Conquest. The discovery that Cecil lied about Conquest further complicates his relationship with Mark Grayson, which becomes more complex as a result of Mark's own poor decisions towards trusting potential threats.

Conquest Teases Why Mark Is So Important In Invincible's World

Mark Grayson Has A Royal Destiny

One of the most enticing teases in "I Thought You'd Never Shut Up" is the casual revelation that Conquest has been sent directly by the higher-ups in the empire to deal with Earth. While he was ordered to restrain himself enough on other assignments that the planets could easily be converted into pawns for the intergalactic expansion, Conquest has been told to decimate Earth and rip Mark Grayson apart. There's no clue reasoning for this in the episode. It could be eventually revealed to be simply because they've resisted Viltrumite authority, but it could also tease a major Invincible twist.

This could make Conquest's comments an early hint about how important Mark really is to the Empire and why Thragg wants him dead.

In the Invincible comics, it's eventually revealed that Thragg and his family aren't supposed to be the rulers of the Viltrum Empire. It turns out that it's actually Nolan's bloodline that is considered the true royals of the planet, making him the rightful emperor. Conquest being sent to destroy Nolan's family could be a hint that Thragg is concerned about Mark eventually becoming a threat to his rule, which does come to fruition in the original comics. This could make Conquest's comments an early hint about how important Mark really is to the Empire and why Thragg wants him dead.

Invincible Season 4 Is About To Get Fully Cosmic

The Final Moments Of Invincible Season 3 Tease The Space-Based Threats Of Season 4

Season 3 of Invincible largely kept Mark Grayson on Earth, pitting him against supervillains and moral conflicts that were more grounded than his space-based adventures in previous seasons. That will likely change in season 4, as the stories for the show to adapt are largely focused on extraterrestrial threats. Conquest reasserts the danger posed by the more villainous Viltrumites, bringing the conflict closer to home than Mark has ever experienced. Even Anissa's arrival in season 2 pales in comparison to the damage that Conquest inflicts with ease, highlighting that the stakes fighting them are now on a global level.

Mark's storyline in season 4 will likely see him working alongside his father and Allen in the Coalition of Planets, bringing the show to a cosmic level. Even the Earth-based stories seem to be focusing on those kind of external threats, with the final moments of "I Thought You'd Never Show Up" promising the dangerous returns of the Sequids will soon spread out again. Invincible season 4 will likely continue to build on the bloody precedent set in place by Conquest's role in the season 3 finale, giving the young superhero a greater number of cosmic foes to contend with.