Well, next issue is the last issue of three. That means a confirmed casualty of an original member of the team. Hickman has been doing a phenomenal job of trying to leave the options wide open, as nobody is coming out of this arc unscathed, but let’s break down where everyone is at the end of the penultimate issue, and what their odds for survival may be.
Thing: 50:1
Despite being in human form and standing alongside the Human Torch and a bunch of kids against an Annihilation Wave, we also have to take into account that Ben just joined the New Avengers. We also should remember how he died six years ago. And how he just got the ability to be human for a week every year. Ben is too easy of a prediction to make, as the easier a character is to be killed, the less likely it is to happen.
Human Torch: 6:1
Alongside Ben and the kids, Johnny is facing off about an Annihilation Wave, but unlike Ben he has actual odds of going down. Whether it be an act of heroism, or a lucky shot by a bug, Johnny could definitely go down. I would hate to see it happen, but it would have lasting effects. Sue would lose her brother to things attacking Reed’s lab, Reed would have the knowledge that Johnny died because aliens wanted what was in his lab, and Ben would blame himself for being stuck in human form and being unable to help.
Mr. Fantastic: 4:1
Reed is on Nu-World trying to evacuate as many people possible before Galactus eats the planet, and then he has to go and repair the sun so that Earth doesn’t go down the path that leads them to killing Galactus, coming back in time, and knocking over the first dominoes in the chain of effects all over again. But see, here’s the thing….Reed dieing is boring. It was boring when it happened in the 90’s, and it would be boring now. He’s just in the highest risk situation of the bunch, and now accepting that he may have to fix everything despite not liking the path it promises to lead him down. The team would truly never be the same without him, but can you truly have a Fantastic Four without Mr. Fantastic?
Invisible Woman: 2:1
I love Sue, but she’s the one who losing would do the most damage to the group. She’s the rock that hold everyone together, and without her the team would crumble and be forced to attempt to rebuild without their emotional center. Now, she’s deep under water, holding together a building with a forcefield taking all of her concentration, and the people she’s in there with are made up of Namor and Atlanteans who may or may not be viewing her as a human sacrifice. Sue will probably get out just fine, but then something else will do the deed and rip the team from it’s foundation.
