Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Invincible Season 3, Episodes 1-3.
Invincible Season 3’s debut episode, “You’re Not Laughing Now,” brings back a costumed crime-fighter we haven’t seen since Season 2: Darkwing II. So, who is Darkwing, and why doesn’t Mark Grayson seem to like him very much?
Who Is Darkwing in Invincible Season 3?
Darkwing II is (as his superhero moniker suggests) the successor to the original Darkwing, who died when Omni-Man slaughtered the Guardians of the Globe in Season 1. Like his predecessor (and one-time mentor), the current Darkwing is a brooding vigilante modeled on DC Comics icon Batman. That said, unlike either of those characters, Darkwing II has superpowers. He can teleport by slipping in and out of the Shadow-verse, and can also drag opponents into this dark dimension, as well.
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This ability, coupled with his elite martial arts and acrobatics skills, make Darkwing II a force to be reckoned with in his hometown, Midnight City. Unfortunately, the tremendous strain of keeping watch over Midnight City – the Invincible universe’s version of Batman’s Gotham, with everything that entails – eventually overwhelms him. Darkwing II suffers a breakdown and begins killing criminals until Invincible gets wind of what’s going on and takes him down in Season 2.
Why Doesn’t Mark Grayson Like Darkwing?
Like we said above: Darkwing II is a murderer; is it any surprise Mark Grayson isn’t a fan? As Mark makes abundantly clear in Invincible Season 3’s three-part premiere, as far as he’s concerned, Darkwing II should be in jail, not fighting alongside the Guardians of the Globe.
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Indeed, GDA Director Cecil Stedman’s decision to keep Darkwing II out of a prison cell – and doing so in secret, no less – is a major factor in his rift with Mark in Season 3. It doesn’t matter that Cecil insists Darkwing II is fully reformed, or that Mark himself is (or thinks he is) a killer. Mark doesn’t want anything to do with superheroes like Darkwing II who use lethal force to clean up the streets.
Invincible Season 3 is currently streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes dropping Thursdays.
Published: Feb 11, 2025 11:45 AM UTC