July 30, 2025 • 20 mins
Time trembles—and the multiverse responds.
In this electrifying entry of The Source Material Comics Podcast, Jesse takes listeners on a pulse-pounding journey through What If...? #35, a tale that dives headfirst into the swirling chaos of alternate realities. When Spider-Man joins the Fantastic Four to form a brand-new team, the stakes skyrocket in ways no one could anticipate. As timelines ripple and cosmic forces maneuver in secret, one truth becomes clear: the multiverse is not as stable as we thought.
Part of the collaborative Super Blog Team-Up event, “In Time,” this episode is more than just a deep dive into a single comic—it's a key thread in a much larger tapestry. With themes of destiny, divergence, and the danger of unchecked power, Jesse weaves together classic Marvel storytelling with timely commentary that fits right into the larger event celebrating alternate timelines and temporal what-ifs.
Make sure to check out other participants in the SBTU event by typing in #SBTU or #SuperBlogTeamUp in your favorite social media platform.
Here’s the list of who is participating so far and what they are bringing to the table!:
Between The Pages Blog
When Scooby-Doo met the Flintstones and the Jetsons
https://www.betweenthepagesblog.com/2025/07/scooby-doo-meets-the-flintstones-and-jetsons.html
Partying with the Flintstones and the Jetsons
https://www.betweenthepagesblog.com/2025/07/partying-with-the-flintstones-and-the-jetsons.html
Superhero Satellite - Hex Communications https://charltonhero.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/hex-style/
Daves Comic Heroes BlogSuperman And Superboy Switch
https://davescomicheroes.blogspot.com/2025/07/superman-and-superboy-switch.html
The Telltale Mind: Time and Time Again - The Man Who Lived Forever!
https://thetelltalemind.com/2025/07/30/time-and-time-again-the-man-who-lived-forever/
Asterisk51 - Squirrel Girl Masters Time Travel
https://asterisk51.blogspot.com/2025/07/squirrel-girl-masters-time-travel.html
And make sure to listen to the full unofficial “Timequake” Reading Soundtrack at Suno by following this link - https://suno.com/playlist/71d48109-0a44-4019-8ec7-fe14b7bf0475
In this electrifying entry of The Source Material Comics Podcast, Jesse takes listeners on a pulse-pounding journey through What If...? #35, a tale that dives headfirst into the swirling chaos of alternate realities. When Spider-Man joins the Fantastic Four to form a brand-new team, the stakes skyrocket in ways no one could anticipate. As timelines ripple and cosmic forces maneuver in secret, one truth becomes clear: the multiverse is not as stable as we thought.
Part of the collaborative Super Blog Team-Up event, “In Time,” this episode is more than just a deep dive into a single comic—it's a key thread in a much larger tapestry. With themes of destiny, divergence, and the danger of unchecked power, Jesse weaves together classic Marvel storytelling with timely commentary that fits right into the larger event celebrating alternate timelines and temporal what-ifs.
Make sure to check out other participants in the SBTU event by typing in #SBTU or #SuperBlogTeamUp in your favorite social media platform.
Here’s the list of who is participating so far and what they are bringing to the table!:
Between The Pages Blog
When Scooby-Doo met the Flintstones and the Jetsons
https://www.betweenthepagesblog.com/2025/07/scooby-doo-meets-the-flintstones-and-jetsons.html
Partying with the Flintstones and the Jetsons
https://www.betweenthepagesblog.com/2025/07/partying-with-the-flintstones-and-the-jetsons.html
Superhero Satellite - Hex Communications https://charltonhero.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/hex-style/
Daves Comic Heroes BlogSuperman And Superboy Switch
https://davescomicheroes.blogspot.com/2025/07/superman-and-superboy-switch.html
The Telltale Mind: Time and Time Again - The Man Who Lived Forever!
https://thetelltalemind.com/2025/07/30/time-and-time-again-the-man-who-lived-forever/
Asterisk51 - Squirrel Girl Masters Time Travel
https://asterisk51.blogspot.com/2025/07/squirrel-girl-masters-time-travel.html
And make sure to listen to the full unofficial “Timequake” Reading Soundtrack at Suno by following this link - https://suno.com/playlist/71d48109-0a44-4019-8ec7-fe14b7bf0475
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Time Flag streams in.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Welcome travelers of the Time Stream to a very special
edition of the Source Material comics podcast. I'm your host
Jesse Starter, and today kicks off our contribution to the
latest super blog team up event, this one titled End Time.
