Moments of Truth

As Psi-Lord and his constructs prepare to go into battle with Warlord Kargul with the powerful Vangaard, who threatens to destroy all reality, they suddenly become aware that Fantastic Force his teleported into the trans-temporal rift where Vangaard is emerging. As Franklin pleads to Kargul to save his friends, the warlord explains that there is nothing they can do, and that his friends must face their foe alone. Out on the battle field, Vangaar tells the members of Fantastic Force to prepare to be obliterated from the Omniverse, but they refuse to stand down without a fight. Despite their powers, Fantastic Force is no match for Vangaar who can even regenerate his weapon after Vibraxas attempted to destroy it. During the course of the battle Devlor is seemingly disintegrated. Huntara then leaps in with her Psi-Sycthe, but instead of harming her foe it allows her to peer into his memories. She learns that Vangaard used to be the Johnny Storm of another reality. After being fatally wounded and left for dead. He was rescued by Arkon who healed him and remade his image into Gaard, in a plot to sacrifice three realities to repower his homeworld. However when he was defeated by the Fantastic Four's Thing he was lost in a dimensional void. There he was found by a powerful being and reformed into Vangaard. He was charged with the task of combing the Omniverse and destroying whole realities that have been deemed to be redundant.

Knocked aside, Huntara realizes that they are fighting a losing battle and calls back the rest of her team, spiriting them away in a dimensional portal. Back at Kargul's fortress, the Warlord decides that drastic measures are in order and commands his subordinate to bring him his Armor of God. However as Kargul is putting on the armor, Franklin warns him that to use it could fry his brain. When the Warlord refuses to stand down, Franklin uses his psi-powers to knock Kargul out and he and his composites head out to face Vangaard alone.

Meanwhile on Earth, Wyatt Wingfoot is in town visiting his former girlfriend the She-Hulk. As they are out on the town they happen by what appears to be a homeless man with no legs begging for change. She-Hulk doesn't think anything of it and hands the man a dollar before they continue on their way, unaware that this man is speaking with some kind of demonic being and that obtaining something that once belonged to She-Hulk plays into his plans. Amazingly, the man gets up and walks away on invisible legs.

Back in Elsewhen, Franklin and his constructs head toward the battle zone. Although willing to sacrifice his life to destroy their foe, Franklin gets opposition from Ego-Spawn who is afraid of dying. However both Avatar and Tattletale convince him that a noble sacrifice is in order. With all his components agreeing, Franklin removes the Psycho-Armor that has kept his power in check for so long. Utilizing the full potential of his powers, Franklin amasses a massive amount of anti-matter energy and then fires it upon his foe. There is a massive explosion and Franklin is seemingly slain. However just as the other members of Fantastic Force are arriving at Kargul's fortress, they notice the explosion... And that Vangaard is still alive.

Although Franklin's attempt to destroy Vangaar was a complete failure, Huntara realizes that they have the key to defeating them all along. She tells Johnny that he is the only one who can get Vangaar to stop him. Johnny approaches Vangaar and tells him to stop. When Vangaar tells him it is his duty to prune the Omniverse, the Torch tells him that they are not going to stop without a fight. Vangaard, recognizing Johnny as an alternate version of himself, cannot bring himself to destroy himself -- even if its a version from another reality. Removing his helment and revealing to Johnny who he is, Vangaar explains his past. He also thanks Johnny for reawakening his concience. Realizing that not all reality need to be pruned, only ones that need an absolute end, Vangaard thanks Johnny for re-awakening his humanity before departing into the Omniverse once again.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Force (Human Torch, Black Panther, Huntara, Vibraxas, Devlor, Psi-Lord, Tattletale, Ego-Spawn, Avatar), Warlord Kargul, She-Hulk, Wyatt Wingfoot, Vangaard, Diablo, Mephisto

Continuity Notes

• Vangaar recaps his origins as they were originally told back in Fantastic Four #163. Although this version omits mention that Johnny Storm of Earth-712 fought in the Vietnam War. Per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616, that was a topical reference, hence why specific reference to it has been excised here.

• Of all the different realities shown by Vangaar during this story, only Earth-7712 has been previously seen. It first appeared in What If? #6.

• Earth-9532 should not be confused with Earth-721, Vangaar's home reality. Per Fantastic Four #118 it featured a world where Reed Richards became the Thing, while Ben Grimm gained both flame and stretching powers. The difference between these realities is that on Earth-712, Ben Grimm eventually had himself cured, as seen in Fantastic Four #160. Also while Earth-9532 was destroyed, Earth-712 endures as it is seen again in She-Hulk (vol. 2) #21.

• Nobody seems to notice or comments on the fact that there is a portrait of Lord Moses on the wall in Kargul's castle. Similarly, Lord Moses had a portrait of Kargul in his fortress as seen in Fantastic Force #2. A connection between the two had been hinted at particularly when considering that Fantastic Force #10 suggests that the long lost sister of Paul Alvarez is either Huntara or Zarathustra. However these connections are never explored as Fantastic Force is cancelled not long after this story.

• Wyatt Wingfoot mentions his past relationship with She-Hulk. The pair began dating shortly after Fantastic Four #270. However the two decided to break off their relationship in She-Hulk Ceremony #2. They have remained friends ever since.

• The homeless man in this story is revealed to be Diablo next issue. The demon he is speaking with is unidentified. The demon he is speaking to is revealed to be Mephisto in Fantastic Force #17.