Why Mark Grayson Changes His Suit In Invincible Season 3

Warning! This article contains minor spoilers for Invincible season 3.

Invincible season 3 showcases Mark wearing a new black and blue suit, begging the question of why this change was made. The ending of Invincible season 2 saw Mark defeat the multiversal Angstrom Levy while preparing for the return of the Viltrumites to Earth. Invincible season 3’s story focuses on this preparation, though not without exploring a clash between the titular superhero and the director of the Global Defense Agency, Cecil Stedman.

Throughout all of these story points, Mark is shown donning a yellow and light blue superhero suit with black highlights. However, as evident in Invincible season 3’s trailer and the show’s three-episode premiere, Mark forgoes this costume for a new one. Invincible season 3’s new episodes explore this change in appearance for Mark and, rather than being a marketing ploy to sell more toys or an unwarranted change, the new black and blue suit actually represents a deeper shift regarding the show’s tone and characters.

Invincible's Blue Suit Represents A Shift In The Story's Tone

The Suit Darkens As The Show Matures

Mark posing in his blue suit in Invincible season 3

The first reason behind the suit change for Mark is Invincible season 3’s somewhat darker tone and more mature story. Although the show has always been an adult animation, as evident by the blood, gore, and language of preceding seasons, Invincible season 3 takes this a step further. Gone are the days of Mark’s exploration of young love or his more fun superhero excursions, replaced by more serious relationships with Atom Eve and the looming threat of the authoritarian Viltrumites.

Moreover, Invincible season 3’s main villain is reflective of the show’s shift in tone. Cecil’s antagonistic relationship with Mark delves into the darker, morally gray subplots of who can be redeemed and what it takes to save the world, at any cost. These darker tonal elements are typified by Mark’s new blue and black suit, which is notably more dour than the bright yellow of the past. Fans of Invincible’s source material often regard the change in suit with the story taking a much more brutal direction. As proven, Invincible season 3 is adapting this shift well.

Invincible's New Suit Also Brings A Darker Edge To His Character

Mark Himself Has Undergone Significant Trauma

The black and blue suit in Invincible season 3 adequately conveys the show’s broader descent into darkness but is equally reflective of Mark’s character arc. Invincible season 2’s final episode saw Mark seemingly cross a line he swore he never would by killing Angstrom Levy, with this plot point alone highlighting a darker shift for the titular hero. This question of morality and whether people who have the power to kill should be judge, jury, and executioner has always been part of Invincible, yet season 3 makes it more specific to Mark than ever before.

The black and blue Invincible suit is often likened to the black symbiote Spider-Man costume from Marvel Comics due to its reflection of the story’s tone.

The new suit Mark wears is a good symbol of this. Furthermore, Mark’s conflict with Cecil in Invincible season 3 makes the suit change more effective. Mark is shown to be incredibly threatening to Cecil in Invincible season 3’s first three episodes. Despite remaining on the side of the people of Earth and having morally righteous motivations, Mark’s more no-nonsense attitude makes him notably darker, in an equally notably darker suit. On a subconscious level, seeing Mark go up against Cecil in the blue and black simply hits harder than it would have done in the bright yellow suit of old.

Will Invincible Ever Return To His Regular Yellow Suit?

The Yellow Suit Will Make A Comeback

The final question that many Invincible watchers will have is whether the new season 3 suit is here to stay. After all, superhero stories have never been afraid to switch costumes regularly, nor have they strayed away from permanent suit changes. With Invincible season 3 now introducing the new suit, the question of whether the yellow costume will return is certainly one worth asking. Based on the story established in the Invincible comic books, it is safe to say that Mark’s yellow suit will make a comeback at some point in the future.

In classic self-referential fashion, Invincible’s comic book writers made it so that Mark himself drew a comparison between the black and blue suit and dangerous, deadly scenarios. Eventually, Mark disregarded his new costume in favor of his classic yellow number. When exactly this will happen regarding the timeline of the Invincible TV show remains to be seen, but it will likely come either midway through season 4 or into season 5, given that Mark is expected to wear his new costume throughout the entirety of Invincible season 3 and the adaptation of the so-called Invincible War.