Episode 4 - It’s Been a While!
Mark answers the call to save an alien species, but the mission has unexpected personal consequences.
Full cast, crew and characters
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honestly nolan saying “Read my books!” caught me off guard and i burst out laughing
I’m assuming he put some coded hints about… something in them, but it was definitely an extremely unexpected line.
Like idk maybe he just really wanted Mark to read his books and there’s no deeper meaning to it.
They were hinting at something. Wtf are in those books
Dude just wants to be remembered as an author and not as a mass murderer
“Give them 5 stars on Goodreads Mark! Some people didn’t really get it and started review bombing them! Admittedly, the whole massacre thing didn’t help but still, pulp Sci fi deserves an audience!”
I read this in Rick’s voice for some reason haha
I just couldn’t help myself. I read this in Rick Sanchez’s voice.
I was wondering if some of Nolan’s Viltrumite beliefs might have subtly seeped into his writings and led to certain tropes that modern critics might find distasteful.
One of them was called “Savage Planet, Savage Beasts” and I wonder what critics had to say about that lol.
“Amazing worldbuilding from Nolan Grayson, as always. The alien worlds and species he comes up with are always so creative and immersive. Once again, however, he struggles with his protagonist, another physically perfect specimen with little to root for. Also, the reoccurring rhetoric of the alien people as ‘savages’ and ‘inferior’ is almost problematic in places. 3/5”
Imagine Nolan getting canceled or something lol
“Look, as someone who also grew up watching Dragon Ball Z I understand the appeal of homaging its work by replicating the father son dynamics in his works, but at some point Mr. Grayson has to realize that Goku was not a good father. Maybe for the next book he should try to replicate Vegeta instead?”
I assume based off his emphasis on the books it’s gonna have some kind of clue on beating the viltrumites/how mark can get stronger or something along that vanes
I think that’s pretty clear with how asking Mark to read his books would probably be the last thing on his mind at that moment, unless they contained something very important.
And then it’s contrasted with Debbie throwing the whole set of books out at that very moment. I imagine Mark will have a hell of a time tracking those down to actually read them by the time he gets back to earth. Since it already took him 6 days to get there (with a working Thraxans ship that he might not have anymore), the books will be long gone.
I got the impression that Nolan actually published those books, and Cecil used that as a way to give them money, aka an under the table way to pay him for his hero work.
If that’s the case, then there should be no trouble finding these books to read. Unless whatever Mark needs to find out is in solely Nolans copies of the books.
I honestly always assumed that someone else was a ghost writer for those books as a cover for Nolan. After all, I assumed he didn’t care / have time to write when he was out being a superhero.
I guess it’s possible that he actually wrote them, but I assumed that “Read my books” was a way for Mark to go to those specific books and find whatever is inside, written in the margins, etc.
I say that because the show puts a lot of emphasis on Debbie putting the books away and deliberately shows them being placed on the sidewalk to be thrown away. I get the feeling those specific books will be important.
Hmm, could be. But if that were the case I don’t think they’d have made sure to show us they were retro sci fi books. That makes me think its gonna be something in the writing itself, whether training the main character goes through, or a race that’s clearly an expy for the Vitrumites, whatever.
I’m confused about the books, I could have sworn they said he wrote travel books in season 1
I feel like it’s rather gonna give mark directions on where they are taking him. Maybe it has some specific description of where Viltrum is or something
I couldn’t find the author on the promo photos but who was the author of those books, Nolan (supposedly writing fiction books) or Omni-Man (meaning, books were more auto-biographical)?
I thought Nolan was a travel author since he could review cities and learn about culture while scoping out their strengths and weaknesses for Viltrum.
Nolan IIRC.
All of Nolan’s books are things he actually did and experienced
Late to the party, but
Thats the true reason he turned, not the Vultrimite taking over the world reason but because he was on the verge of getting cancelled for his books.
“There are some troubling theories on genetics as well as what some might call fascist undertones that migh make one question what exactly the authors intent was, as well as the audience they were going for, bringing mind the trappings of stories written 60 years ago, rather than a book written in 2021.”
Five minutes later so is Earth.
Having to sit at the convention signing table with Piers Anthony and Philip Jose Farmer.
Wait, I’m actually wondering this now
Was Nolan just some unhinged ass author??
I have to imagine his books were terrible if he only half-assed writing them between saving the world all the time (and maybe snuck in some secret clues for Mark along the way?)
It was more or less confirmed that Cecil was responsible for basically all the book sales in order to keep Nolan and his family financially situated, so it seems like they weren’t exactly flying off the shelves on their own.
You read it and think to yourself “sheesh, Nolan. Maybe just stick to killing people. You’re better at that.”
Imagine Nolan wrote a lot of racist books, giving Lovecraft a run for his money.
Even if they weren’t racist, “The Man with the Invincible Gun” is just an absolutely terrible title for a book lol, so that probably din’t help.
