Fant4stic "It's Clobberin' Time!" - The Ben "Thing" Grimm Thread

[The Slang]

The Thing looked terribly fake in the trailer. Like a videogame character. I don't like that he's naked either, as Stan Lee said in 'mallrats' the state of Ben Grimm's junk should be left a super hero secret. The actor looks like he's 17. Bad choice.

 

[Darkness Falls]

the thing just looks weird without trunks

 

[Kirmit]

the thing just looks weird without trunks

Agreed, the trunks are part of his look, otherwise he's just like any other generic rock monster.

 

[Urich Leeds]

Agreed, the trunks are part of his look, otherwise he's just like any other generic rock monster.

I'm pretty sure that's what they think he is.

 

[The Slang]

Right, and now we have to accept the fact that Ben Grimm has no dick. While that may add to the tragedy of his transformation, some things are best left a mystery.

 

[Spider-Fan83]

I am still trying to figure out where exactly this Ben fits into the team?

we saw Reed working in a science lab
we saw Sue working on computers
we saw Johnny working on cars

all things that could connect them to having a useful skill set that takes some level of intelligence

then we see Ben, who owns a junk yard and plays baseball...
(not that working a junk yard and playing baseball, isn't useful, or unintelligent...) just saying

where's the connections?

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

I am still trying to figure out where exactly this Ben fits into the team?

we saw Reed working in a science lab
we saw Sue working on computers
we saw Johnny working on cars

all things that could connect them to having a useful skill set that takes some level of intelligence

then we see Ben, who owns a junk yard and plays baseball...
(not that working a junk yard and playing baseball, isn't useful, or unintelligent...) just saying

where's the connections?

I would hope they'll make him an Airforce pilot . . .

. . . but I'm not optimistic.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

Right, and now we have to accept the fact that Ben Grimm has no dick. While that may add to the tragedy of his transformation, some things are best left a mystery.

Maybe they'll have a scene with MBJ looking at him, pausing, and saying: "Where is your junk?"

 

[SilentWarriorZ]

Right, and now we have to accept the fact that Ben Grimm has no dick. While that may add to the tragedy of his transformation, some things are best left a mystery.

Hey remember he doesn't have ears too but he can hear everything .
so maybe dick ...

 

[Kelly]

Seriously?

 

[Kirmit]

I am still trying to figure out where exactly this Ben fits into the team?

we saw Reed working in a science lab
we saw Sue working on computers
we saw Johnny working on cars

all things that could connect them to having a useful skill set that takes some level of intelligence

then we see Ben, who owns a junk yard and plays baseball...
(not that working a junk yard and playing baseball, isn't useful, or unintelligent...) just saying

where's the connections?

You could argue Johnny fixing cars doesn't exactly make him fit in, millions of people can fix cars, what's so special about him?

 

[terry78]

He's a black guy that can fix cars.

 

[Joe Rockhead]

I am still trying to figure out where exactly this Ben fits into the team?

we saw Reed working in a science lab
we saw Sue working on computers
we saw Johnny working on cars

all things that could connect them to having a useful skill set that takes some level of intelligence

then we see Ben, who owns a junk yard and plays baseball...
(not that working a junk yard and playing baseball, isn't useful, or unintelligent...) just saying

where's the connections?

He has a garage that serves as Reed's first real science lab.

 

[Spider-Fan83]

I would hope they'll make him an Airforce pilot . . .

. . . but I'm not optimistic.

that would be good, and make him closer to his comic book counterpart, but, the experiment that transforms them, doesn't seem to involve flight/space travel, so his piloting skills still wouldn't secure him a spot in the experiment

 

[Urich Leeds]

The title of this thread is funny, considering he probably won't say that in the movie.

 

[Urich Leeds]

I am still trying to figure out where exactly this Ben fits into the team?

we saw Reed working in a science lab
we saw Sue working on computers
we saw Johnny working on cars

all things that could connect them to having a useful skill set that takes some level of intelligence

then we see Ben, who owns a junk yard and plays baseball...
(not that working a junk yard and playing baseball, isn't useful, or unintelligent...) just saying

where's the connections?

This was always my issue with the Ultimate version FF.

In 616, Ben was an astronaut, and despite being Reed's unofficial bodyguard for their entire lives, he was still pretty intelligent on his own and could contribute a little more to team besides being a brute. Also, he had good reason to be a part of the expedition that led to their powers, as he piloted he ship.

In Ultimate, he was just Reed's jock friend who happened to tag along for the N-Zone portal demonstration.

And with them altering that into a teleportation experiment in the new film, it now makes even less since for him to tag along.

 

[Paradox1]

This was always my issue with the Ultimate version FF.

In 616, Ben was an astronaut, and despite being Reed's unofficial bodyguard for their entire lives, he was still pretty intelligent on his own and could contribute a little more to team besides being a brute. Also, he had good reason to be a part of the expedition that led to their powers, as he piloted he ship.

In Ultimate, he was just Reed's jock friend who happened to tag along for the N-Zone portal demonstration.

And with them altering that into a teleportation experiment in the new film, it now makes even less since for him to tag along.

That is not exactly true about Ben in the film. Seeing as those we see a young Reed and Ben experimenting with teleportation into N-Zone. In all likelyhood outside of Reed Richards no ones understands the technology as much as Ben.

 

[terry78]

Ben has always been the guy that knows the basics about science or strategy and what not, but he just doesn't like to waste time going into particulars like Reed. In all honesty the closest current fictional character that's most like him is probably Dean on Supernatural.

 

[Tony Stark]

If the rumors are true about Ben being able to change between human and rock form, based on the shot of him forming, my guess is that Ben is not a rock monster but that the rock form, is basically him controlling the elements and forming a rock armor layer.

I bet you anything this is what we get with Ben.

