WARNING: The following article contains spoilers from Empyre #2 by Al Ewing, Dan Slott, Valerio Schiti, Marte Gracia, and VC's Joe Caramagna, on sale now.

For the first time since their return to the Marvel Universe, the Fantastic Four are at the center of a crossover, joining the Avengers in the war against the Cotati.

At the conclusion of Empyre #1, the heroes are caught in an ambush on the Kree/Skrull Command Ship, with a cavalry led by Captain Marvel and Hulkling arriving in the following issue. Three members of the group are able to hold their own against the Cotati forces, but one turns out to be especially vulnerable.

While the rest of the team is able to withstand the Cotati's attack, the Thing is nearly consumed by killer vines that suddenly erupt from various microscopic seeds and plant life embedded within his rocky hide. Using his powerful Star Sword, Hulkling slices through the Thing, negating the power of the Cotati and saving the hero's life.

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While the Thing proved to be the most vulnerable to the attack, the rest of the team was protected by their powers. The Invisible Woman relied on her force field for protection while the fiery abilities of the Human Torch made short work of his adversaries.

Surprisingly, Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic's powers served him as well as the majority of his teammates. While the initial attack against him appeared to be devastating, the pliable nature of his body ultimately provided an excellent defense against the Cotati ambush, rendering him virtually immune to their power.

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This isn't the first time Reed Richard's powers have provided him with better protection than the Thing's rocky body. In Tom DeFalco and Paul Ryan's Fantastic Four #374, the original team faced off against a new Fantastic Four consisting of Ghost Rider, the Hulk, Spider-Man, and the X-Man Wolverine. While Mr. Fantastic's powers proved capable of both restraining Wolverine and rendering his claws useless, the Thing was terribly scarred when the feral mutant raked his claws against his face.

Mr. Fantastic's greatest asset has always been his intelligence. However, his physical powers have proven on more than one occasion just as formidable as those of his fantastic teammates, and even more so on a few occasions.

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