Fire On The Water

A research platform off the coast of Virginia has suffered an explosion and the Fantastic Four are called in to help. However, since the others are busy elsewhere only the Human Torch is available to answer the call. Johnny learns that they were working on teleportation technology. Learning that the power source was electro-magnetic and there is no danger of radiation, Johnny walks into the flames and uses his powers to channel it upward into the sky where it dissipates harmlessly. Johnny and the scientists go into the facility to assess the damage. The scientists claim they were working on a clean and safe method of teleportation. Johnny isn't sold when he sees the fallen bodies around their failed portal. When the Torch asks who gave them the control codes to contact the Fantastic Four directly, one of the scientists tells him that it was their business partner. It's at this point that Johnny gets a close enough look at the bodies and realize that they are Atlanteans and the one closest to the portal -- a woman who is still alive -- is his former girlfriend Namorita.

He revives her and appraises her of the situation, and informs her that Reed was unavailable to help. After assessing the damage herself and learning that there was only one death on site. When pressed for what went wrong, the scientists don't have an answer to give, but one suspects that the unique physiology of the Atlanteans might have been the cause. Johnny is shocked to hear that Namorita was allowing herself to be used in a test. Namorita tells Johnny that this is a joint venture between Atlantis and the surface world. She goes on to explain that with no other ambitious races comparable to the Atlanteans they have been forced to test on themself. When Johnny asks why Namorita's skin is blue, she tells him it is a temporary side effect of the teleporter. When the Torch offers to get Reed to help out, Namorita tells him that it's not the teleportation technology she needs assistance with, it's his expertise into the dimension they are tapping into the Negative Zone. This upsets Johnny because the Negative Zone is so dangerous because if matter and anti-matter were to collide it would create a chain reaction that would destroy everything.

When one of the scientists tries to defend their work, Johnny cuts him off explaining that while the Fantastic Four put their lives on the line exploring the unknown they never risk the entire world. With that, the alarm suddenly goes off warning them that something has passed through the Negative Zone barrier before they could shut it down. Without delay both the Human Torch and Namorita rush to the site. When they rush to the site they witness a negative energy duplicate of Namorita emerge from the portal. Namorita suddenly feels herself being drawn to her duplicate and compelled to touch it. Knowing this will cause the chain reaction that he warned them all about, Johnny does his best to separate Namorita from her duplicate. Forcing her to fall into the ocean below allows Namorita to regain control of herself momentarily. Johnny then uses his powers to retrain her to the wall on the opposite side of the portal to prevent her from rushing at her duplicate. With the negative energy heading to Namorita they open the portal as it dives towards her, sending the energy back into the Negative Zone. The feedback causes the portal to explore. When the blast clears the scientists are shocked to see that not only did Johnny and Namorita survive the explosion but they are inexplicably making out in the middle of the smoke and rubble.

After this fiasco, Namorita has decided to halt experimentation for the time being. The two get to talking about spending more time together and Johnny suggests that she move in with him at the Baxter Building. Namorita rejects this idea, not willing to be a fifth wheel to the Fantastic Four and known only as of the Human Torch's girlfriend. Suddenly the two get to arguing about how they abandoned each other over their own pursuits. When Namorita tells him that she is basically running Atlantis at the moment, Johnny suddenly takes it to mean he is some kind of peasant. The pair continue arguing until they realize that these sorts of things are what happen every time they to get back together. They decide to end their relationship and Johnny says goodbye before taking off into the night sky.

Recurring Characters

Human Torch, Namorita

Continuity Notes

• This issue focuses on Johnny's past relationship with Namorita. The couple started dating in New Warriors Vol 2 #3. They were last seen as a couple in Fantastic Four Vol 3 #50 before Johnny went off to begin a failed career in Hollywood. They last fought together in The Order #6. Johnny's movie career was basically over due to his inability to act by Fantastic Four Vol 3 #53.

• Namorita mentions that she is in charge of running things in Atlantis. Her cousin the Sub-Mariner put her in charge as a representative of his royal house following the events of Defenders Vol 2 #11. Namor returns to his duties as monarch of Atlantis by Captain America Vol 4 #16.