The Psychology Behind Cognitive Dissonance: Invincible FINALE - Therapist Reacts

Psychotherapist Georgia Dow describes the psychology behind the interaction of Nolan and his son Mark in Amazon Prime Video's "Invincible"!
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[@RichardStrong86]

I always thought Nolan was trying to convince himself more than indoctrinate Mark.

[@johndanes2294]

It was both. He didn't think this through.

[@The_Rage_Kage]

That's exactly what was going on. The comic later reveals that to more or less have been the case.

[@4YrStasis]

Indoctrinate? Is that a Mass Effect reference?

[@awsmman764]

I actually cried a little when Mark said he would still have his dad.

[@jakobladd6228]

Be who you needed as a kid man best advice I’ve ever heard and I’m hoping it’ll help you …

[@boyt935]

I cried when the wife and Cecil knew that Omni man was the killer then the music kicked in. then cried for Mark when he was witnessing all the destruction in the city

[@Sam-xd8fy]

My obvious first reaction to him calling his wife a pet is "oh this guys a piece of crap." but the more you think about it the more it becomes apparent that he said that to deny to himself that he ever really loved Sandra, when in reality he did.

[@ohno8398]

That moment still boils his blood, poor Debbie having to witness that

[@TheRoomforImprovement]

Every time someone says something like “why did you make me do this?”, my first instinct is to say “nobody made you do this. That was all you.”

[@chaosXP3RT]

"Why did you make me do this?" Is exactly what an abuser says trying to deflect blame for their actions onto the victim.

[@titusgaming9259]

To be fair he would be killed if he didn’t

[@PlumCrazy392]

I completely agree that Nolan liked his life. And he was trying to convince himself as much as he was trying to convince Mark.That scene you showed at the end is super important. Nolan lives for thousands of years. I think he was going to wait till mark and Debbie were gone, then start the take over. But when Mark got his power, and would not only live longer but eventually could become a threat, he realized it was time and he couldn’t put it off any longer.

[@jbrewerman2]

This is probably the best explanation for why Nolan went into action.

[@TheTideKing004]

No spoilers but he wouldnt have had enough time to wait for them to die.

[@Xxstevo69xX]

But they're is something else he forgot to mention to Mark, that even if Nolan didnt conquer the planet, the viltrimites would send somebody else to do it anyways.

[@peremoha2217]

@@TheTideKing004 Why?

[@ptolemeeselenion1542]

This is equal parts logical and insulting: for as it might infers that Nolan thought very little about Mark and perceived him as a "genetically inferior" Viltumite who wouldn't have inherited the lion's share of his father's genetic heritage.

[@josephdickson6572]

The indoctrination was thousands of years and it took only a couple decades with humans to start undoing it. It's one of the reasons I love this show.

[@DDuffy143]

Omg wow I just realized, you look a lot like Atom Eve in this video! All the way down to the hair, eye makeup, and attire! I love it. You rock!!

[@GeorgiaDow]

HA yay someone noticed. Appreciate it

[@zoomnoomloom1821]

It is instantly recognizable.

[@edgarcia4794]

Given his life span there was no rush so long as Marks powers never showed up Nolan could have waited until Mark and Debbie died to start to think about how to bring the Earth into the Viltrum empire with Marks powers showing up so late he was going to have a hard time indoctrinating him to thinking of himself as a Viltrumite. And Nolan couldn't be sure if Mark would side with the Humans so he had to speed up his time table.

[@DDuffy143]

I love how you kept the spirit of the show alive with your editing, where you left out the spoken word "Invincible" and cut to the title screen like they always did.

[@definitelyapersonandnotadog]

I liked and hated that so much I was never expecting that and it would get me every time

[@otalek9250]

I agree that Nolan’s statement about his wife being a pet is a form of self-delusion. You can see as she starts to turn against him that it genuinely affects him.

[@YonkoAgenda]

He also cant even look at Mark when he says it

[@onetakem]

I don't know if you missed it or not, you didn't mention it, but as Nolan flys out into the atmosphere you can just catch the tears in his eyes and watch them float behind him as he leaves. It think its additional support to the idea that he was trying to internally deny and fight his own programming/indoctrination from his homeworld all along, but it took his son's words to finally push him to acknowledge it to himself. He goes through a great range of facial expressions after "i'll still have you dad..." is said. Its great writing and animating that made that moment so important and empathetic for the viewer.

[@CarlosEduardo-zr6hc]

Wow I didn't expect Invincible here. Love it

[@bunnywithmonocle5324]

That was a clean intro with the title screen. You're getting a like for that alone!

[@bgcorporation]

Really hope you blow up because these are really good.

