Fantastic Four: Atlantis Rising #2

Jan 17

Jan 17 Fantastic Four: Atlantis Rising #2

Assault on Atlantis

The Fantastic Four and their allies the Sub-Mariner, Kristoff Vernard, and Thor are racing toward the risen island of Atlantis for their final confrontation with Morgan le Fay with a plan to crack through the magnetic lay lines that keep them outside of the island. While within, Morgan le Fay presents to the Inhuman Genetic Council the recently captured shrunken city of Attilan. The Genetic Council, growing increasingly angry over Morgan's growing arrogance, demand that Attilan be restored to its normal size. Morgan assures them that it will be done, thanks to the scientific knowledge of their prisoner: Nathaniel Richards. Morgan is soon pulled away by one of her priests for more pressing matters. As Morgan departs, everyone is suspicious of the others ability to commit betrayal. Nathaniel Richards recognizes this tension as well and prepares to utilize his ace-in-the-hole when the time is right. The priest takes Morgan into the basement where they have been unearthing artifacts and reveals that they have found the Ebony Blade, the mystical sword made by Merlin himself.

Meanwhile outside, the Fantastic Four and their allies are observing the lay lines that protect the island and devise a plan to take the barrier down. While Namor and Thor wait on one end, the Invisible Woman unleashes the full force of her invisible force powers on the other. When Sue's power strikes, Thor then unleashes the power of Mjolnir on the other end. These attacks are physically harm Morgan who realizes that there are intruders on her captured island. Also detecting the attack are the Genetic Council. While they are distracted, Nathaniel activates a device in his armor that fires a beam of energy into Attilan. Lord Arcadus orders the rest of the council to deal with the invaders and secure the Terrigen Mists. Hearing this, Nathaniel makes it his mission to capture a sample of the mist. Lord Arcadus then goes to check on the Inhuman Royal Family. They find them in a make-shift lab where they are using a geneti-glove to restore Triton back to his normal form after being mystically altered by Morgan. Arcadus tells the royal family that they need every able body to repel the invaders. Noticing that Lockjaw and Karnak are gone, Medusa informs him that they were dispatched to free the Crimson Cadre who are still trapped in Hawaii after being defeated by Fantastic Force. When Karnak and Lockjaw arrive, General Ator still believes them to be traitors to their people, but grudgingly accept Karnak's offer to be freed from their prison.

At that moment at Castle Doom, the members of Fantastic Force are still reeling at the sudden appearance of a young Franklin Richards wearing his old Tattletale costume. As the frightened boy rushes to his Uncle Johnny demanding to be brought home, the boy suddenly disappears. Realizing that Nathaniel had deactivated the inhibitors in his Psycho-Armor, Franklin believes he has repaired them, but he isn't as confident as he is trying to sound. With the danger at an impasse for now, Franklin mobilizes Fantastic Force and search for the missing city of Attilan and Nathaniel's grandfather.

Back at Atlantis, the Fantastic Four manage to breach the barrier around Atlantis and are attacked by the Crimson Cadre while Namor and Thor are attacked by the Inhuman Royal Family. As the pair are overpowered, Namor's mind wanders to his people and hopes that they all managed to evacuate without him when Atlantis was risen from the ground. Deep below the ocean, Llyron -- the new ruler of the Atlanteans -- learns that the search parties for survivors have only yielded more casualties. Llyron then orders a mass exodus from the region. When Vashti suggests that they wait for their "true leader", Llyron shows him the injured and dying the chaos and ask them if they are willing to wait for their "true leader" who left them to suffer this fate. When asked if they are going to relocate to the old Atlantis located in the South Pole, Llyron reminds Vashti that region is under the control of Attuma. Llyorn then decrees that he will find his people a new whom in which they will rebuild their society, then they will wage war against humanity for their transgressions against his people. As Llyron swims away, Vashti fears the worst for his people.

Meanwhile, the battle on the surface of Atlantis rages on, with the Fantastic Four still fighting off the forces of the Crimson Cadre and the Inhuman royal family. Inside the nearby palace, Nathaniel Richards waits for the right moment to strike just as the Genetic Council begins gathering their supply of Terrigen Mist. While down below the grounds Morgan le Fay is channeling her magic into the Ebony Blade. While outside, Thor continues his battle with Black Bolt and realizes the source of the Inhuman's power is the antenna on his head and strikes it with Mjolnir. This bends the device back causing an energy feedback knocking out Black Bolt, prompting his family to rush to his side. Suddenly Morgan le Fay emerges from within the palace wielding the Ebony Blade and fells all the heroes with a single mystical bolt from the enchanted weapon. With the heroes down, the Crimson Cadre goes to complain to Lord Arcadus for being robbed of their chance at defeating their foes. While Lord Arcadus gloats over the Fantastic Four's defeat and Black Bolts seemingly fatal injuries, Nathaniel Richards attempts to steal a sample of the Terrigen Mist.