It's a community wide celebration of all things time travel
where bloggers and podcasters unite the spotlight stories that bend, break,
(00:40):
and blow up the timeline in the name of comic
book greatness. For our part in this time hopping extravaganza,
I'll be guiding you through the five part reality warping
saga known as Time Quake, straight from the pages of
What If Volume two, published by Marvel Comics and originally
hitting shelves back in nineteen ninety two. Each of the
(01:01):
five issues presents a distorted timeline where things just didn't
go differently, They went catastrophically wrong, and as the alternate
reality spiral out of control, a larger cosmic crisis begins
to unfold, one that threatens the entire multiverse. This storyline
was crafted by Roy Thomas with assistance from RJM. Lofacier,
(01:24):
and featured a rotating cast of artists. Now Here's where
Things get extra fun. To bring this adventure to life
in a whole new way, I've created a custom instrumental
soundtrack for each episode. You'll hear it behind me while
I'm talking. This was composed using Suno dot com. Each
track was inspired by the tone and events of the
individual issues, and if you head over to Suno dot
(01:47):
com by following the link in the description below, you
can read along and listen for a truly immersive experience.
Now here's the plan. Over the next five days, I'll
be releasing five episodes, one for each issue of Timequa,
covering every reality twisting plot, cosmic confrontation, and temporal tampering.
So grab your multiverse cap, sync up your Crono band,
(02:10):
and prepare to dive into one of Marvel's most bizarre, ambitious,
and interconnected what if story is ever told?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
This is Time Quake.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Now, before we get started with the episode, do not
forget to head to Twitter and type in hashtag SBTU
or hashtag super blog. Team up and you should be
able to find many of the contributions that are happening
in this event and then kind of lay it all
out there for you. Here's some of the participants and
(02:40):
what they're bringing to the table between the Page's blog
is bringing when Scooby doom at the Flintstones and the Jetsons.
Also partying with the Flintstones and the Jetsons, The Superhero
Satellite brings in hex Communications Dave's Comic Heroes blog Superman
and Superboys, which.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
That should be interesting.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
We also have the tell Tale Mind Time and Time
again The Man Who Lived Forever Asterisk fifty one. Good
Old Evan Bevans brings us Squirrel Girl Master's time Travel.
He's been wanting me to read that for a while,
and as far as I can tell, as of right now,
that is what we have on the list. There could
be more added after I've recorded this, so please make
(03:24):
sure to check out Twitter for any late editions. Let's
get on with the show.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
We open with what If Issue thirty five.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
What If the Fantastic Five had invaded the Negative Zone
written by Roy Thomas, penciled by Joe Phillips, inked by
Sam Dela Rosa, lettered by Janis Chang, and colored by
Marie Javins. The comic also credits R. J. M. Mosier
as a writer here as well. On the Moon within
(04:04):
the Solemn solitude of his citadel. Huatu the Watcher reflects
on the nature of his existence. To the uninformed, he
may seem a passive observer, faded to witness without interfering,
but Uatu admits he does more than simply watch. For
each quantum shift in the universe births a new reality,
an infinite cascade of alternative timelines, all shaped by a
(04:27):
single divergent choice. Amidst the vast multiverse, certain beings hold
immense power to alter its fate, those called nexus beings.
Huatu introduces three such figures whose influence over the time
stream is legendary. There's cease neg a thirty first century
(04:49):
sorcerer who became one with the universe. Then Merlin, the
timeless adviser to King Arthur, and Kang, the conqueror, whose
meddling has spawned a legion of variants across time. These
are nexuses, fixed points that shape destinies. Luatu recalls a
time when he wants subtly manipulated Earth's heroes to stop
(05:11):
Leonard Tippett, a dangerously unstable nexus being. He notes that
there are other entities who monitor such threats. The bureaucratic
time variance authority for one who recently clashed with the
Fantastic four Deeper still are the time Keepers, cosmic beings
who exist at the end of time, seeking to preserve
the integrity of the time stream. They once appointed Immortist
(05:35):
Ruler of Limbo and future self of Kang as its custodian.
In return, he was granted absolute authority over a thousand
years of time so long as he obeyed them, and
Mortis acted under their orders to prune realities and eliminate
dangerous nexus threats. But there was one being too powerful
to erase, Wanda Maximov, the Scarlet Witch, born a Nexus.
(06:00):
Wanda's hex's powers influenced probabilities on a universal scale, and
Mortis secretly groomed her as the ultimate Nexus to control
all future timelines. But his plans were foiled when Agatha
Harkness broke the spell over Wanda, allowing her to reclaim
her autonomy. Wanda's rebellion sent shockwaves across the multiverse, compelling
(06:22):
the Timekeepers to act directly. They stripped Wanda's nexus energy
and funneled it into a Mortis, binding him forever to Limbo.
They believe their mission accomplished. Reality stabilized, but even cosmic
beings miscalculate. The present feels a tremor through the cosmic web.
Something no some ones are again threatening the time stream.
