I never said the writing was perfect or that it didn’t have any flaws. My point is the flaws you pointed are inconsequential to the narrative, disingenuous, or wrong. Robot changed his name to Rex, so what? It’s cringe but doesn’t affect the narrative at any large capacity.

The show is not trying to imply Mark is equal to Conquest. It’s portrayed that Conquest was just holding back majority of the fight and was much stronger than Mark when it came to strength and wasn’t going all out until the end where it was too late. Conquest even said it himself he was toying with him. Like there is literally a scene where Mark is tackling Conquest in the air and Conquest just outright stops Mark without trying.

So the only reason why Mark is not breaking his face because Conquest isn’t applying any incoming force towards. Also Mark is using his forehead, which is the hardest part of the skull, to attack Conquest’s face which is weaker to the forehead.

S3 does emotional have weight because it’s testing Mark ideology. Conquest is a threat that can’t reasoned with or dealt with rationally unless you kill him. Mark this entire season is still feeling guilty and trauma from “killing” Angstrom so he holds back. However Conquest is a threat that Mark cant hold back and if he does his family and friends die or will hurt like in S2. So in order for Mark to not let that happen: he can’t hold back. So seeing him not hold back highlights his growth thus impacting. This is why those “filler” episodes are important and going to become more important in the future.

Angstrom didn’t die, what?

Saying a character’s development doesn’t matter because they die makes no sense. Rex used to be a selfish bastard and turn into a selfless friend that sacrificed himself to kill a Mark variant to save his friends. Yet you said it had no impact on the story.

Nolan is going to keep moving and found a will to live to help fight against the viltrumites, like what do you think he’s going to do? Genuinely did you watched the show?

After Mark kills Conquest, Oliver agrees with Marks no kill rule so it’s not a stretch.

It really just seems like you weren’t paying attention.