Fantastic Four (Vol. 4) #15

The Elements of War

2.66 Million Years in the Past

The Fantastic Four were researching the prehistoric past where Reed has discovered a strange Chronal Anchor. As they examine the phenomenon they suddenly spot a quartet of strange green lights flying across the sky heading right toward them. Johnny uses his flame powers to seemingly destroy them. However, the bright flash of light spooks an early precursor to man and he runs into a tree. Fearing that this might disrupt the timeline, Reed uses the Time-Platform to bring the primate to the present for medical attention. They are then attacked by a tyrannosaurus rex.

An Alternate Reality, Now

The Human Torch awakens after his surgery to discover that his Fantastic Four team has just met the group from this reality. The alternate Mister Fantastic --Stevenson Storm-- informs them that they are responsible for the Fantastic Four's malfunctioning powers. That in order to save their lives from Doom the Annihilating Conqueror -- an amalgam of Doctor Doom, Annihilus, and Kang -- was to sent their powers to alternate versions of their selves. The infusion of twice the cosmic spawned powers caused the decay of Unstable Molecules in their bodies. Stevenson explains that he knew that this Fantastic Four would track them down so they could combine forces and stop their foe, that this has happened to them in the past and across the multiverse.

They then utilize the device that was used to transport the alternate Fantastic Four's powers to restore their own. However, the process is interrupted mid-way by Ant-Man, making the process incomplete. While the Fantastic Four's powers are stabilized, they are only partially restored. A device is used to put the alternate Fantastic Four into stasis. After examining their powers, Richards deduces that their powers have been restored to their original levels when they first became the Fantastic Four.

Ant-Man reveals that he has betrayed them because he works for Doctor Doom and that Doom made a deal to restore the life of his daughter, Cassie, in exchange for his help. Regretting his decision, Lang agrees to help them. When Reed tells him that it will take a temporal anomaly to disrupt the field, Ant-Man knows exactly who they need. At the Baxter Building, the Time Displaced Marvel Girl is a prisoner about to executed by the minions of Kang, but she is rescued by Doctor Doom who seeks to usurp the power from Kang that he stole from Annihilus as well. The Fantastic Four arrive and attack Doom, fighting him to a standstill. They discover that Doom needs the girl because she creates a blind-spot that Kang cannot see. They are soon attacked by the forces of Kang. While the Fantastic Four distract them, Doom tries to escape with Marvel Girl through his Time-Platform. However, after they are finished with the troops, Reed reprograms the destination of the Platform so that Doom and Marvel Girl materialize moments after they escaped. Caught off guard, Doom is knocked out by the Thing.

The Fantastic Four then return to their alternates and use Marvel Girl to free them from the stasis field. They then completely restore their powers to each other. When Doom tries to kill Marvel Girl, Ant-Man dives in the way of sacrificing his life for her. As the two Fantastic Four teams beat on Doom they are suddenly confronted by Kang the Annihilating Conqueror. He subdues the Fantastic Four teams and battles it out with Doom. However, Doctor Doom reveals that his brief venture into time was to alter the Cosmic Power Siphon so that after a time it would transfer both the powers of Annihilus and Kang to him. At that very moment, these powers transfer over to Doom, creating Doom the Annihilating Conqueror.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Alternate Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Thing), Marvel Girl, Ant-Man, Doctor Doom, Kang, Moon Boy