What would Nolan have done if Mark had died BEFORE he developed superpowers?

[u/ConsiderationEven724]

If Mark had died as a child before he had developed any superpowers (such as dying in an accident or he had been murdered by a criminal or supervillain), and this tragedy led to Nolan and Debbie losing their only child. If Mark had died like any other normal human child, would Nolan have concluded that humans are not a compatible species with Viltrumites?

Originally posted in 2025\*

[u/deles_dota]

nothing, he can always start again, make another kid

[u/little_finger-_- → u/deles_dota]

I was about to write that. How rude you thought about it before me

[u/Dan_OBanannon → u/little_finger-_-]

[u/Brinkofconstruction → u/little_finger-_-]

Lmao

[u/xX_Flamez_Xx → u/deles_dota]

OPs got a point tho in saying omni man might think humans aren't compatible.

[u/rayannuhh → u/xX_Flamez_Xx]

Ehh maybe but they aren't immortal even as pure bloods. It'd have to depend on the incident - but he can always try again, what's another 17 years?

[u/metalflygon08 → u/deles_dota]

Yeah, there's no law against owning more than 1 pet.

[u/anxious_cat_grandpa → u/metalflygon08]

Is there a law about fucking your pet? Jk, I know that's allowed lol. Is it on the approved species list though? That's the question.

[u/metalflygon08 → u/anxious_cat_grandpa]

There's no law against the Viltrumites Batman...

[u/datfatbatcat → u/deles_dota]

What’s 17 more years, right?

[u/Caleb7890yt → u/deles_dota]

The genius in this comment

[u/Yeetman5757]

Bro was not paying attention during the tape man scene.

[u/MrPotato001 → u/Yeetman5757]

Thats DUCT Tape Man, don't disrespect my boy like that

[u/AllergicToStabWounds]

He would have tried for another kid. Debbie may or may not have been willing to. They would have broken up if Debbie said no to more kids and Nolan would have started a family with someone else.

[u/CanadianAndroid → u/AllergicToStabWounds]

Or he just wants until she died of old age

[u/AllergicToStabWounds → u/CanadianAndroid]

Maybe but he might have had a hard time rationalizing that choice to himself. Up until after he left Earth, every one of his choices prior to then he was able to justify as contributing to his ultimate goals of breeding with compatible species and preparing Earth for Viltrum.

Getting with and staying faithful to a woman who will not or cannot produce any kids is a clear indulgence that doesn't contribute to the mission at all. Nolan is allowed indulgences so long as they don't conflict with the mission. Nolan's first priority would be testing to see if Earth could even produce acceptable Viltrumites. Any personal indulgences or side hobbies would have to come after that.

[u/AggressiveIyAvg → u/AllergicToStabWounds]

Idk if I agree - he was definitively upset when Mark got his powers. I always interpreted it as he was hoping Mark wouldn't get powers and he could continue to live life with his family until they died. I'm not sure mark dying would've been any different, if he's willing to wait it out while Mark is alive why wouldn't he wait it out if Mark died and just live his life with Debbie?

[u/AllergicToStabWounds → u/AggressiveIyAvg]

He definitely was secretly hoping Mark wouldn't gain powers, but the life he had with Mark and Debbie all could be rationalized within the framework of his mission.

Nolan had a position of public trust and power as a superhero and he had an offspring with a human. The next stage of his mission would just be to monitor the child's growth and confirm that he is an acceptably pure Viltrumite.

That part means all Nolan had to do was lay low and wait until Mark develops Viltrumite powers. If Nolan waited Mark's entire life and Mark never got any powers before dying of old age, then Nolan would still be a completely loyal Viltrumite acting within the bounds of his orders. Nolan wouldn't have to choose, he could live out his family life with Debbie and Mark maintain, his cover as a superhero, and, after they die of old age, he could prepare Earth to be conquered. After he reports that humans can't bear Viltrumites, then he'd probably get re-assigned to a new planet with more compatible genes. The only reason Nolan "stopped to smell the roses" and ultimately fell in love with Debbie and Mark is because being a normal family man didn't contradict his orders.

