Two major members of the Fantastic Four might be doomed to die stopping the Reckoning and it’s all according to Mister Fantastic’s plans.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Fantastic Four #40, now on sale from Marvel Comics
The Fantastic Four — and the rest of the Marvel Universe for that matter — is currently contending with a potentially apocalyptic event with the Reckoning War. A long-simmering conflict that’s been teased for years, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some casualties — with two potential major ones coming as a direct result of one hero’s decisions.
Fantastic Four #40 by Dan Slott, Rachael Stott, Jesus Aburtov, and VC’s Joe Caramagna has Mister Fantastic send himself and Thing on a mission that might just get the both of them killed — and he did so with a cold bluntness that’s truly terrifying.
The Reckoning War has already proven to be a monumental event, with the entire hero community scrambling to contend with the threats posed by the mysterious Reckoning race. Reed Richards has been forced to embrace the full knowledge of the Watcher — which has left him even more brilliant but far less empathetic. To contend with the threats, the team ends up splintered across the universe — with Mister Fantastic, the Thing, She-Hulk, and Jack of Hearts venturing into Shi’Ar Space to help protect the M’Kraan Crystal. Upon their arrival however, they discover the Imperial Guard largely defeated at the hands of the Morani. A deadly race of warriors, they’ve become even more deadly thanks to the Reckoning’s technology.
Among their number is the warrior known as Rapture, who carries over some personally dangerous potential for the Thing. When the Griever forced the team to witness their likely deaths in Fantastic Four #28, the Thing saw Rapture kill him in battle. While this leaves the typically boisterous Thing terrified, Reed reveals a second problem: due to his decision to absorb the Watcher’s knowledge, his mind is expanding at a rate even his advanced mind can’t contend with. The amount of knowledge is actively killing Reed and melting down his brain. Because of the power boost, Reed has effectively doomed himself to die within three days. It’s a brutal series of choices by Mister Fantastic, and ones that might just result in the deaths of Marvel’s first ultimate best friends.
On the one hand, at least they’ll get the chance to meet their fate together. But on the other, it’s heartbreaking to see Reed choose the practical yet tragic fate for his partners. Due to his advanced intellect, Reed seems to have grown increasingly cold to the emotions of his loved ones — enraging Human Torch into battle and ignoring the fears of his wife. But seeing the likelihood of his and the Thing’s deaths — and deciding it was for the greater good — might be his coldest decision yet.
While their battle against Rapture might save all of reality, it might also leave Alicia Masters a widow and their adopted children without a father. That’s without even considering the risk Reed is taking himself, seemingly sacrificing himself and his well-being for the sake of the universe. There’s still a good chance the heroes will figure something out — they’re operating on a truly cosmic scale at this point, and any number of powerful beings could find a way to save or restore the pair even if they die. It wouldn’t be the first time the two have even died in the last two decades. But considering that this time it was Reed’s decision to put them directly into the line of fire, the entire situation gains an even more dour edge.
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