(06:47):
As he confers with the Timekeepers, the truth emerges. During
Mortis's watch, four nexus beings slipped past unnoticed. The Timekeepers
are alarmed. If their existence is to remain intact, these
anomalies must be destroyed. Huatu watches disturbed as the trio
resolves to correct their error, the time quake has begun.
(07:11):
Uatu protests the Timekeeper's plan to interfere with multiple alternate
realities simply to preserve their own existence, but the Timekeepers
dismiss his concerns, justifying their intervention as necessary. As Watu
peers into one such altered timeline, he realizes with a
start that he recognizes this world a familiar reality where
(07:33):
Spider Man joined the Fantastic Four, forming the Fantastic Five.
In this world, Read Richards is frantically working with high
tech equipment while Spider Man, the Thing, and Human Torch
try to get his attention. Sue storms in the hospital,
moments away from delivering their child, but Reid is focused
on a dangerous mission He's discovered that both Sue and
(07:56):
their unborn baby are in peril due to a mysterious
energy deficiency. The only substance that might save them is antimatter,
found only in the Negative Zone. Without hesitation, Read declares
he's returning to that dimension alone, but his teammates insist
on joining him, including a concerned spider man, who, despite
(08:18):
being new to the group, is deeply invested. Moments later,
they launch into the swirling void of the Negative Zone,
navigating the treacherous energies in gravitational pools as they race
through their destination. Meanwhile, back with the Timekeepers, who WoT
to questions their motives, Why this world? Why now, they
reveal their target, Franklin Richards, the unborn son of Reed
(08:41):
and Sue, who is destined to become.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
A powerful Nexus being.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
If the Timekeepers are to secure the control of their timeline,
Franklin must never be born. But how will they prevent
this without direct interference. Their solution summon a threat already
existing in this timeline, An nihilates the cruel and sectoid
tyrant who rules the Negative Zone. The time Keepers awaken
the monstrous being, counting on him to eliminate read before
(09:08):
he can save his family. Sure enough, as the Fantastic
Five venture through the zone, one of Annihilis's scavenger creatures
attacks them. It grabs Spider Man, specifically, carrying him off
towards the depths of the zone. The team leaps into action.
The Human Torch and the Thing work to subdue the
creature mid flight, while Reid and Johnny attempt to free
(09:28):
Peter without harming him. The beast finally flings Spider Man
into a pile of debris, disorienting him. As Peter regains
his senses, he finds himself surrounded by a bizarre assembly
of grotesque beings Annihilus's prisoners. It doesn't take long before
Annihilus himself makes an appearance. The insect overlord addresses his captives,
(09:51):
eager to test their limits and learn their secrets, especially
Spider Man's. Though unimpressed with most of his captives, Annihilis
senses that Peter Parker is different and intends to uncover
the mystery of his powers. Spider Man, never wanted to
stay quiet, replies with Snark, but the danger is only beginning.
(10:11):
Spider Man bravely faces off against the fearsome Annihilus, but
the insect overlord wastes no time blasting him with the
Cosmic Control Rod, sending him flying.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Peter's quips don't.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Help him much as a Nihilist becomes intrigued by the
Fantastic Five's mission one read Richards hasn't even fully explained
to his own team yet. But before Annihilist can press
for answers, Spider Man leaps into action again. The villain,
now enraged, declares that no one's muscular abilities can match
the might of his cosmic weapon. As the rod crackles
(10:43):
with energy, it becomes clear that this very device may
be the key to saving Sue and our unborn child,
though Spider Man, currently in survival mode, hasn't realized that yet.
A Nihilist taunts Spider Man with cruelty and power, even
drawing comparisons to Blastar, another monstrous Negative Zone war lord,
but Spidey isn't rattled. He blinds a Nihilis with webbing,
(11:04):
and in a dairy move, wrests the Cosmic Control Rod
from his hands and makes a break for it, sprinting
into a nearby corridor with a Nihilis in pursuit. Meanwhile,
read Johnny, and Ben scour the desolate landscape above. Red
is sure that the creature that took Spider Man is
close by. After a few wise cracks and a brief scuffle,
they stumble across a translucent creature rising from the ground.
(11:28):
Red immediately recognizes it as a trap, but one they
must spraying if they hope to find Peter. They enter
the Strange construct, which seems to react to their presence.
Soon they're ambushed by bizarre threats. Reed is attacked by
a spinning saw blade from the floor, Johnny by an
all engulfing sonic sponge, and Ben by a brute sized machine.
(11:51):
The team fights back while Reid attempts to analyze their
enemies and by time. Just when it seems like all
three are about to be overwhelmed, some thing neutralizes the threats.