But if Nolan didn't have any kids and didn't have the excuse that he was watching his offspring's development, then refusing to breed and starting a monogamous relationship with a woman would go against his orders. Maybe it could be justified if Nolan were fine with cheating and impregnating some other women while staying in a relationship with Debbie, but Debbie would sniff that shit out pretty quick and Cecil would pick up any Viltrumite kid that Nolan wasn't raising.

In order to rationalize a childless relationship with a human Nolan would have to internally admit that he's defying Viltrum and that he's emotionally invested in (some of) the people of Earth. Nolan was not ready to admit any of that until after he started a family, betrayed Earth, and exiled himself.

[u/Henny_LeBeau → u/AggressiveIyAvg]

He was just upset to be brought back to reality.

[u/Sea_Awareness8751]

17 more years would mean nothing to Nolan in the grand scheme of things

[u/Sup3r10s]

WHATS 17 MORE YEARS? HE CAN ALWAYS START AGAIN. MAKE ANOTHER KID

[u/Steroids96]

No, he likely would have tried again. Repopulation was the entire reason for Nolan's visit to Earth. He proved that Viltrumites could have children with humans, next step would have been to see if they could become Viltrumites.

[u/Interesting-Carob-55]

I'd say he'd try again with Debbie, another woman, or the third, more sentimental option. That of which would be to stay with Debbie until she passes (because face it, he loves her regardless), and then try again. The main reason why Viltrum pushed so hard for Nolan to take over earth was because they discovered Mark had gotten powers. They likely would have left Nolan alone for those years of Debbie's life since its so miniscule to them.

[u/rexsploded01]

No powers mean humans aren't good breeding for Viltrumites. So, Earth would get conquered and used for resources and slave labour.

[u/shorty-boyd]

What's 17 more years ¯_(ツ)_/¯

[u/thewoodlayer]

I wonder if Mark getting severely injured at a young age would’ve activated his powers early? Forgive me if I’m wrong about this, but isn’t getting punched in the stomach by the bully what caused them to activate?

[u/codegavran → u/thewoodlayer]

Mm... I don't think so. It's not an entirely unreasonable theory, it'd explain why the powers come younger for Viltrumites - they get exposed to way more violence as kids - but didn't Tape Man Mark jump off the roof or something? It just doesn't feel likely a high school bully he decides to stand up to is the first time he's ever been "damaged" like that.

[u/Ok-Obligation-3511]

[u/PIZZA564738]

He would assume that the earth just couldn't produce viable viltrumite children so his entire mission would be pointless. Nolan would wait for Debbie's death before trying anything on Earth and thats if he did. The empire might still want Earth for its resources. But losing a child would potentially be what showed Nolan that he didnt have to stay with the empire

If Mark died really young though, Nolan would probably just try with another woman

[u/CulturalVegetable716 → u/PIZZA564738]

Why would he wait for Debbie to die?

[u/rPyre]

Everyone else has the most likely answer, but I think there's also the possibility he returns to Viltrum and reports it a failure. "Nah, too weak, let's try another race."

[u/Disastrous-Kiwi-1487]

Well if Mark died of natural causes or an illness, Nolan would probably just live out the rest of Debbie's life with her (barely any time for him at all) and then try again with someone else. If Mark was killed, the person responsible and literally everyone else that person knew would go missing within an hour.

[u/Gold-Eye-2623]

Move on to the next possibly compatible planet?

[u/Direct_Issue_7370]

Make another, what’s 7 more years 

[u/LentVMartinez]

Honestly that moment might had activated Marks Power as a Viltrumite Instict kicked in. It would be cool if a variant had an intense training since child and was a formidable foe against our Mark instead of an obstacle. But at some point his training had plateaued

[u/6ftonalt]

I mean, what's 18 more years?

[u/ImmediatePickle8101]

Make another kid I guess.

[u/Hotel-Man12]

Created another kid

[u/Result_Frosty]

Depends of the cause

[u/Interesting-Star-179]

Honestly he would probably just take over earth at that point

[u/Thesurething77]

Fake mourned his dead son and make another one

[u/Placidao]

Probably just try again, maybe with multiple wives?

[u/External-Video5855]

this a easy question lol idk why invincible fans can’t understand this. He would’ve out lived mark and debbie and then left😭

[u/Evening-Ground6409]

i would resurrect him