Debby was making good money with the books, which she no longer wanted
“Obviously the book is really good but, this is the second book where a protagonist has forced their kids to fight wild creatures on the alien planet and has said ‘Should they not survive, I will shed no tears for they are weak!’ Again, the books are really good but does he realise Lord of the flies isn’t a parenting manual?!”
And then the protagonist fucked his pet which we felt was a bit problematic
This is hilarious hahahahaha
Haven’t read the comics but isn’t this some sort of clue? Maybe he has like his memoir or training on how to kill viltrumites written down?
I haven’t read the comics either but based on just what’s shown in the show it’s clearly evident that his books are grounded in his experiences in reality. The book that it shows after this scene seems to be about some sort of “golden gun” type weapon.
Yes…. You’re not quite correct but you’re thinking about it right
Let the show-onlys speculate amongst themselves.
Fair enough. I thought I was being vague enough but it was probably too much even just as it was. I deleted it
heres a hint.
Yup.
My guess is that it’s going to have something to do with the books that were put on the curb at the end. I really doubt that Nolan cares about Mark reading his books but I wouldn’t be surprised if he wrote something in his personal copies for Mark.
The Man With The Invincible Gun. Shooting a hole through someone
Yeah I assume there’s some shit in there that Mark needs to be aware of. Why would Nolan give a shit about his books lmfao
As a non comics reader that’s my assumption too, that the books will give Mark the training that Nolan would’ve if he had the time to.
Episode 4 briefly shows you the covers of all the books. Go take a look if you’re curious.
Considering the next shot was one that said the man with the
And a shot through a body, I’m betting it’s a way to find a crack team of people to take on viltrum. Idk how they’ll beat a whole planet though.
I would say something here, but you’ll just have to wait and see for yourself if you haven’t already read/know of what happens in the comics, lol.
There’s never a bad time to shill.
I guess Nolan’s civilian identity was a novelist? Neat.
That was established earlier
Did they establish Nolan was a writer in the first a season? I can’t remember.
Yes. After Nolan left, Cecil told Debbie that his books will have a surge of sales after his “death.”
Yup, after the fight, Cecil said his residuals from book sales should he enough to keep Mark and Debbia float
THEY HAVE PICTURES OF SPIDERMAN IN IT!
He’s a true businessman. The J Jonah Jameson DNA is showing.
Cave Johnson leaking through.
They’re cookbooks. Mark’s in college now, he needs to learn how to make good food on a budget, and in a limited amount of time. He is not going to live on fast food and Ramen damn it!
I know there’s going to be some hidden message there, but a part of me really wants it to just legitimately be Nolan being proud of his books and nothing deeper.
Plugging the merch while getting taken away to your execution. Gotta respect the hustle
It needed to be said!
all i’ll say is that the shot where they focus on a particular cover of one of his books is going to make the importance of that line clearer
Brother, you must find the most important words a man can say!
Roshar reference. Very classy. Another excellent universe.
It’s all I could think when I heard that line
I presume that the books have some knowledge that’s important. Nolan at that moment knows he will die and that Mark will never bow to Viltrum, which means he’s next. The books have to have something that will give him and edge against Viltrum or make him strong enough that no one less than Nolan could kill him. We can clearly see the 3 Viltrumites sent to kill Nolan would’ve been woefully destroyed had Nolan not needed to worry about Mark and his second son. They only lost because Mark didn’t kill the female Viltrumite when he had the chance
ik its prbly some crazy foreshadowing but I just couldnt take that line seriously
I know right? It has big John Mulaney “Your gonna close with new in town!?” Energy.
that was the Comic Spoiler they warned us about, READ THE BOOK.
it was so fucking funny it was supposed to be a heartfelt moment but he bombed it so bad. like you just were acting like you have changed and then u switched up and choked mark out after he helped.
I think he’s frustrated with his new emotions that he’s never experienced before in his 1000+ year life. And he partially blames Mark for sparking them into existence. He can’t accept he’s become like this, he feels like it makes him weaker, which the ultimate value of all Viltrumites. If he survives I bet he’ll come to realize emotions aren’t really a weakness.
I hope so, for marks sake
Not to sound like a hater, but why did Nolan’s voice sound like AI generated JK Simmons. It just sounded off the whole episode.
It didn`t sound off. You just imagine things and like to think everything is now AI because it`s what so many people are talking about. Your mindset is making it sound like that.
Like and subscribe, Mark!!!
Iykyk
There’s definitely got to be a hint about something in there that’ll help Mark save him
This is what I thought of
ABC Always Be Closing
MARK
READ THE BOOKS MARK
ITS IMPORTANT MARKKKK!!
Nolan being all L Ron Hubbard
And Debbie refusing the book money, was his ‘Nolan Grayson’ alter ego an author? Am I dumb or when was the last time that was brought up?