Elsewhere in the palace the Fantastic Force teleports in, and Franklin begins probing for his grandfather but warns the team to be careful. Elsewhere, Lord Arcadus calls back the rest of the Genetic Council and suspects that Morgan le Fay is up to something and orders the others to try and find her. However as they are talking this plan out, General Ator catches Nathaniel in the act of trying to steal the Mists and pulls him away. Elsewhere as Fantastic Force sneaks around their cover is blown when Franklin's old Ego-Spawn identity suddenly manifests before them. Recognizing Devlor as the one they have been seeking for months, the Council orders Fantastic Force to turn the boy over to them. While the rest of Fantastic Force defends their friend, Franklin is being taunted by the image of Ego-Spawn and trying to fight him off. However the battle is cut short when Vibraxas causes an earthquake to cover their escape down into the lower tunnels. There they find the members of the Fantastic Four and their allies prisoner of Morgan le Fay who has them mystically bound. As Huntara spars with Morgan, the Genetic Council comes smashing through. While above, Nathaniel breaks loose and makes his move. Down below, Franklin manages to focus his powers enough to send the Ego-Spawn away and free his family and their friends. With Morgan's spell destroyed she reels in pain. While upstairs, Nathaniel causes Attilan to resume it's normal size, from within the palace, and ruptures the tank of Terrigen Mist.

With the entire fortress fall down around them, the Fantastic Four, Fantastic Force and their allies all escape in one of Sue's invisible bubbles. As Attilan smashes loose and returns to its normal size, Lord Arcadus activates the Negative Zone barrier around the city trapping the loosed Terrigen Mists inside. While out on a makeshift life raft, Johnny announces to everyone that he is leaving the Fantastic Four to join Fantastic Force, much to everyone's shocked. Uninterested in hearing all this joviality, the Sub-Mariner abruptly departs and surveys all the damaged done to his former kingdom and sheds a single tear from his eye.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Invisible Woman, Thing, Ant-Man), Sub-Mariner, Kristoff Vernard, Thor, Nathaniel Richards, Fantastic Force (Human Torch, Psi-Lord, Tattletale, Ego-Spawn, Huntara, Vibraxas, Devlor), Lord Vashti, Morgan le Fay, Inhumans (Black Bolt, Medusa, Gorgon, Karnak, Triton, Ahura, Lockjaw, Lord Arcadius, Cynas, Porcal, Furgar, Sapphiras, Targon, General Ator, Pulssus, Margoyle, Rootar, Eelak, Glaboo), Llyron

Continuity Notes

This story continues from the events of Fantastic Four #402 and Fantastic Force #9.
The Thing's face is scarred here because he was slashed in the face by Wolverine in Fantastic Four #374. His face is eventually healed in Fantastic Four #409.
Morgan le Fay recounts how Attilan was shrunken down in size and removed from the moon during last issue.
Sue mentions how her powers are derived from a "higher dimension" this is a reference to Fantastic Four #400 where she was told that her powers draw energy from hyperspace. This issue incorrectly references that revelation to Fantastic Four #401.
The Inhumans are restoring Triton back to normal after his was enhanced in size and shape by mystical energies in Namor the Sub-Mariner #59.
The Crimson Cadre was defeated an imprisoned by Fantastic Force in Fantastic Force #8.
The castle in Latveria is referred to as belonging to the "late" Doctor Doom. At the time of this story Doctor Doom and Mister Fantastic were believed to have been killed circa Fantastic Four #381. In reality they are actually prisoners of Hyperstorm as revealed in Fantastic Four #406.
Franklin's mind is fracturing creating psycho-plasmic entities based on segments of his personality. This began happening in Fantastic Force #9 and is cured by Fantastic Force #12.
Medusa mentions the Inhumans last battle with Namor which occurred in Fantastic Four #402.
Llyron usurped control of Atlantis back in Namor the Sub-Mariner #55, although he eventually loses it sometime prior to Marvel Team-Up (vol. 2) #11.
Llyron mentions how the previous kingdom of Atlantis, located at the South Pole, was now ruled by Attuma. Beneath the waters of Antarctica was the original home of the Atlanteans as first seen in Marvel Comics #1. However they were forced to flee when it was attacked in 1959 by Destiny as seen in Sub-Mariner #1. The Atlanteans had been living in their current kingdom since Fantastic Four Annual #1. Attuma took over the Antartic Atlantis circa Namor the Sub-Mariner #45.
Black Bolt's antennae is damaged in this story, it eventually gets fixed in Fantastic Four #410.
The Genetic Council have been trying to capture Devlor since Fantastic Force #3 because they consider him a genetic aberration.
Although Attilan is restored to normal size on the continent of Atlantis it does not stay here for very long. It is eventually moved back to the Himalayan Mountains in Inhumans (vol. 2) #12.
Avengers Unplugged #3 attempts to explore what is happening under the dome of Attilan with the Terrigen Mist trapped below. However after that story that plot line is dropped entirely and nothing is ever mentioned of it again. Presumably the Inhumans recontained the Terrigen Mists before it could cause even more mutations among their population.