The series has built up Conquest's arrival since the first season of Invincible, but his arrival on Earth is expected to finally happen in Season 3.
This veteran warrior made a small early-bird cameo in the first season of Invincible as one of the many Viltrumites left after purging the weakest among them. Fans of the comics have been eagerly anticipating his arrival and bloody clash with Mark Grayson.
That eagerness only exploded in Season 3 when Anissa warned Invincible that the Vultrumite after her wouldn't give Mark any mercy against him or the Earth. But when exactly will this flying juggernaut arrive to "demonstrate the error" of Mark's ways?
When Will Conquest Make Landfall in Invincible Season 3?
The episode description for Invincible Season 3, Episode 8, "I Thought You'd Never Shut Up," describes a "dangerous stranger" who can be no one else but Conquest:
With the world still reeling, a dangerous stranger arrives - testing Mark to his limits and beyond.
While this definitely means the Season 3 finale will spotlight Invincible's fight with Conquest, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be the Viltrumite's debut.
It's entirely likely that Episode 7, "What Have I Done?" could end with Conquest's arrival as a cliffhanger. It's how Conquest debuted in Invincible #61, with the issue ending just before he and Invincible even traded a single blow.
As for who will be voicing Conquest, when the cast of Invincible Season 3 was announced, Breaking Bad star Jonathan Banks was among them in an undisclosed role. But thanks to a glitch on Amazon Prime Video and a simple process of elimination, it's guaranteed that Banks will be voicing Conquest.
Finally, the episode's title, "I Thought You'd Never Shut Up," surprisingly has absolutely nothing to do with Conquest. It's a quote directed to an entirely different, but even more important, character in Invincible, who debuted in issue #68 alongside this quote.
How Series Built-up Conquest More Than the Comics
There's been far more build-up to Conquest's arrival on Earth in the animated series than the Invincible comics. It makes sense, given the benefit of hindsight that Amazon and Robert Kirkman have when adapting the source material.
In Invincible's Season 1 finale, "Where I Really Come From," Conquest was briefly shown in Nolan's story of his true origins. Conquest was among the surviving Viltrumites who "emerged from the ashes" as "unstoppable" after the removal of "the weak from [Viltrum's] society."
He'd be alluded to again by the Viltrumite warrior Anissa in Season 2, Episode 7, "I'm Not Going Anywhere," when she warned Mark that the next Viltrumite after her "will demonstrate the error of [Mark's] ways:"
"But soon, another will come, and if he finds you still resistant to your destiny, he will demonstrate the error of your ways, and this whole planet will pay the price. I pray you come to your senses before then."
What's surprising is that this dialogue more clearly references Conquest than Anissa's warning to Mark in the comics in issue #45, as she doesn't allude to a specific person, just "a replacement" and "another Viltrumite." The benefit of hindsight really shows itself in tweaks like this.
Finally, the premiere of Season 3, "You're Not Laughing Now," had Cecil kicking Mark's exercise routine into overdrive so he can finally stand a chance against other Viltrumites. However, in issue #46 of the comics, Mark only trained against the vague notion of the next "Viltrumite Agent."
Instead, the episode more directly referenced Conquest again when Donald informed Cecil that although Mark could potentially defeat Anissa at his level, they remained uncertain about the "someone much worse" she alluded to.
With such an insane build-up to his arrival, newcomers will see just exactly how Conquest will test Mark's limits and how far he'll push him.
The Season 3 finale of Invincible will stream on Amazon Prime Video on Thursday, March 13.
