The Fantastic Four are Marvel's elite first family. The team is dedicated to scientific exploration, but that mission statement throws up its fair share of mysteries. Secrets and revelations are just a part of the superhero life, but the FF goes searching for questions that cannot be answered.

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So whether these mysteries impact the Fantastic Four's professional or personal lives, they are vital for Marvel's storytelling. Many mysteries were eventually resolved, but some live on in surprising and innovative ways. Ultimately, creating a mystery that confuses the audience or the characters is a staple in Marvel's storytelling toolkit.

10 What Does Doctor Doom Look Like

Esad Ribic's cover for Secret Wars #9 featuring Doctor Doom grappling Mister Fantastic against a group of vignettes from Marvel history

Doctor Doom's appearance has been a well-hidden mystery in Marvel Comics. Reed Richards and Victor von Doom were budding rivals in their younger years. Reed pointed out that Doom's calculations were wrong in creating an astral projection machine. Doom ignored him. The machine exploded in his face, leaving him with irreversible scars.

Doctor Doom is incredibly vain, and his trademark steel mask has hidden his face ever since. It's become an integral part of his character, with audiences occasionally getting a mere glimpse of what he truly looks like. Although magical mayhem has previously restored Doom's appearance, his mask is naturally mysterious. It is designed to conceal.

9 The Nation Of Wakanda

The Fantastic Four express disbelief over Wakandan technology in Fantastic Four (Vol 1) #52

Multiple origin stories have taken shape in Fantastic Four's comic book run. Among them was Black Panthers'. Marvel's first family has a penchant for exploring the unknown. No location was more mysterious than Wakanda, which had remained hidden from the rest of the world.

The Fantastic Four journeyed to Wakanda after being gifted with an incredibly advanced ship. The secrets would continue to unravel, as the FF were baffled by the nation's technology, society, and their King: the Black Panther. It would take years before Reed Richards could fully understand how their tech functioned. The material known as Vibranium was the key to it all.

8 Whose Side Is Doom On

Doctor Doom with energy flashing from his gauntlet in Marvel Comics.

Doctor Doom was once an ally of Reed Richards, but bitterness and competition soured the relationship. The Latverian leader has since become a mystery unto himself. His allegiances and motivations are always in question. It's often hard to tell whose side Doom is on.

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Doctor Doom has thus created more mystery by occasionally forming a partnership with the Fantastic Four. The team's arch-nemesis is well-detailed and boasts incredible depth. Doom might see eye to eye in a few scenarios, and there is mutual respect between the two sides. But there's always the chance that his genuine motivations are unsavory. Doom can never be trusted because of these secrets and betrayals.

7 What Is Silver Surfer's Power Cosmic

Silver Surfer on his board in Marvel Comics

A couple of superheroes are capable of destroying the world, and Silver Surfer is among them. As the Herald of Galactus, he can point the world-eating deity in any direction he chooses. But he has been gifted the Power Cosmic as a perk of this reluctant partnership.

Reed Richards cannot fully comprehend what the Power Cosmic is. Marvel lore has evolved, so this energy force is still just as mysterious as its first appearance. Its limitless potential is baffling, but the FF has discerned that it is raw cosmic radiation. If the smartest minds can't unpack the Power Cosmic, its mysterious reputation will likely prevail.

6 Why Won't The Human Torch Stop Burning

Fantastic-Four- Human-Torch explodes in a blast of fire

There have been some stories and mysteries in the Fantastic Four comics that were left unresolved. Luckily, the Human Torch's firey problem was brought to a conclusion. Johnny Storm has always been reckless, but his affair with Doctor Doom's future bride put him in grave danger.

Doctor Doom affected the molecular makeup of Storm. This meant that he was unable to turn off the torch. He couldn't stop burning and continued to get hotter. Even Reed Richards couldn't understand why, with the mystery leading to Storm's life getting ruined. Luckily, a cure was eventually found after Richards was gifted with the knowledge of the Watchers.

5 Sue Storm & Namor's Relationship

Namor saves Sue Storm alongside the FF in Marvel Comics

Sue Storm and Namor's relationship has been complicated since the pair's initial meeting. There has been an intangible chemistry between the two. It's not quite romantic, but it's clear that there's a spark. The mystery of romance might be the greatest mystery of all, but it's created tension between the Fantastic Four in this case.

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Namor and Sue Storm have been depicted as a couple in alternative realities. When Reed and Sue broke up during the Civil War, it was Namor that she turned to. No one can fully tell where this relationship is going, considering Sue is married. The full extent of the pair's history is also a little secretive. But perhaps one day, the true emotions of both Namor and Storm will be aired.

Kang the Conqueror being stabbed by Iron Lad (his younger self) and confronting another version of his younger self

Time travel has created many mysteries, and Kang's true identity is notable. The Conquerer has been a long-time foe of the Fantastic Four, but there might be more of a personal connection than readers realize. Kang's real name is Nathaniel Richards.

The choice of name for Kang strongly suggests that he is a descendant of Reed Richards himself. The comics have flirted with the idea that Reed is ultimately responsible for the monster. His father is named Nathaniel Richards, after all. Comics continuity will continue to morph. Recent issues suggested that Reed and Kang shared DNA, while Avengers Forever revealed that Kang truly didn't know about his ancestry. The mystery will seemingly remain.

3 Could Anyone Become The Maker?

Ultimate Reed Richards Wearing The Maker Helmet

The Ultimate Universe was a reflection of the traditional Marvel reality known as Earth-616. But some things were different. Reed Richards' narrative is a prime example. The previous Mister Fantastic became a villainous shadow of his former self. He took on the moniker of The Maker and allowed the many tragedies in his life to define him.

This iteration of Reed Richards is a fantastic display of a 'What If...?' scenario in action. Although the comics have gone into great detail in tracking The Maker's corruption, it still presents a mystery as to what makes him tick. Absolute intelligence is a dangerous thing. Reed Richards has displayed some of the same characteristics as his Ultimate counterpart. Does The Maker lurk within every version of Mister Fantastic? That's a mystery that still has to be solved.

2 What Is The Negative Zone

Reed Richards entering the Negative Zone

Reed Richards is constantly investigating new scientific breakthroughs. His research into sub-space travel led him to discover the Negative Zone. The location was an utter mystery to the explorer. It was negatively charged, had life forms, and a breathable atmosphere.

The Fantastic Four had never seen a realm quite like the Negative Zone, and it's no surprise that it became one of their most prominent ongoing mysteries. The limitations and potential of the Zone are experimental obsessions for Reed. He has created portals to the dimension, fought its villain Annihilus and even forged a prison at its heart, all to break down its secrets.

1 What Was Reed Richards Creating

Ragnarok Thor Clone in Civil War comics

Reed Richards was a leading member of the pro-registration force during the Civil War. The character provided Team Iron Man with detailed plans for the future. His experimentation and implementation of these new concepts were kept under wraps for as long as possible.

It turned out that Reed was working on an android version of Thor, known as Ragnarok. He would spell the end of Goliath in battle. Reed was working on a prison in the Negative Zone. This infrastructure would be corrupted and misused. He even helped to form The Initiative, an Avengers program that was just as broken as everything else Reed created. What Richards was working on was always a mystery, but despite the good intentions, they all led to a grimmer world.

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