It's Spider Man, reappearing dramatically with the cosmic control rod
in hand. Spidey explains that he borrowed it from an
Nihilis himself. Reid examines the artifact and confirms it holds
(12:13):
the precise energy they need to save Sue and their
unborn child. This was the very reason they came to
the negative Zone without hesitation, the team moves to return
to Earth. The rod begins melting away through the crystalline
wall like a knife through butter. But as they prepare
to leave, read cautions they must be vigilant. A Nihilis
(12:33):
may not give up so easily, and indeed, in the shadows,
someone or something is watching. Back in the Timekeeper's realm,
Duatu warns that the Fantastic Five's victory may be short lived,
that wishes granted often come with a price. The Timekeeper's
cold and clinical dismiss Uatu's worries and explain their method
(12:54):
using unwitting custodians to manipulate events without destabilizing the time stream.
Though Immortis once served them directly, he proved too clumsy.
This time, they'll enlist someone who knows nothing of them
or the Negative Zone, someone with raw untapped ambition that
someone is doctor Doom. Meanwhile, the Fantastic Five begin their
(13:18):
perilous return trip from the Negative Zone. As they navigate
a region where matter can be dangerously converted into antimatter,
a Nihilis suddenly opens fire on them from a gunship.
They're jolted, but not killed thanks to the shielding properties
of the Cosmic Control Rod. Reed begins activating the rod's
power to push back. The Spider Man urges him to
(13:38):
act faster. Reed blasts a Nihilis's ship, but the explosion
causes chaos. The team tumbles, barely cushioned by a rocky outcrop.
Johnny flies off to search for the dropped Cosmic Control Rod,
which slipped from Reed's grasp. He finds it just as
it is snatched by a new figure. Cloaked in shadow,
(14:01):
Doctor Doom emerges from the swirling Kahos, declaring that he
is now in possession.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Of the rod.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
He reveals he became aware of its existence through mysterious
means and sees it as the key to power and
his ticket.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Out of the negative Zone.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Doom taunts the heroes with his newfound advantage, then departs,
leaving the team to suffer the wrath.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Of the zones unstable terrain.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
As Doom leaves, fragments of rock begin accelerating toward an
anti matter planet, prime to explode. Once they get too close,
Doom casually informs them.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Of their fate and disappears.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Back on Earth, Susan Storm lies in a hospital bed,
writhing in labor Crystal, temporarily serving in Sue's place on
the team, comforts her but is clearly distraught. Sue, despite
her pain, pleads to know where Reed and the others are.
Intuitively sensing they're in great danger, the doctors rush to
get Sue into.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
The delivery room.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Crystal pulls one a side and begs for clarity. Is
there no way to save Sue in the baby? The
doctor grimly admits that without the unknown element the team
has gone to retrieve, both Susan and her unborn child may.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Not survive the night.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
As Doom makes his escape with the Cosmic Control Rod,
a furious Annihilis intercepts him. The two titans clash violently
in the skies of the Negative Zone. Doom, unshaken, calmly
reveals his deep understanding of the Rod's secrets, how it
grants immense power and even virtual immortality. Information Doom is
uncovered on the zone through sheer intellect. Annihilis undeterred. He
(15:36):
unveils another weapon, a devastating energy cannon called the Annihilator,
and blasts Doom with it.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Meanwhile, the Fantastic Five.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Observe their chaos from a nearby ledge, watching the aftermath
that the Annihilis Doom conflict unleash seismic destruction across the zone.
As Spider Man, torch Thing, and Read scramble to make
sense of the situation, Read's thoughts turn grind. He realizes
with horror that if the Cosmic Control Rod is destroyed
in the crossfire, Sue and their unborn baby will die.
(16:08):
The battle between Doom and a Nihilis continues, but then
something bizarre happens. Doom's astral form is suddenly yanked from
his body. He finds himself face to face with a mysterious,
hooded figure known only as the Whisperer. This being claims
to be the enemy of the voice that lured Doom here,
an agent of the Timekeepers, The Whisperer exposes the truth
(16:33):
the Timekeepers lied. The Cosmic Control Rod will not save
Doom's mother from me Fisto as they promised. Instead, the
real stakes lie in the lives of Susan Richards and
her unborn son, a nexus being whose death would emotionally
unhinge Read Richards and eventually lead Earth into a nuclear war.
Doom is shaken. The Whisperer implores him return the Rod
(16:57):
to Read prevent the coming apocalypse. Moments later, Doom snaps
back into his body mid battle. Surprisingly, instead of continuing
to fight, he tosses the rod to Reed, declaring he
cannot stand idly by and let a child die, not
even the child of his greatest foe, The Fantastic Fiver. Stunned,
(17:21):
Read is speechless, but Doom instructs them to flee while
he holds off A Nihilus spider man cracks a joke,
but Reed knows something has changed in Doom. His gesture
was sincere. They retreat, with Reed still processing the villain's
unexpected heroism Behind them, A Nihilis screams in frustration, knowing
that if the rod is lost to him, so is
(17:43):
his immortality. The final battle between Doctor Doom and Annihilus
irrupts in fool fury. A Nihilis, enraged by Doom's interference
and the loss of the cosmic control.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Rod unleashes a brutal assault.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
He viciously stabs Doom's arm and rains down blows, declaring
the Doom's friends only took a portion of his power.
