Forever Evil

The Magus has captured both Adam Warlock and the newly reactivated Infinity Gauntlet, thus securing him the ultimate power which he has been seeking since the beginning of the Infinity War. Now with Warlock crucified to an alien creature, the Magus gloats over his victory, before preparing to reshape all reality to his insane whims.

Meanwhile, down below, Earth's defenders are still engaged in a battle against the Magus' evil doppelgangers. During the fight the Thing is shocked when he spots Human Torch using his flame powers to kill the doppelgangers. When he tries to remind Johnny that they're good guys and they do not commit murder, Johnny says he has no choice. As he incinerates a doppelganger of Alpha Flight's Guardian, Johnny tells Ben how he discovered that these doppelgangers are not even living creatures, that every time one is destroyed a new one is created. As if to punctuate this point, no sooner is the Guardian doppelganger destroyed does a new one suddenly teleport into the battle field. Still Ben is none the less horrified, telling Johnny he shouldn't sacrifice everything that makes him the Human Torch instead of another would-be Punisher. Johnny tells Ben that he would rather sacrifice his principals instead of his life. Before Ben can argue further, he is suddenly attacked by a Thor doppelganger, who tells the Thing to pay attention to his own battles.

At that very moment inside the Magus' fortress the Invisible Woman is running through the facility invisibly trying to find the Magus and hopefully discover a way to stop him. She suddenly walks in on a battle between Thanos and his doppelganger. Unsure which one to assist in the battle, Sue chooses the one only wearing one glove, assisting in his knock out punch with an invisible force sphere. Back outside, Johnny tries to race to Ben's help when suddenly he is downed by a lightning bolt fired by a doppelganger of the X-Men's Storm. Seeing Johnny fall, Ben tries to rush to his teammate's side when suddenly his head is caught in an invisible force field created by a doppelganger of Sue, cutting off his air supply. The Invisible Woman doppelganger tells Ben that the only way to release himself from the sphere cutting off his air is to kill her. Ben considers it but cannot bring himself to do it. Having recovered from the previous attack, Johnny steps in and incinerates the double, saving Ben's life. Although Johnny is certain that they're going to win this battle, Ben wonders at what price. As another gang of doppelgangers start attacking Ben, the Thing realizes that after this battle things within the Fantastic Four will never be the same again.

Meanwhile, inside the citadel, the battle between the two Thanos continues on. The real Thanos finally wins thanks to the unseen assistance of the Invisible Woman. When the doppelganger is on the ropes, Sue briefly considers stopping the fight for a moment, then realizes that this is total war and vows never to let such chaos and madness threaten her family or child ever again. Not wanting to see how the battle end, Sue continues on her own search for the Magus. Entering another room, she is shocked to see her husband Reed, along with Iron Man, Darkhawk, Namorita, the Black Widow, and Daredevil who are all in stasis. Realizing that this is where the heroes who have been replaced by their evil doppelgangers had been held, Sue smashes through the energy field keeping them in stasis, freeing everyone from captivity. As Sue tries to explain everything that is happening, they are suddenly interrupted by a holographic projection of the Magus who has become aware of his prisoners newfound freedom. When Reed is fascinated by the display, he is shocked when Sue tells him to shut up and attacks the projection with invisible spiked darts. Laughing at this futile attempt to stop him, the Magus informs Sue and Reed that he controls all reality. As if to show this, the Magus suddenly snaps his fingers and all of his foes are suddenly being held in stasis.

As the Magus gloats over another victory he is suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Thanos. Seeing no threat, Magus uses his power to force Thanos to kneel before him, something that the Mad Titan does not do willingly. Much to the Magus' surprise, Thanos resists his will. When the Magus lashes out on Thanos, he is suddenly stopped when Adam Warlock is suddenly free and grabs hold of the Infinity Gauntlet. Adam tells the Magus that he is now in contact with the Gauntlet and can also control its powers. Suddenly there is a match of wills between Adam Warlock and the Magus. Suddenly everything is drowned out in a massive display of light. Suddenly the heroes find themselves floating in the dimensional void, the Magus and Adam Warlock are gone and the citadel and it's doppelgangers are destroyed. In the aftermath of the battle, Johnny tells Ben that he knew that they would win. Ben takes the moment to tell Johnny off for being so ruthless. Johnny retorts that the times are getting darker and they have to change with them. As they argue over the ethics of the battle, Reed is also disturbed by Sue's new personality, more confident yet aggressive.

Before anyone can ponder the aftermath any further there is suddenly a massive reality warp that engulfs everyone gathered. Galactus suddenly calls out to his ship and the heroes all find themselves on board the ship retreating back to their home dimension. It's a race against time as this dimension begins to dissolve. The ship then passes through the dimensional barrier just as the destruction completes itself. Suddenly the Fantastic Four are believing that they are breathing their last when suddenly there is a brilliant blast of light as they pass through the barrier. Suddenly, the group finds themselves alone in the wreckage of the upper levels of the Four Freedoms Plaza. In the aftermath Reed asks what happened to their headquarters in his absence. Sue takes the moment to chastise Reed because it was his doppelganger that was responsible for the destruction and it was her quick thinking that ensured that nobody was killed by the gamma bomb it started to set off. Angry at her husband, Sue suddenly storms off, leaving everyone in silence. After a moment, Ben tries to talk to Johnny about the argument they had earlier, but Johnny is too steamed and takes off to get some space. However as he flies over the city and notices that the New Yorkers below appear to be waking up from a trance, he realizes that what Ben was saying -- about not compromising their morals -- were right.