[@GeorgiaDow]

I can dream

[@elin111]

Nolan makes Darth Vader look like father of the year.

[@deathbb703]

I think Nolan knew that once the viltrimites took over Earth it wasn't going to turn out so great for the earthlings. They might protect and provide for Earth but at a cost.

[@owenhalloran3111]

In the comics it’s even worse than that. Or better, depending on your feelings about breeding camps

[@crimsonkaiser3162]

@@owenhalloran3111 Breeding camps for what? to make humans like viltrimites? or to make them more docile like domestication?

[@owenhalloran3111]

@@crimsonkaiser3162 spoilers They want to make a bunch of human viltrumite hybrids like mark for their army

[@brandonpayne2877]

@@owenhalloran3111 Couldn't they do that with their fellow viltrimites that are already apart of the empire?

[@balditogl]

@@brandonpayne2877 Apparently according to a spoiler, the Viltrumitas suffered a disease that killed many of their race.

[@RealDrumPyles]

I like how you sort of cosplay the redhead characters of your vids 😅 like now with atom eve ☺️ anyway nice vid, I like that you make these kinds 😁

[@GeorgiaDow]

Thanks =) I did try and happy you recognized

[@Mr.Comedian42069]

I’m incredibly offended that this video doesn’t have a hundred thousand views

[@seanwilliams7655]

I know I'm late, but this is an excellent analysis. Light spoilers here, but everything you said turned out to be true in the comics.

[@GeorgiaDow]

Very cool thanks for letting me know

[@Stranglebat]

I don't know how mark could ever sleep again after the train scene

[@Butonz1]

My understanding of cognitive dissonance was that it occurs when our actions appear out of line with our personal beliefs. When we say or do something that appears contradictory to our sense of who or what we are we feel the"dissonance" until we either change our beliefs or realign our behavior. Does the phenomena extend to simply encountering different ideologies? Does rejecting new/different ideas resolve dissonance in the same way accepting them would? It's been a long time since Cog/Behavioral psych for me lol

[@badsamaritan8223]

I think Nolan fighting Mark was Nolan projecting his human persona onto Mark, and trying to destroy it, by destroying Mark. I think he realized he acquired "weakness" during his time on Earth, and was afraid that it would destroy him, if he didn't destroy it first. I think he was trying to regain his Viltrumite pride, until he finally succumbed to the fact that he really did love his son.

[@SVDassassin]

My relationship with my father has had more than one or two ups and downs, nowhere near what Mark went through, but enough to where I feel like I can relate just a little bit. Thank you for your channel!

[@as.alwayscare6850]

I love the way you talk about blame!

[@tinman2001]

Great video. Thank you for using pop culture to make psychology more accessible to someone like me. There's a lot going around the internet about Amber and whether or not she was in the right. I would love to see a video where you break down their relationship, any chance that could happen in the future?

[@ElephantFilmWerks]

Watching the finale I felt bad for Nolan. He was so indoctrinated it was kind of painful to watch. But that Subway scene though.

[@lisandrobottari5366]

I think that when Nolan defined his wife as a "pet", he tryed to compare her to a pet cause in a way she is someone he loves, but yet, he knows she won't live as many years as him. Even if he really loves her, he knows that sadly she is someone temporally in his life

[@haroldstrickland6126]

So, the thing is that the show follows the comic very closely, and in the comic...well, without spoilers, we learn more about Nolan that explains what happened in his life on Earth and what he was experiencing in this scene. Like, his conflict makes more and more sense once these things are revealed. This is a war waged against inevitability. Imagine if you're the most powerful being on Earth, sure. But NOT the most powerful being on your world. A world of conquerors. Annnnnndddd the rest is spoilers unfortunately. But it will be interesting to hear your thoughts when more of the story is revealed.

[@PianoCatProductions]

The quote at 5:12 "you dad, I'll still have you." was what made me read the entirety of Invincible. I saw some posting of the panels for that scene on Instagram and that image of this young kid, beaten to a pulp, and his father covered in his son's blood saying "I'll still have you" was so impactful to me. Still hits home now

[@ehleeinn9743]

I saw it as him taking it out his anger on his son bc his son can take it. Sucks 2b mark tho. As for his pet wife, I thought he said it to deny that he really loves her but doesn't want to admit she will be gone in less than a century.

[@justsomeotherguywithamusta9949]

Would love to see you take on the relationship between heron and zeus in blood of zeus.

[@agentspaniel4428]

Depending on where the show goes I hope you can do a video on the immortal.

