Powerplex's Mission

This minor yet pivotal event follows Scott Duvall, who takes the name Powerplex and launches a reckless crusade to kill Invincible in the memory of his late sister, Jessica Duvall. What begins as one man's twisted quest for justice spirals into one of the darkest stretches of the series, culminating in the death of Powerplex's own family and his imprisonment.

A year earlier, Jessica Duvall and her daughter Gretchen were among the civilians killed during the battle between Omni-Man and his son that leveled parts of Chicago. Scott witnessed the disaster and, though he blamed Omni-Man, he also fixed his rage on Invincible, who had actually been trying to save people that day. After District Attorney Barnett tells him no case can be brought, Scott takes matters into his own hands. Working as a GDA researcher, he steals experimental power-storage discs to boost his weak energy-absorption ability, and with his wife Becky's backing he builds the Powerplex persona to force Invincible to answer for the massacre.

To draw the hero out, Powerplex stages destructive stunts and demands a confrontation, but Mark, busy celebrating William's birthday, ignores the news and leaves it to others. Only Shapesmith responds, and Powerplex blasts him unconscious with a storm of electricity before fleeing, unsettled by the terrified onlookers. Fearing the GDA will soon trace the theft, he heeds Becky's suggestion and hijacks a memorial ceremony for the Chicago dead, seizing the podium to call out Invincible. Debbie holds Mark back, and it is Atom Eve who faces Powerplex; she quickly works out his powers and restrains him until The Immortal, Darkwing II, and Shapesmith arrive to take him in. He charges himself against the transport wall, crashes it, and escapes once more.

Mark meets Donald atop the Tailor Shoppe and learns Duvall has tracked him for months, though the spy drones were never GDA tech. Hoping to make peace, Mark instead hears that Powerplex has taken two hostages, in truth his own wife and son, and issued a viral ultimatum. Invincible finds him in the very building wrecked by the clash that killed Jessica and Gretchen. He refuses to fight and tries to free the captives, but Becky spits in his face and calls him a monster. Powerplex then seizes Mark's head and unleashes a lethal surge, only to turn and see he has electrocuted his own family to death. Consumed by grief and fury, he attacks again, but Invincible pins his wrists in a bear hug until Powerplex burns out the last of his power and collapses in tears.

Powerplex is sent to Payton Penitentiary in restraints, though Donald notes the discs cannot be removed without killing him, leaving rehabilitation doubtful. When Mark tries to sympathize, Duvall clings to his blame and swears revenge. The next day a sudden prison breakout frees him during the wider chaos, and he witnesses the evil variant Movincihawk demolishing the facility before being crushed by him. Powerplex finds a grim measure of vengeance by vaporizing another malevolent Invincible, possibly Hoodvincible, and cheering as he avenges his family. He recovers his suit and helps clean up the ravaged cities, then turns on the true Invincible when he appears, electrocuting him until Kid Omni-Man and Brit subdue him and cart him off to GDA custody, since Payton itself has been destroyed.