Now he intends to finish Doom with everything he has left,
but Doom, ever defiant refuses to give in the two
clash and thunderous explosion, an apocalyptic burst that obliterates the
surrounding rock, leaving nothing but lifeless debris drifting in the
(18:18):
void of the negative Zone. In his berserk rage, an
nihilist never notices that Doom had drifted perilously close to
the anti matter planet below. Back on Earth, Don breaks
over the hospital the Fantastic five weight anxiously spider man
nervously hanging upside down from the ceiling. Just as tension
reaches its peak, the doctor announces that Reed is a father.
(18:42):
Sue and the baby have both survived. The team breathes
a collective sigh of relief. Red cradles his newborn son,
while Johnny joyfully declares himself and Uncle Joy overwhelms them,
even as the larger implications go unnoticed. The child is
a nexus being destined to shape the fate of the Earth. Meanwhile,
(19:04):
far beyond Uatu reflects the Timekeepers have lost this round.
Franklin Richards has been born, but they remain unshaken as
other earths still hang in the balance, each with its
own nexus to eliminate. They never even informed a nihilis
or Doom of the true stakes. Their pawns were expendable,
(19:25):
and one final act, the mysterious Whisperer reaches out to Doom.
As Doom and Annihilists prepare for their final strike, both
of them vanish erased from that alternate reality, consigned to
non existence and oblivion. For one world, the game was over,
UATU solemnly concludes for the multiverse at large, it had
(19:47):
barely begun. Thanks for being here for this part of time.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Wait.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Make sure to tune in tomorrow for the next exciting installment,
and make sure to head to Twitter and show check
out hashtag SBTU or hashtag super Blog Team Up. Should
be able to find all of the great participants taking
part in the Super Blog Team Up event in time
Time Flag streams in.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Welcome travelers of the Time Stream to a very special
edition of the Source Material comics podcast. I'm your host
Jesse Starter, and today kicks off our contribution to the
latest super blog team up event, this one titled End Time.
It's a community wide celebration of all things time travel
where bloggers and podcasters unite the spotlight stories that bend, break,
(00:40):
and blow up the timeline in the name of comic
book greatness. For our part in this time hopping extravaganza,
I'll be guiding you through the five part reality warping
saga known as Time Quake, straight from the pages of
What If Volume two, published by Marvel Comics and originally
hitting shelves back in nineteen ninety two. Each of the
(01:01):
five issues presents a distorted timeline where things just didn't
go differently, They went catastrophically wrong, and as the alternate
reality spiral out of control, a larger cosmic crisis begins
to unfold, one that threatens the entire multiverse. This storyline
was crafted by Roy Thomas with assistance from RJM. Lofacier,
(01:24):
and featured a rotating cast of artists. Now Here's where
Things get extra fun. To bring this adventure to life
in a whole new way, I've created a custom instrumental
soundtrack for each episode. You'll hear it behind me while
I'm talking. This was composed using Suno dot com. Each
track was inspired by the tone and events of the
individual issues, and if you head over to Suno dot
(01:47):
com by following the link in the description below, you
can read along and listen for a truly immersive experience.
Now here's the plan. Over the next five days, I'll
be releasing five episodes, one for each issue of Timequa,
covering every reality twisting plot, cosmic confrontation, and temporal tampering.
So grab your multiverse cap, sync up your Crono band,
(02:10):
and prepare to dive into one of Marvel's most bizarre, ambitious,
and interconnected what if story is ever told?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
This is Time Quake.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Now, before we get started with the episode, do not
forget to head to Twitter and type in hashtag SBTU
or hashtag super blog. Team up and you should be
able to find many of the contributions that are happening
in this event and then kind of lay it all
out there for you. Here's some of the participants and
(02:40):
what they're bringing to the table between the Page's blog
is bringing when Scooby doom at the Flintstones and the Jetsons.
Also partying with the Flintstones and the Jetsons, The Superhero
Satellite brings in hex Communications Dave's Comic Heroes blog Superman
and Superboys, which.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
That should be interesting.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
We also have the tell Tale Mind Time and Time
again The Man Who Lived Forever Asterisk fifty one. Good
Old Evan Bevans brings us Squirrel Girl Master's time Travel.