[@GeorgiaDow]

will have to see = )

[@justmusicart725]

Interesting video on a conflicted character in a great adaptation. Looking forward to similar content

[@MsEutanatos]

I really liked this video! I hope to see more videos about invincible on your channel

[@zombie90074]

Im super late but ive rewatched this show for the umpteenth time and had the idea to see if you covered the show. It was a pleasant surprise and i enjoyed the video and outfit very much like every other video! Thanks for the great and informative content too i feel like i am actually learning

[@GeorgiaDow]

welcome =)

[@warlord5295]

I wonder what she would say about the spartan training agoge scenes in 300 involving leonidas as a child growing up is sparta.

[@grantpflum6844]

If I were Nolan I would have tried to, like you said, convince Mark that Viltrimite conquering earth was not only inevitable but also a good thing for both species. The Viltrimites are gong extinct, being honest about that would be a good way to earn Mark's sympathy, so getting together with earth would not only save them by giving them a larger breeding population, but it would also give earth a large number of protectors. Then I would bring up the huge technological revolution they would bring, mention how Mark could be a hero by ensuring a more peaceful transition and emphasize how much I believe doing this was the only way to preserve both our family and species. I also wouldn't have murdered the guardians. completely

[@hermitcard4494]

In the Vultrime society where Nolan was rise, power is right. If youre weak your wrong. He knew Mark was gonna recover from that beating. Mark was fine. It made him stronger.

[@matthewgreen5961]

This scene made me cry so hard😭

[@ThatGuySam]

Love these videos. This channel’s going to be huge! Any chance you could do a breakdown of the layers of a Mad Men Pitch scene such as the Carousel or the Lipstick one. I’ll go back through and watch those scenes every few months and still find new meaning even years later.

[@ALCvideoprofile]

I'd love to see you react to Zuko's character arc in Avatar The Last Airbender.

[@Johniemman]

Thinking you should do Castlevania too; Dracula vs Alucard.

[@SuperZez]

How would a therapist even *begin* to help someone recover from the infamous subway scene?

[@GeorgiaDow]

its trauma therapy and It is very intense but effective. You need to have a therapist you trust

[@brandonpayne2877]

I like how you change your look to match the videos you react to! I'd like to make a request if you don't mind. There is this episode from Batman: TAS about Harley Quinn's origins and at the end Batman explaining how The Joker fooled Harley. Would you be willing to react as a therapist to how Harley starts to fall for the Joker and how she feels after speaking to Batman. There was also this comment on KZbin how during her talk with Batman that she dropped her accent for a few seconds like she's finally realized something. Let me know if this is helpful or useful?

[@Enoughdata]

3:35 "strong indoctrination that has probably been for hundreds of years" More like, hundreds of thousands of years. I feel like that makes a significant difference. I'm not convinced it takes just as much effort to break out of an indoctrination that has developed you for a few decades or a few hundred years as it would to break out of a several hundred thousand year indoctrination that has molded you into who you are. The amount of experience for an individual just wouldn't be comparable. It's basically impossible to fathom what it would truly be like to live that long, so I can't say we can really make any assessment on what to expect for someone who would live that long. It might take so much more will power to break out of a mindset like that if you already believe that mindset is responsible for allowing you to live as long as you have. Idk, it just seems that we're talking about something that goes so far beyond the thresholds of human experience that it's like analyzing a new scientific discovery that breaks what we know about reality, yet insisting that we should apply what we already know. I'm not sure it works that way.

[@jeffhale1189]

👀 I really enjoy your reaction videos. I am entertained and learn so much. Thanks & Blessings on your day 🙂

[@lellis4778]

I wish you talked about the train scene but still great vid

[@russiandoomer945]

I really think people misunderstand the "pet" bit, or people really don't care for their little buddies.if my pet died I would probably go into depression, and its not like my dog is the only thing I have in my life, so even if he perceives his wife as a pet it's justified by the fact thst he lived for so long, and even if he loves her it's obviously less impact full to him as let's say his first wife,after a 100 times ANYTHING becomes lesser.

[@nomad8493]

Hi there I was taking to a friend a couple of months ago and I said omni man was far worse then Homelander , because omni man had a normal up bringing then Homelander who was raised in a laboratory so he didn't lean right from wrong from his family so can you do a video on this please 🙂.

[@damianstarks3338]

O my god this season final of invincible was beyond epic and beyond brutal and dramatic and I loved every minute of it.

[@WillOfMyD]

K, with the Butchers bro headshot video you make a disclaimer, but with this one, right off the bat, the saiyan Kryptonian bisecting caveman Lincoln.

