Benjamin Grimm (Earth-15866)

"It's Clobberin' Time!"

―Ben Grimm^[src]

Benjamin "Ben" Grimm, also known as the Thing, is a member of the Fantastic Four who possesses super strength and invulnerability.

Biography

Early Life

Born in Oyster, New York, Ben had a rough childhood suffering constant abuse at the hands of his older brother, who said "It's Clobberin' Time!" at one point, before slapping him repeatedly. One day at his salvage yard, Ben discovered a fellow student from school named Reed Richards scavenging through the yard. Reed tells Ben he is building a teleporter, but he needs supplies. Ben agrees and uses the supplies, Reed shows Ben his finished teleporter activating it and teleporting a toy car. Ben proceeds to call Reed insane, to which Reed thanks him.

Fantastic Four

Seven years later, an adult Ben and Reed, now best friends at a high school science fair, showed the judges their redefined teleporter. Also in attendance were Dr. Franklin Storm and adopted daughter Sue. Turning on the machine and using a child's planes since Ben forgot to bring a toy car. The teleporter brought back the plane but also destroyed the school’s basketball hoop. The two were disqualified, however, by the judges. Dr. Storm came to Reed and Ben and revealed that their machine had been sending the objects to another dimension. Storm recruited Reed to the Baxter institute, a think tank for talented young prodigies. Arriving at the building Ben told Reed that he belonged here despite Reed telling him they wouldn't be too far apart. As Reed worked on the teleporter, he texted Ben to thank his best friend, much to Ben’s joy.

After getting intoxicated, Reed contacted Ben telling him he had finished the teleporter and not wanting to do this without him told him to come with him on the trip. Arriving at the building, Reed introduced Ben to his fellow co-workers Johnny Storm and Victor von Doom and the four successfully teleported to the dimension. As Victor touched the green energy of the planet, it started to become unstable. Reed, Johnny and Ben escaped with the help of Sue while Victor was seemingly killed and left. While returning to the machine, Ben’s door became unlocked and he was struck by the rock like debris of the planet while they were teleported back by Johnny's older sister, Sue. The four were then affected on a molecular level with Ben being turned into a rock like creature.

Waking up in government custody, Ben discovered what he had become and saw Reed in a nearby ventilation shaft. Ben begged Reed for help but his friend, after being startled by some alarms, promises to come back before escaping the facility. Dr. Harvey Allen confronts Ben and tells him that Reed abandoned him and would not be coming back. Allen, however, assured him that his scientist would fix him but in the meantime he would have to help them to which Ben agreed. For a year Ben helped the government on numerous assignments killing at least 43 enemies of the U.S. When the government locates Reed Harvey sends Ben to retrieve him. Ben lands and Reed tries to explain but Ben refuses to listen and knocks him out. Later back at the base Dr. Allen sends a team back to the dimension where they located Victor alive having had his suit bonded to him. Victor proceeds to escape and massacre the men of the base on their way to Victor Ben encounters Reed and ask him if he is going to run away again. Reed tells him no and the two discover Victor murder Dr. Storm and return to Planet Zero. Ben and the others follow and discover that Victor is sucking the Earth into the portal Ben, Johnny, and Sue attack, but Doom easily overpowers them. Reed comes to their aid and tells them they must work together. Devising a plan, the others distract Victor allowing Ben to punch him into the link between the portal killing him, destroying the portal and saving the Earth.

Later, the team demanded the government to give them a facility to continue their scientific endeavors and decided to work as a team with the ultimate goal of using their powers to help others.

Character traits

Ben is a rare breed of brawn and heart. He is also warm and sensitive and protective of his friends. His toughness also gives him bravery in bad situations.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Superhuman Physiology/Organic Rock Skin: Ben's transformation has left his tissues made of an otherworldly rock-like material. It has made him superhumanly dense, bulky, and burly. His strange rock-like tissues give him superhuman strength, mobility and endurance.
- Superhuman Strength: Ben possesses far more strength then a normal human; he can generate the force capable of destroying tanks with punches or charges and tear them apart with ease. Ben could easily destroy large machinery, large and thick masses of stone, and tree trunks with his punches. He also could pick up a military truck and be carrying it over his head without difficulty, as well as throw it at a great distance.
- Superhuman Mobility: Ben possesses far more mobility then a normal human; as he can run at speeds that rivals that of moving vehicles.
- Superhuman Endurance: Ben possesses far more endurance then a normal human.
- Invulnerability: Ben possesses far more durability then a normal human; his otherworldly composition, along with superhuman density, volume, thickness, bulk, and size have made him seemingly indestructible. His tissues are completely impact resistant, making high impact of hundreds to thousands of feet, bullets of the highest caliber, explosions of all intensities, and even direct energy beams or blasts. He cannot feel discomfort of almost any attack, casually walking while being shot repeatedly from all directions. If he is injured, his rock like composition still heals like normal flesh and is seemingly immune to scars or marks of any kind. He seemingly rock like tissues seem to not have a melting point and are immune to the most extreme and intense heat and fire, as well as similar amounts of pressure and friction.
- Immortality: Ben's rock-like tissue does not age and he is theoretically unable to die of natural causes, as his organs are also rock like and and are possibly not susceptible to chemicals and other substances poisonous or otherwise hazardous to normal organic beings, as well as colds and other forms of disease.

Relationships

Reed Richards - Best friend and teammate.
Susan Storm - Teammate.
Johnny Storm - Teammate.
Victor von Doom - Ally turned enemy; deceased.
Franklin Storm - Mentor; deceased.

Appearances/Actors

Canon (1 film)
- Fantastic Four (First appearance) - Jamie Bell

Behind the scenes

Christian Cooke auditioned for the role of The Thing before Bell was cast.

Trivia

This is the first time that The Thing is in CGI.
This is the first incarnation of The Thing to have five fingers on each hand.
The Trank series is the first Fantastic Four live-action series to have the Thing completely computer animated. Jamie Bell is also the first British actor to portray The Thing.
- This is, apparently, the first incarnation of the Thing to have five fingers on each hand.
- He is also the first incarnation of the Thing to not wear pants or boots.
His suggestion for the team name was "The Big Brain and His Neurons".
He was offended when Johnny called him the "Thing Nobody Wanted".
It is unknown if this incarnation of the Thing is capable of eating.