He's been wanting me to read that for a while,
and as far as I can tell, as of right now,
that is what we have on the list. There could
be more added after I've recorded this, so please make
(03:24):
sure to check out Twitter for any late editions. Let's
get on with the show.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
We open with what If Issue thirty five.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
What If the Fantastic Five had invaded the Negative Zone
written by Roy Thomas, penciled by Joe Phillips, inked by
Sam Dela Rosa, lettered by Janis Chang, and colored by
Marie Javins. The comic also credits R. J. M. Mosier
as a writer here as well. On the Moon within
(04:04):
the Solemn solitude of his citadel. Huatu the Watcher reflects
on the nature of his existence. To the uninformed, he
may seem a passive observer, faded to witness without interfering,
but Uatu admits he does more than simply watch. For
each quantum shift in the universe births a new reality,
an infinite cascade of alternative timelines, all shaped by a
(04:27):
single divergent choice. Amidst the vast multiverse, certain beings hold
immense power to alter its fate, those called nexus beings.
Huatu introduces three such figures whose influence over the time
stream is legendary. There's cease neg a thirty first century
(04:49):
sorcerer who became one with the universe. Then Merlin, the
timeless adviser to King Arthur, and Kang, the conqueror, whose
meddling has spawned a legion of variants across time. These
are nexuses, fixed points that shape destinies. Luatu recalls a
time when he wants subtly manipulated Earth's heroes to stop
(05:11):
Leonard Tippett, a dangerously unstable nexus being. He notes that
there are other entities who monitor such threats. The bureaucratic
time variance authority for one who recently clashed with the
Fantastic four Deeper still are the time Keepers, cosmic beings
who exist at the end of time, seeking to preserve
the integrity of the time stream. They once appointed Immortist
(05:35):
Ruler of Limbo and future self of Kang as its custodian.
In return, he was granted absolute authority over a thousand
years of time so long as he obeyed them, and
Mortis acted under their orders to prune realities and eliminate
dangerous nexus threats. But there was one being too powerful
to erase, Wanda Maximov, the Scarlet Witch, born a Nexus.
(06:00):
Wanda's hex's powers influenced probabilities on a universal scale, and
Mortis secretly groomed her as the ultimate Nexus to control
all future timelines. But his plans were foiled when Agatha
Harkness broke the spell over Wanda, allowing her to reclaim
her autonomy. Wanda's rebellion sent shockwaves across the multiverse, compelling
(06:22):
the Timekeepers to act directly. They stripped Wanda's nexus energy
and funneled it into a Mortis, binding him forever to Limbo.
They believe their mission accomplished. Reality stabilized, but even cosmic
beings miscalculate. The present feels a tremor through the cosmic web.
Something no some ones are again threatening the time stream.
(06:47):
As he confers with the Timekeepers, the truth emerges. During
Mortis's watch, four nexus beings slipped past unnoticed. The Timekeepers
are alarmed. If their existence is to remain intact, these
anomalies must be destroyed. Huatu watches disturbed as the trio
resolves to correct their error, the time quake has begun.
(07:11):
Uatu protests the Timekeeper's plan to interfere with multiple alternate
realities simply to preserve their own existence, but the Timekeepers
dismiss his concerns, justifying their intervention as necessary. As Watu
peers into one such altered timeline, he realizes with a
start that he recognizes this world a familiar reality where
(07:33):
Spider Man joined the Fantastic Four, forming the Fantastic Five.
In this world, Read Richards is frantically working with high
tech equipment while Spider Man, the Thing, and Human Torch
try to get his attention. Sue storms in the hospital,
moments away from delivering their child, but Reid is focused
on a dangerous mission He's discovered that both Sue and
(07:56):
their unborn baby are in peril due to a mysterious
energy deficiency. The only substance that might save them is antimatter,
found only in the Negative Zone. Without hesitation, Read declares
he's returning to that dimension alone, but his teammates insist
on joining him, including a concerned spider man, who, despite
(08:18):
being new to the group, is deeply invested. Moments later,
they launch into the swirling void of the Negative Zone,
navigating the treacherous energies in gravitational pools as they race
through their destination. Meanwhile, back with the Timekeepers, who WoT
to questions their motives, Why this world? Why now, they
reveal their target, Franklin Richards, the unborn son of Reed
(08:41):
and Sue, who is destined to become.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
A powerful Nexus being.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
If the Timekeepers are to secure the control of their timeline,
Franklin must never be born. But how will they prevent
this without direct interference. Their solution summon a threat already
existing in this timeline, An nihilates the cruel and sectoid
tyrant who rules the Negative Zone. The time Keepers awaken
the monstrous being, counting on him to eliminate read before
(09:08):
he can save his family. Sure enough, as the Fantastic
Five venture through the zone, one of Annihilis's scavenger creatures
attacks them. It grabs Spider Man, specifically, carrying him off
towards the depths of the zone. The team leaps into action.