[@theender664]

I always thought the same And wondered why people say such bad things about Nolan He's good guy But he was indoctrinated That's why he didn't see any other way And said it's sons fault

[@NeroCloud]

just like she said 1 thought can break years of what your mind was on.

[@GiRR007]

i think if his son didnt get his powers nolan was actually hoping to just live a long time with his family and then eventually conquer earth once they were gone.

[@JoshMc420]

So cool you watched this

[@jordonnichols546]

She was pretty dead on about omni man not really wanting invincible to be like him in the comics you see how having mark changed him

[@midasthestallion4105]

If I was Nolan? I would've either waited another 80 years or so, when everyone close to Mark is dead and gone, and maybe try and get a Viltrumite or two in the equation who have thousands of years of negotiating (and combat) experience, while I spoon feed him what I need to get him on board. A little watered down truth here, a little watered down truth there; kinda ease him into the role. I would also use humanity's propensity for self destruction and individualism as a reason; "See how destructive they are, Mark? See how much better they might be without Nuclear Armaments, Mark? See how they wouldn't fly planes into buildings, killing THOUSANDS, if more of us were here to keep an eye on em and help them out, Mark?" I'd also have some more kids on the side and indoctrinate them proper....in the event Mark needs to be removed from the equation. And I'd keep the Empire up to date because Viltrumites don't tolerate hurdles in the mission.

[@LuisRamirez-rn8yi]

I love this channel👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@pabloricodiamenka9325]

Georgia you look like one of the characters Adam Eve.

[@user-cx9un9fs7q]

He was actually hurting mark to show him how if he can’t beat one viltrumite with hundreds of years of training how do you expect to beat multiple.

[@saramcmurtrie3955]

Please do the whole fight

[@tieflingcorpse9817]

Just casually explaining how to indoctrinate your kids lol

[@sirellyn]

Well the schools are definitely doing it right now.

[@godzillakingofthemonsters5812]

Late but no one seems to understand the pet comment, think about it, he's a completely different species, in a whole other echelon of power and ability. Debbie will die in what for Nolan is a very small portion of his life. He's lived for over 2,000 years. Couple more decades isn't too far away. The same way people can love animals like cats and dogs, but their lifespans are a fraction of our own and we know that they will slip away before our eyes. Guarantee this has happened to Nolan before, time and again on multiple planets. That's not pushing away, that's acknowledging a real and undeniable difference between them.

[@aradraugfea6755]

I think a big point that you possibly miss on is that Nolan is so indoctrinated HIMSELF, that he doesn't really see the REASON to lie about what he's doing. Like, yes, he's lied for his entire time on Earth, but that was to make the job easier, not out of shame or anything. So when he's just frankly presenting his reasons to Mark, he doesn't even consider that Mark needs convincing. This is all a foregone conclusion to Nolan. Taking over the Earth, bringing it into the empire, this is the best thing that could happen. He can't wrap his head around the opposing viewpoint enough to speak convincingly. Though, in a lot of places, I would say he's definitely lying to himself. That's why Mark's words cut so deep. He's good and worked up, he's angry, he's READY for defiance, he's READY for every argument Mark could make... except that one. It comes out of nowhere and hits him so deep that his entire "righteous" tantrum gets derailed. It finds the Nolan who didn't know how to react when Mark got his powers. Mark not having powers meant Nolan could still play nice, still be the hero, and just keep waiting it out. If Mark is a total dud, he can try again in another century. He's got time. But Mark has powers, and that means the plan continues, and there's that weird moment early on where Nolan the husband and father and Nolan the Viltrimite war against one another. Everything that happens in this show, including that shocking end to the first episode, is put into motion by Mark having his powers and the knowledge that Nolan will have backup.

[@bigdingo8848]

Holy crap, did Omni-Man use the murder of hundreds of civilians and the threat of the enslavement of the earth both as attempts to enrage his son enough to fight for the earth? It's like once he saw Mark's powers develop, an idea formed in Nolan's head that he has to get Mark to hate the viltrimites and fight for earth.

[@nomadhakunamatata5793]

No, I do not believe so. Nolan genuinely backed viltrimites. He thought he could break his son into complying with him. Mark refused to break and Nolan could not kill him due to his feelings.

[@chaosXP3RT]

I think he murdered civilians to show Mark that they were weak and useless. Completely different from him and Mark. Nolan has to get Mark in his side. If he doesn't, Mark will become stronger with age and will be harder to defeat. But at the same time, Nolan is taking out his frustration, sadness, confusion and torn loyalties out on his son. He's arguing with his son as much as himself. Nolan loves his family. He kinda likes Earth. Beating up Mark and killing people is him trying to destroy his own attachment to Earth and his family. When Mark says "I'll always have you dad", Nolan can't bring himself to kill his family and conquer Earth. He loves them too much. Unsure on what to do or how to feel, he runs (flies) away.

