WARNING! Spoilers for One World Under Doom #2

It finally happened: Doctor Doom has cured the Thing and restored his human form, upending the Fantastic Four‘s status quo in a shocking way. Decades after he first became the Thing, Ben Grimm’s greatest wish of being his old self again has come true at long last, but the Fantastic Four losing a hero as valuable as the Thing may have devastating consequences for both the team and the world as a whole.

In One World Under Doom #2 by Ryan North, R.B. Silva, David Curiel, and Travis Lanham, the Fantastic Four face off against Doctor Doom in hopes of dismantling his empire, only to be outsmarted by their nemesis yet again. Doom has won the public’s favor, and to further cement himself as a “savior”, he takes it upon himself to cure the Thing.

Ben Grimm is no longer the Thing, and according to Doctor Doom, this change is permanent. The Fantastic Four’s ever-lovin’ blue-eyed Thing has been struck down, and the future of the team has never been less certain as a result.

The Fantastic Four’s Thing Is Finally Cured, But Reed Richards Isn’t to Thank

Doctor Doom Has Succeeded Where Mister Fantastic Failed

For decades, Reed Richards has been attempting to cure the Thing, but Doctor Doom just accomplished it in hardly any time at all. As the Fantastic Four’s heroes try to fight Doom, Victor condemns Reed for letting his ally down. He declares that “in his strength, in his greatness, in his generosity, Doom now grants what Reed Richards never could”. To this end, he uses his Sorcerer Supreme powers to “fix” the Thing. Doom voices good intentions, but it’s clear that his plan is to demonize the Fantastic Four while the world is watching by pulling off a feat that Reed Richards hasn’t achieved.

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At long last, Marvel’s vampire problem has been solved, and the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards is to thank for inventing the novel solution.

Ever since the Fantastic Four were exposed to cosmic rays that granted them superpowers, Reed Richards has vowed to undo the Thing’s transformation and restore Ben Grimm to his human form. There have been plenty of instances in the past where Ben has temporarily reverted to his previous state, and Ben turns into his old self once per year in the current status quo. Still, Doctor Doom is the first to devise what he claims to be a permanent cure, proving he’s surpassed Reed Richards at last. Thanks to Doom, the Thing is an ordinary human again, and he can’t fight alongside the Fantastic Four anymore.

The Thing No Longer Has Powers, Forcing Him to Quit The Fantastic Four

The Fantastic Four Is Officially Down One of Its Strongest Members

Although he’s long sought out a cure for his physical affliction, Ben has gradually learned to embrace being the Thing over the years, so he isn’t as enthused about this outcome as he may have been in the past – especially if it takes him out of the fight against Doom. When the world needs the Fantastic Four most, they’re now left without a critical hero. Therefore, Doctor Doom‘s “cure” for the Thing may not be as benevolent as he claims it to be, since his true motive seems to be trimming down the Fantastic Four so that his rule can go unchallenged.

One World Under Doom #2 is available now from Marvel Comics!

Fantastic Four

Summary

The Fantastic Four is a superhero franchise centered on Marvel Comics’ first family of superheroes. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the team made its comic book debut in 1961 and quickly became a cornerstone of Marvel’s success. The franchise follows four astronauts—Reed Richards, Susan Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm—who gain superpowers after being exposed to cosmic radiation. Over the years, Fantastic Four has been adapted into several live-action films, animated series, and video games. The films have seen multiple reboots, with varying levels of success, and are now set to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), with a new film slated for release in 2025.

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