The Human Torch and the Thing work to subdue the
creature mid flight, while Reid and Johnny attempt to free
(09:28):
Peter without harming him. The beast finally flings Spider Man
into a pile of debris, disorienting him. As Peter regains
his senses, he finds himself surrounded by a bizarre assembly
of grotesque beings Annihilus's prisoners. It doesn't take long before
Annihilus himself makes an appearance. The insect overlord addresses his captives,
(09:51):
eager to test their limits and learn their secrets, especially
Spider Man's. Though unimpressed with most of his captives, Annihilis
senses that Peter Parker is different and intends to uncover
the mystery of his powers. Spider Man, never wanted to
stay quiet, replies with Snark, but the danger is only beginning.
(10:11):
Spider Man bravely faces off against the fearsome Annihilus, but
the insect overlord wastes no time blasting him with the
Cosmic Control Rod, sending him flying.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Peter's quips don't.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Help him much as a Nihilist becomes intrigued by the
Fantastic Five's mission one read Richards hasn't even fully explained
to his own team yet. But before Annihilist can press
for answers, Spider Man leaps into action again. The villain,
now enraged, declares that no one's muscular abilities can match
the might of his cosmic weapon. As the rod crackles
(10:43):
with energy, it becomes clear that this very device may
be the key to saving Sue and our unborn child,
though Spider Man, currently in survival mode, hasn't realized that yet.
A Nihilist taunts Spider Man with cruelty and power, even
drawing comparisons to Blastar, another monstrous Negative Zone war lord,
but Spidey isn't rattled. He blinds a Nihilis with webbing,
(11:04):
and in a dairy move, wrests the Cosmic Control Rod
from his hands and makes a break for it, sprinting
into a nearby corridor with a Nihilis in pursuit. Meanwhile,
read Johnny, and Ben scour the desolate landscape above. Red
is sure that the creature that took Spider Man is
close by. After a few wise cracks and a brief scuffle,
they stumble across a translucent creature rising from the ground.
(11:28):
Red immediately recognizes it as a trap, but one they
must spraying if they hope to find Peter. They enter
the Strange construct, which seems to react to their presence.
Soon they're ambushed by bizarre threats. Reed is attacked by
a spinning saw blade from the floor, Johnny by an
all engulfing sonic sponge, and Ben by a brute sized machine.
(11:51):
The team fights back while Reid attempts to analyze their
enemies and by time. Just when it seems like all
three are about to be overwhelmed, some thing neutralizes the threats.
It's Spider Man, reappearing dramatically with the cosmic control rod
in hand. Spidey explains that he borrowed it from an
Nihilis himself. Reid examines the artifact and confirms it holds
(12:13):
the precise energy they need to save Sue and their
unborn child. This was the very reason they came to
the negative Zone without hesitation, the team moves to return
to Earth. The rod begins melting away through the crystalline
wall like a knife through butter. But as they prepare
to leave, read cautions they must be vigilant. A Nihilis
(12:33):
may not give up so easily, and indeed, in the shadows,
someone or something is watching. Back in the Timekeeper's realm,
Duatu warns that the Fantastic Five's victory may be short lived,
that wishes granted often come with a price. The Timekeeper's
cold and clinical dismiss Uatu's worries and explain their method
(12:54):
using unwitting custodians to manipulate events without destabilizing the time stream.
Though Immortis once served them directly, he proved too clumsy.
This time, they'll enlist someone who knows nothing of them
or the Negative Zone, someone with raw untapped ambition that
someone is doctor Doom. Meanwhile, the Fantastic Five begin their
(13:18):
perilous return trip from the Negative Zone. As they navigate
a region where matter can be dangerously converted into antimatter,
a Nihilis suddenly opens fire on them from a gunship.
They're jolted, but not killed thanks to the shielding properties
of the Cosmic Control Rod. Reed begins activating the rod's
power to push back. The Spider Man urges him to
(13:38):
act faster. Reed blasts a Nihilis's ship, but the explosion
causes chaos. The team tumbles, barely cushioned by a rocky outcrop.
Johnny flies off to search for the dropped Cosmic Control Rod,
which slipped from Reed's grasp. He finds it just as
it is snatched by a new figure. Cloaked in shadow,
(14:01):
Doctor Doom emerges from the swirling Kahos, declaring that he
is now in possession.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
Of the rod.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
He reveals he became aware of its existence through mysterious
means and sees it as the key to power and
his ticket.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
Out of the negative Zone.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Doom taunts the heroes with his newfound advantage, then departs,
leaving the team to suffer the wrath.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Of the zones unstable terrain.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
As Doom leaves, fragments of rock begin accelerating toward an
anti matter planet, prime to explode. Once they get too close,
Doom casually informs them.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Of their fate and disappears.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Back on Earth, Susan Storm lies in a hospital bed,
writhing in labor Crystal, temporarily serving in Sue's place on
the team, comforts her but is clearly distraught. Sue, despite
her pain, pleads to know where Reed and the others are.