[@starpack1]

@GeorgiaDow Hey, could you do a psychology review on Nolan (Omni-Man) from Season 2 Episode 4 of Invincible? Definitely watch the full episode. I think there could be more insight to the character. I hope you can do a reaction to it.

[@Xxstevo69xX]

Here is a question for you & you may not know this unless you've read the comic ahead of time. If a Viltrumite doesn't complete his mission or abandons his post, he'll be marked for death & they'll end up sending somebody else to finish the job. So did Nolan have a choice in the matter? Considering that he should have conquered the planet a long time ago.

[@chowfalp]

Ow…I’m 24 this year. Man

[@alexanderkoski-quaye7412]

With the near immortality and invulnerability of the Viltrumites, it's only a failure of their philosophical systems to not have devoted themselves to a life of contemplation, non-attachment, and alleviating the suffering in the universe. They literally need nothing. They can spend eons in thought alone or exploring the galaxy, ultimately like most human aliens in fiction they're a reflection of ourselves, as my comments are a reflection of my own life and goals.

[@agentspaniel4428]

Compare this to the immortal who actually does live forever (as long as he isn't killed) he spent his whole life helping others regardless of what happens to him

[@ryancoleman7378]

don't call my mom a pet

[@emilyaguirre8949]

I don’t know if this counts as cognitive dissonance but I’m schizoaffective and other diagnosis but my voice likes to morally judge me whilst trying to get me to do the stuff. I know it’s bad so I don’t do it but it still tries to either judge me for things I don’t do or tries to put its belief system into my head (and some of the things it thinks is dark. It’s distressing but I need to wear headphones so I don’t hear it say things like “hurt yourself you deserve it because of this”…. It calls me horrible things and tries to get me to do things. I also have intrusive thoughts (god I hope people know what those are and how they work) but essentially it repeats this stuff so often that even though I know what’s up I still feel that throat gripping feeling and try to keep my believes in order…. I’m embarrassed to say this but I want to know if it counts as cognitive dissonance.

[@quintinkyker8859]

What about the boys

[@Lordbubbi]

This reaction felt short of all whats happening in invinceble. I would love more details, sry bad english

[@elbarto6668]

Nice

[@ehleeinn9743]

Haha Just noticed the intro.

[@bamzx1]

You're great! Keep doing this content if you like it haha but I can tell you didn't like see this behavior from his dad. Best of wishes for you!

[@GeorgiaDow]

Thanks for watching!

[@classicslover]

Can I just...I don't know...borrow you while I'm writing? Up front fee? Screen Credit? Gross participation? (Better than net participation...trust me.) I could get you a comfy chair. You could put your feet up...and I could pick your brain! Doesn't that sound FUN? Annnd ENJOYABLE? (Sigh) I know! I know! I should have started with this indoctrination attempt just a couple of years sooner. You know. Before you were 24.

[@MrZonehawk]

Okay ladies remember if a handsome alien asks you to marry him say No! Cus you know he’s up to no good!

[@GeorgiaDow]

Noted !

[@kilmcm45]

OK....but, hard truths cut both ways. I think if you shove that in Nolan's face.....he would likely ungloved your skin. Compassion doesn't seem to be his strong point

[@DamagdHart64]

Is this free therapy..?

[@cockroachv]

You don’t yell and fight people you don’t love. Yelling, lecturing, fighting is done out of love.

[@scorpioproductions7068]

First

[@saintakins187]

Let's not forget that the 3rd Clark Kent Superman copycat next to Homelander & Brightburn, Omni-man maliciously murderously killed his friends Guardians of the Globe each and every one of them had lives outside of the whole superhero job. People, if you're going to make a superhero comic or cartoon DO NOT give any of your fictional characters the same abilities as Clark Kent Superman. Because you're really not offering the world nothing new, just the same old product like Rockstar Games constantly keep re-releasing Grand Theft Auto V despite the fact that Grand Theft Auto V online is broken beyond comprehension.

[@elin111]

The character Omni-Man was created before evil Superman was a tired overdone cliche.

[@cheesybeans9476]

@@elin111 yeah, I'm pretty sure that invincible was actually quite.. early for the genre of good gone evil (if that makes sense)

[@brandonpayne2877]

Why did Brightburn become evil? I never saw the movie.

[@cheesybeans9476]

@@brandonpayne2877 there's no reason, he's just basically a spoiled brat who, much like the others, believes he's superior to us and therefore whenever refused something he'll hurt someone