3 Times Reed Richards Made Big Mistakes

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Reed Richards, also known as Mr. Fantastic, is frequently recognized as the smartest hero within Marvel Comics lore. Although formal rankings challenge this claim, many fans continue to view him in this light. It’s important to remember that without Reed, the current iteration of The Fantastic Four wouldn’t have come into being. His inventions span a wide range, from structures like The Bridge and weapons such as the Demolo-Gun, to complex systems such as the Anti-Matter Injection System. Admittedly, some of his creations are contentious, like the Negative Zone Prison, but there’s no denying the intellectual prowess that went into designing it. Nevertheless, despite Reed Richards’ exceptional intelligence, he occasionally takes actions that leave readers puzzled. Frequently, these choices are even more perplexing because of his renowned intellect.

In summary, Reed Richards, despite being a human character with flaws and prone to errors, is intriguing due to his intelligence. Frequently, his mistakes stem from an underlying arrogance, as if he doesn’t require others to validate his ideas. This tendency often creates turmoil in the comic book world.

1) The Fantastic Four Origin Story

Kicking off our discussion, let’s delve into the timeless tale of the Fantastic Four‘s genesis. The story commences when Reed Richards aimed to validate his groundbreaking faster-than-light spaceship. Unable to secure approval for a test, he opted for an unauthorized voyage. Quite daring, you’d agree? With unwavering faith in his invention, Reed persuaded his girlfriend, Sue Storm, to join the journey. Johnny Storm, Sue’s brother, was adamant about tagging along. Last but not least, Ben Grimm was convinced to pilot the spacecraft for this unsanctioned takeoff.

To put it another way, what followed wasn’t exactly history as we know it when the Fantastic Four acquired their extraordinary abilities during this expedition. Despite Richards’ lack of foresight or prediction, they were remarkably fortunate. Had things gone differently, they might have perished, with no rescue team arriving in time (or recovering their remains for that matter). The risky situation they found themselves in was a result of Reed Richards’ overconfidence. Since then, their journey has been far from smooth sailing, as Ben Grimm would attest to any listener who cares to hear his tale.

It’s possible to debate all day whether Reed Richards could have foreseen this outcome, given that even an authorized test might have led to similar consequences. Yet, Reed wouldn’t have had his family involved in such a scenario. Although it ultimately benefited the team, it was a hasty decision that could have taken everything precious from the future hero.

2) Keeping Secrets (From His Wife and Team)

Reed Richards, renowned for his exceptional intellect within Marvel Comics, is also widely recognized as a member of the Fantastic Four and an inventor extraordinaire. Yet, it’s essential to acknowledge another characteristic of his: his penchant for secrecy. While concealing classified information might be acceptable, it becomes problematic when he withholds secrets from his wife and teammates. On numerous instances, these secretive actions have had unfortunate consequences for Richards, frequently causing others to suffer the repercussions instead.

An early instance where Reed took independent action was against a band of Skrulls. He recognized that letting them go wasn’t an option, yet he also didn’t wish to eliminate them. A clever solution presented itself: he compelled them to transform into cows. However, he overlooked them afterwards. Had the team been informed about this choice, they could have collaborated to monitor the Skrull-cows. Instead, they were combined with another herd of cows and ultimately turned into burgers without further notice.

During the 2013 run of Fantastic Four, Richard’s secretive nature became apparent. From the start of the story, readers sensed something amiss, and it didn’t take long for Reed to discover the root cause – the powers of the Fantastic Four were gradually lethal. Instead of sharing this crucial information with his team (and family) promptly, he chose to wait until the symptoms became too obvious to conceal. In essence, he delayed and allowed the crisis to surface on its own. This wasn’t an ideal way to disclose vital details, Reed. Although he aimed to solve the problem before anyone knew something was wrong, a) that decision wasn’t his to make, and b) his plan backfired. To add to his troubles, his family had been consistently emphasizing the importance of keeping them informed about important matters.

Instead of exhaustively detailing all the secrets Mr. Reed Richards has concealed, let’s focus on a few instances: He clandestinely injected his son with nanotechnology, covertly buried the corpse of Galactus, secretly collaborated with the Illuminati, and established the Council of Reeds, all without informing his family. These actions often led to confrontations within the Fantastic Four when they discovered yet another secret he’d kept from them. It appears that despite his intelligence, Mr. Richards struggles to grasp this elementary lesson.

3) Playing Around With Cloning

A great scientist typically sets clear boundaries they won’t cross, even in tough situations. However, it seems that Reed Richards might not have such limitations, or perhaps the line he draws is much more flexible than we’d expect from a hero. For instance, Richards doesn’t seem to hesitate when it comes to creating prisons (Negative Zone), being part of secret groups (Illuminati), or sending another hero into space as a solution to a problem (Hulk, which led to World War Hulk).

Apart from not having issues with cloning, it’s been revealed. During the Marvel’s Civil War, Richards didn’t just pick a side; he acted without consulting his team or family first. He swiftly offered support to the pro-registration faction. Actions taken by Reed during this period are still debated. For instance, he was instrumental in establishing Prison 42 – the notorious Negative Zone prison. This facility, designed to imprison superpowered individuals, became notorious for housing several cherished heroes such as Wiccan, Dagger, Cloak, Hardball, and Iron Fist.

One of Reed’s suggestions for solutions included designing the prison. He collaborated with Tony Stark and Hank Pym (though Hank turned out to be a Skrull, let’s save that discussion for another day). Together, they developed a clone of Thor as an addition to their forces. However, this situation presents multiple issues. At the time, it was believed that Thor had perished, so there was no authorization or consent given for this procedure.

In a world that mirrors the realm of comics, the cloning experiment proved fruitful, resulting in a cybernetic duplicate of an Asgardian. Yet, the creation, known as Ragnarok, turned out to be a formidable threat. Unleashing his powers, he stormed through the ranks, deviating from his programming, and even took down the hero Goliath. Unfortunately, instead of bolstering their cause, this aggressive act garnered widespread disapproval from all parties involved.

As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but reflect on Reed Richards’ actions during Marvel’s “Civil War.” It seems that his boundless curiosity and innovative spirit sometimes cloud his judgment, causing him to dive headfirst into projects without fully contemplating whether they should be undertaken. He’s great at foreseeing potential pitfalls with technology, but the unforeseen repercussions often slip through his grasp. For instance, he failed to anticipate the impact of his actions on the ongoing conflict and the emotional toll it would take on Sue Storm – yes, she left Reed temporarily during this time.

Sue’s departure was not just a reaction to the war but also to Reed’s cold rationalizations and harsh decision-making, which drove her to choose her own side of the fight. And let me make it clear, she actively opposed the “Registration Act.” This incident served as a stark reminder that even the brightest minds must take into account not only the technical aspects but also the emotional and moral implications of their actions.

In much the same way that extreme situations carry heavy repercussions, Reed Richards has had to deal with the fallout from his actions during Marvel’s “Civil War”. Despite these experiences, it seems he hasn’t learned as much as fans would hope, given his continued meddling with subjects that most scientists would steer clear of. This suggests that perhaps Richards’ actions are more reminiscent of a mad scientist than we might have initially thought.

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2025-05-08 06:31