Posted: 29 November 2020 at 9:55am | IP Logged | 6
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Huh. That's interesting. Let's play Cause and Effect.
The ultimate result is that Ben Grimm became the Thing. Why? The same reason the others changed; exposure (overexposure?) to cosmic rays*. Why? Insufficient shielding on Reed Richards' rocket. One tick for Reed Richards. One tick for environmental conditions.** Why was Ben in the rocket? He was flying it. COROLLARY: Reed would not have risked anyone's life if he could avoid it. It was necessary to have at least one more man. It makes perfect sense that his best friend, and the best pilot he knew would be the one he'd ask. Another tick for Reed. But the test pilot and one time NCAA running champ at ESU probably wasn't going to turn that opportunity down. One tick for Ben. Why was Ben flying it? As noted, he was the most talented pilot Reed knew. One tick for Ben. What was the purported reason... the discussion From FF#1:
BEN: "You know we haven't done enough research on the effects of cosmic rays! They might kill us all in outer space!"
SUE: "Ben, we've got to take that chance... unless we want the commies to beat us to it! I - I never thought that YOU would be a coward!"
BEN: "A COWARD!! Nobody calls ME a coward! Get the ship! I'll fly her no matter WHAT happens!"
Ben is not saying "No"... he's saying "Not yet." And it turns out that he was right. Enter the best friend's beautiful young girlfriend who undoubtedly has affection for Ben. She plays the Commie card (to the two men who just fought in WWII) and the ego gut-punch challenge. NOBODY calls Ben Grimm a coward!
The REAL question is - why did they have to go immediately? The only comment in that story is that "Conditions are perfect tonight!" But surely a clear night would come around again when Earth is in the right position.
"Ben was right! We should have waited! Should have gotten heavier shielding!"
And we see that the true impetus of launching, before the ship was truly ready, really was Reed Richards. Oh, he was influenced by his little girlie girlfriend - as was Ben - but there were other factors. And Ben was RIGHT: he might have saved himself (and makes me wonder who was the smarter between himself and Reed...)
Anything that happened after he transformed stands alone, but seems to have Reed's fault as well.
*Or eating lunch just afterwards at Tomorrowland in DisneyWorld...
**Discussion: why would Reed Richards have stinted on shielding? Would he have launched a substandard rocket TO THE STARS? After all, there are no gas stations out there... Did a young teenage girl REALLY have that big an influence on him?
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