Intuitively sensing they're in great danger, the doctors rush to
get Sue into.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
The delivery room.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Crystal pulls one a side and begs for clarity. Is
there no way to save Sue in the baby? The
doctor grimly admits that without the unknown element the team
has gone to retrieve, both Susan and her unborn child may.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Not survive the night.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
As Doom makes his escape with the Cosmic Control Rod,
a furious Annihilis intercepts him. The two titans clash violently
in the skies of the Negative Zone. Doom, unshaken, calmly
reveals his deep understanding of the Rod's secrets, how it
grants immense power and even virtual immortality. Information Doom is
uncovered on the zone through sheer intellect. Annihilis undeterred. He
(15:36):
unveils another weapon, a devastating energy cannon called the Annihilator,
and blasts Doom with it.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Meanwhile, the Fantastic Five.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
Observe their chaos from a nearby ledge, watching the aftermath
that the Annihilis Doom conflict unleash seismic destruction across the zone.
As Spider Man, torch Thing, and Read scramble to make
sense of the situation, Read's thoughts turn grind. He realizes
with horror that if the Cosmic Control Rod is destroyed
in the crossfire, Sue and their unborn baby will die.
(16:08):
The battle between Doom and a Nihilis continues, but then
something bizarre happens. Doom's astral form is suddenly yanked from
his body. He finds himself face to face with a mysterious,
hooded figure known only as the Whisperer. This being claims
to be the enemy of the voice that lured Doom here,
an agent of the Timekeepers, The Whisperer exposes the truth
(16:33):
the Timekeepers lied. The Cosmic Control Rod will not save
Doom's mother from me Fisto as they promised. Instead, the
real stakes lie in the lives of Susan Richards and
her unborn son, a nexus being whose death would emotionally
unhinge Read Richards and eventually lead Earth into a nuclear war.
Doom is shaken. The Whisperer implores him return the Rod
(16:57):
to Read prevent the coming apocalypse. Moments later, Doom snaps
back into his body mid battle. Surprisingly, instead of continuing
to fight, he tosses the rod to Reed, declaring he
cannot stand idly by and let a child die, not
even the child of his greatest foe, The Fantastic Fiver. Stunned,
(17:21):
Read is speechless, but Doom instructs them to flee while
he holds off A Nihilus spider man cracks a joke,
but Reed knows something has changed in Doom. His gesture
was sincere. They retreat, with Reed still processing the villain's
unexpected heroism Behind them, A Nihilis screams in frustration, knowing
that if the rod is lost to him, so is
(17:43):
his immortality. The final battle between Doctor Doom and Annihilus
irrupts in fool fury. A Nihilis, enraged by Doom's interference
and the loss of the cosmic control.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Rod unleashes a brutal assault.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
He viciously stabs Doom's arm and rains down blows, declaring
the Doom's friends only took a portion of his power.
Now he intends to finish Doom with everything he has left,
but Doom, ever defiant refuses to give in the two
clash and thunderous explosion, an apocalyptic burst that obliterates the
surrounding rock, leaving nothing but lifeless debris drifting in the
(18:18):
void of the negative Zone. In his berserk rage, an
nihilist never notices that Doom had drifted perilously close to
the anti matter planet below. Back on Earth, Don breaks
over the hospital the Fantastic five weight anxiously spider man
nervously hanging upside down from the ceiling. Just as tension
reaches its peak, the doctor announces that Reed is a father.
(18:42):
Sue and the baby have both survived. The team breathes
a collective sigh of relief. Red cradles his newborn son,
while Johnny joyfully declares himself and Uncle Joy overwhelms them,
even as the larger implications go unnoticed. The child is
a nexus being destined to shape the fate of the Earth. Meanwhile,
(19:04):
far beyond Uatu reflects the Timekeepers have lost this round.
Franklin Richards has been born, but they remain unshaken as
other earths still hang in the balance, each with its
own nexus to eliminate. They never even informed a nihilis
or Doom of the true stakes. Their pawns were expendable,
(19:25):
and one final act, the mysterious Whisperer reaches out to Doom.
As Doom and Annihilists prepare for their final strike, both
of them vanish erased from that alternate reality, consigned to
non existence and oblivion. For one world, the game was over,
UATU solemnly concludes for the multiverse at large, it had
(19:47):
barely begun. Thanks for being here for this part of time.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Wait.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Make sure to tune in tomorrow for the next exciting installment,
and make sure to head to Twitter and show check
out hashtag SBTU or hashtag super Blog Team Up. Should
be able to find all of the great participants taking
part in the Super Blog Team Up event in time
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