Ben goes down below and answers a summons at the door and is shocked by what he sees. Not far away, Reed is taking stock of all the changes during his short absence and wonders if there is a future for himself and the Fantastic Four. Watching Sue with Franklin, Reed begins considering stepping down as leader of the Fantastic Four. Suddenly his thoughts are interrupted by Ben, who has just arrived with the Puppet Master with grave news: Alicia Masters has been kidnapped. Meanwhile, high above the Earth, Devos' ship has finally arrived. Inside the vessel, Paibok reveals the newly revived Lyja, his weapon of vengeance against the Fantastic Four.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman/Malice, Human Torch, Thing), Franklin Richards, Puppet Master, Magnus, Lyja, Paibok, Hulk, Infinity Watch (Adam Warlock, Gamora, Moondragon, Thanos, Drax the Destroyer, Pip the Troll), X-Men (Cyclops, Jean Grey, Professor X, Psylocke, Colossus, Rogue, Wolverine, Archangel, Storm), New Warriors (Namorita, Nova (Rider), Darkhawk), Daredevil, Avengers (Captain America, Black Widow, Doctor Druid, Hercules, She-Hulk, Thor, Vision), Avengers West Coast (Scarlet Witch, Iron Man, Living Lightning, Wonder Man), Havok, Strong Guy, Alpha Flight (Guaridan, Sasquatch, Shaman), Galactus, Silver Surfer, Nova (Raye), Doctor Strange

Continuity Notes

• This story is part of the Infinity War event and takes place simultaneously of the events occurring in Infinity War #5 and Infinity War #6. The battle between Earth's heroes and the doppelgangers of Magus is expanded upon in Wonder Man #15, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #10, Alpha Flight #112 and Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #46-47

• The Magus obtained the Infinity Gauntlet at the end of Infinity War #5 and last issue.

• The battle between Thanos and his doppelganger is expanded upon in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #10.

• Sue finds all the heroes who have been replaced with evil doppelgangers and frees them. These heroes are:

  • Mister Fantastic and Iron Man were both replaced in Infinity War #1 (with Reed's capture being expanded upon in Fantastic Four #366).

  • Daredevil, Darkhawk, Namorita, and Black Widow were captured behind the scenes in Infinity War #4/Marc Spector: Moon Knight #43.

• The final battle between the Magus and Adam Warlock are expanded upon further in Infinity War #6.

• Johnny states that it is the "nineties", as this story was originally published in 1992. This should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616.

• Sue and Johnny's sudden changes in attitudes and personalities come from the events of the Infinity War. Johnny's lethal use of his powers stems from a previous attack on him by his doppelganger in Fantastic Four #368, while Sue merged with her Malice persona last issue.

• Sue chastises Reed for allowing himself to be captured by the his doppelganger (Infinity War #1/Fantastic Four #366) and how he rigged a gamma bomb to explode in the Four Freedoms Plaza (Infinity War #2/Fantastic Four #367), it was thanks to Sue that nobody was hurt or killed in the blast which destroyed the upper floors of their headquarters (Infinity War #3/Fantastic Four #368).

• Johnny has been thinking of quitting the Fantastic Four since Fantastic Four #368. Primarily after discovering that the woman he thought he married circa Fantastic Four #300 was not Alicia Masters, but Lyja a Skrull spy as revealed in Fantastic Four #358. Johnny believes that Lyja died during a mission to rescue the real Alicia.

• Alicia was kidnapped by Aron the Rogue Watcher last issue.

• Paibok, Lyja and Devos are seeking revenge against the Fantastic Four following their defeats in Fantastic Four #358 and 359 respectively.

Infinity War Reading Order

Infinity War #1, Alpha Flight #109, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #7, Fantastic Four #366, Spider-Man #24, Captain America #408, Deathlok (vol. 2) #16, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #42, Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #67, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #43, Infinity War #2, Fantastic Four #367, Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #68-69, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #44, Guardians of the Galaxy #27, Quasar #37, Infinity War #3, Marvel Comics Presents #108-111, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #8, Fantastic Four #368, Alpha Flight #110, New Warriors #27, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #4, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #41-42, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #13, Nomad (vol. 2) #7, Quasar #38, Daredevil #310, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #45, Infinity War #4, Alpha Flight #111, Silver Sable and the Wild Pack #5, Guardians of the Galaxy #28-29, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #9, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #14, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #43, Quasar #39, Infinity War #5, Sleepwalker #18, Doctor Strange Sorcerer Supreme #46-47, Fantastic Four #369, Warlock and the Infinity Watch #10, Wonder Man (vol. 2) #15, Infinity War #6, Fantastic Four #370, Marc Spector: Moon Knight #44, Alpha Flight #112, Quasar #40