 

[Joe Rockhead]

As the trip to the negative zone is a trip into the unknown - it's not outside reason that the extra members on the trip are military or ex-military for protecting the scientists. If Ben is linked with the military, it would be pretty reasonable for his best friend Reed to request Ben join them in that capacity.

 

[Willie Lumpkin]

If the rumors are true about Ben being able to change between human and rock form, based on the shot of him forming, my guess is that Ben is not a rock monster but that the rock form, is basically him controlling the elements and forming a rock armor layer.

I bet you anything this is what we get with Ben.

I hope that story in which Ben changed was just BS. Based on the trailer, it seems like there are some similarities, but some differences. For reference, here was that summary that said Ben could change back and forth:

Reed is a genius convenience store clerk with Ben. Reed's parents don't care about him, and Ben's dad is abusive. They're good friends and have each other's backs. Reed writes a paper for community college on teleportation that attracts the attention of Dr. Franklin Storm, CEO of the Baxter Building research center.

Storm has a son, Johnny, and an adoptive daughter, Sue, whose father, Storm's old partner, died in an experiment gone wrong. Johnny and Sue are party kids, and Sue is particularly disdainful of science. Reed and Sue don't get along at first.

Victor Doomashev is a anti-social Eastern European computer programmer and hacktivist who calls himself "Doom". He hates the 1%, particularly Storm, whom he claims corrupts science for profit.

Storm uses Reed's paper to complete some equations on a machine to access another dimension, the N-Zone. Reed invites Ben to watch the machine being turned on. Sue and Johnny are also there. Doom manages to hack into the Baxter Building's servers and use a computer virus to damage the machine, which explodes. Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben are exposed to otherwordly energy and become mutants with powers that they can't control.

Storm takes them to the Baxter Building and creates containment suits for their powers. They begin to train. Reed and Storm also begin developing a way to revert the accident. Sue blames Reed for everything, but they eventually become friends and then a couple. Ben can switch off his powers when he's not in danger. Johnny changes colors based on heat intensity, and Sue has some borderline telekinetic thing. Reed is pretty much Reed.

Doom finds out that the four have acquired powers and becomes angry it's not him, so he comes up with a plan to break into the Baxter Building to access the N-Zone through the rebuild machine. As a distraction, he reprograms a bunch of stolen military drones, the "Doombots", to attack the building. The four come together as a team for the first time and save people.

Doom activates the machine and gets technopathy powers or something, basically energy blasts and making machines obey to him, and a fight ensues. The machine goes critical, and, in order to prevent it from exploding and destroying the city, the four push into it and Storm shuts it off.

There's a countdown before it reaches critical mass. Inside the N-Zone, the four battle Doom again, and manage to leave him trapped there after he disfigures himself soaking up too much power. The Four manage to escape, but Ben gets the blunt of it to protect Reed and can't switch back.

The machine is destroyed, Doom is gone, the four have learned to work as a team, and Reed vows to find a cure for Ben. And it ends there.


A few differences I see between the description and the trailer:

"Storm uses Reed's paper to complete some equations on a machine to access another dimension, the N-Zone. Reed invites Ben to watch the machine being turned on."

This sounds very close to UFF, but the scenerio in the trailer looks very different with Ben (presumably) being one of explorers rather than just watching the machine being "turned on".

"Doom finds out that the four have acquired powers and becomes angry it's not him, so he comes up with a plan to break into the Baxter Building to access the N-Zone through the rebuild machine."

Again, the idea of Doom making a lone trip seems contradictory to the two group missions we see in the trailer.

But while those specific details seem different than what we're seeing in the trailer, many other elements could fit (I particularly notice the idea of the machine going critical and threatening the city and the ominous distortion field we see washing over the city in the trailer).

If I had to guess, I'd say the story summary may be based on an early story treatment that was scrapped or heavily reworked.

. . . at least I hope so, because the story that was described sounded terrible.

 

[RAE072]

As the trip to the negative zone is a trip into the unknown - it's not outside reason that the extra members on the trip are military or ex-military for protecting the scientists. If Ben is linked with the military, it would be pretty reasonable for his best friend Reed to request Ben join them in that capacity.

Ha. Yep, 5'7" Bell Grimm.

 

[nogolf33]

...

For reference, here was that summary that said Ben could change back and forth:

Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben are exposed to otherwordly energy and become mutants with powers that they can't control.

Interesting he used the work 'mutants' as this could tie into the other Fox properties, but wouldn't be consistent with the X-Men movie explanation of their powers.

...

For reference, here was that summary that said Ben could change back and forth:

Johnny changes colors based on heat intensity, and Sue has some borderline telekinetic thing.

Ben changing back and forth wouldn't be effective, though it may work if he loses that ability at the end of the movie. He changed to human often in early FF stories. If he has to incubate to change to rock each time, will that affect the pacing of the movie?

"Ben! - Domashev is attacking us, come help!"
" I'll be there stretcho, ...I'm getting sleepy... so hard to move... (Reed dies)"

Johnny changing colors based on heat intensity sounds reasonable, though the teaser trailer showed mostly yellow flames. i'd like to see the flame pattern change, the teaser trailer made his power look weak.

Sue being 'borderline telekinetic' sounds ridiculous. Is she going to try to flip over a paper clip?

...


"If I had to guess, I'd say the story summary may be based on an early story treatment that was scrapped or heavily reworked.

. . . at least I hope so, because the story that was described sounded terrible.

Agreed!

 

[Joe Rockhead]

Ha. Yep, 5'7" Bell Grimm.

Heh... not saying he'd be the 'muscle', but even shorter guys can shoot a gun.

 

[RAE072]

Heh... not saying he'd be the 'muscle', but even shorter guys can shoot a gun.

Yep. Ben Grimm won't be the muscle.

Fant4stic!