Fairy Tale

Doctor Doom is putting on a jousting tournament to celebrate the birthday of Latveria. As Valeria watches, she is impressed by the display but is shocked by the brutality of the competition. Doom explains that such were the times, and tells her to enjoy the celebration, explaining that he moved the day celebrating Latveria's birthday to match that of his mother.

Meanwhile, not far away, the Invisible Woman speeds toward the country in a ship on a mission to recover her daughter. It is instantly spotted by the Latverian military that sends ships to shoot it out of the sky. As the ship is blown up, the Invisible Woman escapes in an escape pod. When she emerges she is surrounded by troops and she demands to be taken to her daughter. Soon Sue is in the throne room of Castle Doom where she is greeted by Doctor Doom. She demands that Doom hand over Valeria, but Doom states that she is here of her own free will and that the girl will go only if she wants. They are soon joined by what appears to be Valeria. Sue explains how the Fantastic Four have been torn apart: barred from their headquarters, the Future Foundation has been taken away, Johnny has lost his powers, and Ben is in prison. Breaking down, she explains that she needs her daughter through this dark time and that perhaps Valeria forgiving her father from keeping secrets will be able to help him as well.

"Valeria" argues against this idea, pointing out that if the US government took Franklin they could take her too, and she refuses to live in secret. When Sue presses the issue, the little girl suddenly goes inert. As it turns out it was nothing more than a robot being controlled by the real Valeria. Val has decided to tell it to her mother directly, explaining that she and Doctor Doom have been doing many great things for the world and that she wants to stay. Sue refuses to accept this and when Doctor Doom demands that she leave immediately, she begins to lose her temper even more. She recounts how she has had to put up with Doom in the past out of necessity but will do so no longer. She then lashes out, pulling Valeria to safety while she fights Doctor Doom.

Tearing apart his castle, she is able to fight off his attacks with her powers and fend off his army. When she manages to push past his own force field and incapacitates his armor, Doom tries to do a mind swap and discovers that Sue's mind is once more possessed by Malice. When Sue is about to lash out again, Valeria rushes in between them and tells her to stop harming her "Uncle" Doom. When Valeria tells her mother that she is frightened of him, the Invisible Woman breaks down again and leaves without Valeria.

Recurring Characters

Invisible Woman, Valeria Richards, Doctor Doom,

Continuity Notes

• Valeria ran away from home after her father kept secrets from her during the events of Fantastic Four Vol 4.

• Sue mentions how Doctor Doom killed her future self. This happened in Fantastic Four #561.

• Sue is possessed by Malice, an evil persona that was created by the Hate-Monger back in Fantastic Four #280. This persona has appeared on occasion, however, when it was last seen in Fantastic Four #399 it was put into the mind of the Dark Raider and seemingly destroyed with him in the Negative Zone. Given Sue's emotional state, this seems more likely to be a machination of the Quiet Man than the return of Malice.