The Fantastic Four

The FANTASTIC FOUR

One hundred eighty six thousand two hundred and eighty two

For those of you who wandered in here just for the credit

That is the speed of light. In miles per second.

If you prefer kilometers per second.

Then ...you get

299 thousand ...

792.458.

- Thank you Reed. - You're welcome, sir.

Show-off!

I didn't see you whipping out an answer.

Although traveling at or near the speed of

light has always been theoretically possible.

It has long been considered physically impossible.

That is, until the discovery of "Colossus"

A radioactive comet-like energy source

traveling in 10 year orbits that tonight will

be closest to Earth that it will ever come.

So close, in fact ...

that it will pass through the heart of the Van Allen belt.

slow to the speed of the Earth's rotation

and become visible to the human eye.

So bring your telescopes ... bring your imaginations.

And above all ... have fun.

That's it, class dismissed.

..cannot keep adjusting the primary angles of that prism quadrant.

'Course I can. I have to. Your calculations fail to consider.

Not here ... outside.

All I'm saying is if we don't take into consideration

the possibility of a velocity variance

the result can be failure, Victor. We've worked on this for four years, okay.

- I don't want to blow it. - Neither do I.

So could we at least run a simulation. It'll make me ... feel better.

All right, we have time.

MRS. STORM'S BOARDING HOUSE STUDENTS WELCOME

Johnny, let's go!

Johnny!

I gotcha.

It's not fair ... it's not fair!

Hey, hey, take it easy. It's not the end of the world.

- Johnny! - Oops, gotta go.

See you

Oh!...Oh.

Neither of you is going anywhere without a coat.

I won't have you catching cold just to watch Colossal.

That's "Colossus" ma.

Whoa..whoa. Sorry Mrs. Storm.

- In a hurry? - Actually, yes. I'm running late.

I just came back home to pick up some notes.

Aren't you coming with us Reed?

No, Susan, listen. I'm sorry. I can't. I gotta get back to the lab.

You OK?

You aren't going to miss it, are you?

You know what, I might even see it if I get lucky.

Now listen, I want you two kids to have a great time, will ya?

Take good care of your mom, I gotta go.

- He's dreamy. - You're gross!

It is incredible...I never thought we could pull it off.

We got work to do.

One problem Victor. I've been reviewing your notes

and it still seems to me that your calculations...

My calculations are based on your figures.

I know, but all I'm asking you to do is just

factor in these revised estimates, will you?

- Reed, get to your station ... - What about the simulation?

There's no time ...

"Colossus" is here!

Everything we ever dreamed of Reed, it's here right now!

We're going to harness the energy of tomorrow.

Here's to the future, my friend.

Reed.

- It's picking up speed. - It's not possible.

- The prisms are overheating! - No!

Victor, look out!

Victor, get out of here!

I will not fail. I will not fail!

Victor!

I'll get help.

The burns were...too severe. I'm very sorry.

- Where you taking him? - Downstairs ... to the morgue.

Just come here...come on.

Sorry Reed.

His Highness ... we must save him. If it's not already too late.

TEN YEARS LATER

THE BAXTER BUILDING

So, you want me to fly that hunk of junk, huh?

That "hunk of junk" hey?

Thank you, that hunk of junk is better than anything you flew in the Air Force.

You miss this chance you'll never have another chance to fly anything like it.

I guess you can get grant money to do anything these days.

Grant money?

Come on Ben, it's state of the art. Feather-touch control with telepathic override.

Voice activated computerization. All systems...

Ok, ok man. I'm just flying the thing, I'm not buying it.

I'm sorry, I do get carried away.

But you did promise me that if ever I built it...

you would take it up.

Huh?

And besides, it's really important to me.

Then you got yourself a pilot.

Now all we need is a crew

Hi Mrs. Storm. "Johnny and Susan go to outer space with us? "

Well, I don't know, dear. You'll have to ask them.

It's so good to see you two.

Johnny ... Susan ...

Ben, this is crazy, what do they know they know about astrophysics?

Come on, they may not have Harvard diplomas, but they

know more about this project than anyone else on Earth.

Besides, if you don't let them come they will never forgive you.

Hey, Ben! Alright!

Heya Doc, ready to go?

Actually, Johnny, I don't think...

We're ready.

Hello Reed.

Hello Susan.

-Anyone for a ride in a rocket ship? -I'll drive.

Yes ... yes ... absolutely.

We've got a lot to do.

Don't let anything happen to my babies.

I'll see to it personally.

Look at you ... the Fantastic Four.

We have received the shipping information you requested on the diamond, Your Highness.

Perfect.

There it is, I can smell a diamond a 100 miles away.

And this one ... well ...

Thanks.

- It's show and tell time! - But Reed ... what's in this thing?

Reed, what's going on?

Hey! ... Why don't you watch ...

Oh, my statue.

Aw jeez, I'm sorry, I...

- Oh, all my work! - Here ... let me help you.

- What are you doing? Put me down! - It's okay, it's okay ... I gotch you.

You're safe with me.

I really am sorry.

I know. I can sense it.

Don't worry about it, accidents happen. It's only a statue, right.

Oh! The statue ...

Hey ... don't you want your ...

- I'm in love. - Huh huh. Great first impression.

- She likes me, I can tell. - Are you sure?

Yeah ... well ...

Just keep telling yourself that, Ben. You know why, Ben?

- What? - Because it eases the embarrassment.

- I know you hurry up and wait 10 years. - But she likes me.

- But how can you tell? - Reed! I can tell!

She is ... magnificent.

You, stay here, follow the treasure. See which floor they get off.

I'll be with you later.

- Where are you going? - You ask me nothing. Do what you're told.

- Well? - Patience, we make no sudden moves.

It would displease His Highness. And we would not want to do that, would we?

-No. -No, indeed.

Yes! - Is it real?

Voila! Johnny, would you get me the tripod.

Yeah, sure.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend, huh Suz?

So, what's it for, Reed?

It's the answer to our problems. By placing the

diamond in the center of the cosmic refractor...

... the heat is defused, broken into small

doses, which gives the prisms time to cool ...

... before receiving another blast.

Pretty neat, huh?

Victor and I shared a common dream

What secrets ...

would "Colossus" tell the world if we give it a chance to speak to us.

For 10 years, I've carried the failure of that dream with me ... I've carried ...

Victor's death.

If we can pull this off, then maybe he will not have died in vain.

- I'm with you buddy. - Me too.

Anywhere you want to go, I'm there.

Well, then we better call it a day. We have a lot of work ahead of us.

Night thickens! I must go. But ... I'll be back.

With the most precious gift I can give him.

We'll be ready to move in one hour, Your Highness.

- Do not fail me. Is that understood? - Yes, Your Highness.

Good. Very good.

It's clear.

Ah, lovely.

Oh my!

There's somebody in there. We have an intruder.

Visual!

Let us see what this bizarre little thief ... has in mind.

The perfect offering.

The diamond has been replaced with a man-made replica.

Perfect!

It seems our little friend's helped me more than I could have dreamed.

I don't need to stop this mission, now.

Now no one will capture "Colossus" before me. And they can die in space.

RICHARDS SHUTTLE TO LAUNCH TODAY

T minus 15 seconds, guidance begin counting.

11 ... 10 ... 9 ... Ignition sequence start.

6 ... 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... 0.

All engines on! Lift off! We have a lift off.

-Shutting down, Ben. Retros. -Alright.

- Susan, end of the release sequence. - Got it.

- You got anything, Johnny? - Right on time.

Bearing 18º West, 5º North. Oh God, this is awesome.

Putting on the turn signal, and turning right.