After his less-than-impressive showing in Season 4, Episode 6, "You Look Horrible," fans of the Invincible comics were eagerly awaiting Thragg to prove himself to audiences. He did so in spades in the next episode, "Don't Do Anything Rash," proving himself when he ruthlessly outmatched everyone he faced.
Throughout the comics, Thragg was only ever portrayed as a coldly pragmatic, tyrannical ruler dedicated to the "might makes right" philosophy of Viltrum, and, thus far, the same is true of the animated show. However, one major change to Thragg in "Don't Do Anything Rash" was showing a side of himself comic fans never considered possible: a capacity for mercy.
The episode opened with a glimpse of Thragg's backstory and the halcyon days of Viltrum. When Thaedus was still among their ranks, he questioned not only their emperor, but also their way of life. Thragg expressed his concerns about Thaedus' newfound sense of mercy to Argall, and in response, was told in no uncertain terms that if he felt Thaedus' "weakness harms the empire," he should kill him.
Ironically, Thragg showed mercy toward Thaedus in return, not wishing to condemn him to a potentially unjust death, and took back his words, even admitting that he had been "mistaken" in his concerns.
But this isn't a detriment to Thragg's character or a betrayal of his depiction in the comics. In fact, it gives him far more depth as a character than he ever had, as his show of mercy allowed Thaedus to assassinate Argall, seemingly snuffing out any mercy he had left in him.
Shortly after Argall's death, Thragg ordered the Great Purge to weed out every false Viltrumite. His self-perceived failure in showing mercy to Thaedus directly led to the culling of their people, to snuff out this weakness of mercy in all Viltrumites, which he called "a sickness [...] poisoning us from within." A belief that Viltrum sadly carried on to the next generation in their upbringing and training.
Early in the battle above Viltrum, Thragg punched Nolan down to the surface of their empty empire. Not to fight, but to talk, something that didn't happen at all in the comics. He also offered Nolan something his comic counterpart would never even think to: another chance.
With an open hand, Thragg actually asked Nolan to come home, saying, "...all will be forgiven." Something Thragg from the comics, again, would never do, even before he had an even greater reason to resent Nolan. It could be an attempt at manipulation, but Thragg even told him, after he denied his offer, that "the death of any Viltrumite leaves a void in me," before uppercutting him back into space.
Another small but significant difference in Thragg's actions after he truly entered the fray was how he treated Oliver. In the comics, Thragg actually held barely any disdain for him, even calling him a "nice boy" after having ripped his arm off and relieving him of his jaw.
In the show, Thragg doesn't even consider Oliver a Viltrumite, declaring to him, as he easily blocked his punch, "...not one of us." He even told Mark, "The child was a failure. He was no brother to you." A belief that will unlikely ever change in the show, showcasing his devotion only to those he considered true Viltrumites.
When Nolan, Mark, and Thaedus destroyed Viltrum, Thragg stopped going easy on them and immediately tore off the Betrayer's head, avenging Argall once and for all before moving on to Nolan and his son. After swiftly impaling the former, Thragg quickly had Mark at his mercy.
Thragg dug his thumbs into Mark's eyes, ready to kill him, but as he looked up at his destroyed home, the billions of corpses that once orbited it, and Nolan's battered body, he hesitated. His vengeful expression actually softened. The sickness of mercy he once had for Thaedus, that he thought purged from himself, still poisoned him.
Thragg in the comics did spare Mark and his father, but it came off as far more cold and pragmatic, telling the last remaining Viltrumites that "We need them...we need all Viltrumites," adding "Them above all others." Obviously, in anticipation of their invasion of Earth.
However, in the show, Thragg only told what remained of his people, "We are too few already," reinforcing his earlier words to Nolan about every Viltrumite death leaving a void in him.
Warning - The rest of this article includes spoilers for the Invincible comics and potential future events in the Invincible animated series.
What Does This Mean for Thragg?
If you believe this has been about the potential of Thragg receiving any sort of redemption like Nolan by the end of this story, you're dead wrong. What the Invincible show appears to be doing is making Thragg's eventual fall all the more tragic as he eventually destroys any mercy or love he ever had for his people.
His truce with Mark wouldn't last long after Thragg discovered he and Nolan were the last descendants of Agrall, making them the rightful heirs to the Viltrum Empire. In a rage, Thragg attempted to kill Mark, then Nolan, not wishing for the ones who destroyed their planet to be the ones to lead their people.
After the other Viltrumites stopped him, accepting Nolan as their emperor, he was banished from Earth by Nolan out of mercy. A mercy Thragg would use to plan his revenge on not just Nolan and Mark, but the rest of his people, for leading them into the sickness of mercy and compassion he so spitefully hated.
Years later, he would return with an army of his Thraxan-Viltrumite children to conquer the galaxy and kill Mark and his family, beginning with Oliver and finishing the job he started years ago.
Unless the show makes the most drastic change imaginable from the comics, there will be no rehabilitation for Thragg. He will not change as people do, deny his horde of children any compassion, and he will only grow more and more bitter toward his people.
This one major change from Thragg in the Invincible show will only highlight how far he will fall. Whatever mercy and love he had inside him for his people, Thragg finally expunges that "weakness" in the end, and it will ultimately be his undoing.
