The conclusion of "Unthinkable" brings more than a few surprises, in the form of an important guest star, some significant character changes for Reed Richards and a pretty spectacular confrontation between the Fantastic Four and Dr. Doom. OK, that last bit isn't so much a surprise as a great payoff for the arc, and in general, that's what this issue provides as well. Given the impossible setup that Waid set forth, that Doom had basically won, he had to both give the Fantastic Four the victory and not undercut all that setup, and he does it in a pretty clever way. Wieringo and Kesel also come through big-time in this issue, and the result is a visually spectacular and very engaging finale.
Reed Richards has been the focus of this arc, and indeed one of the focuses of Waid's run, which I find interesting given that the Thing and Human Torch are sort of the sexier, more popular characters on the team. Waid has absolutely nailed what makes Reed a compelling character, though, not just his intellect or stuffy father figure personality but the arrogance and ego that comes with it. In order to defeat Doom, Reed has to confront not only his ego but another limitation that he has self-imposed regarding magic, and though it's not wholly unpredictable, it's certainly a worthwhile payoff for the arc. In addition, though Waid veers dangerously close to being too cutesy with Reed's "magic words," I can't deny that it has both humorous appeal and speaks directly to the character finding it within himself to do the impossible (for him) in order to save his family.
One of my earlier complaints about this arc was the speed with which Doom eliminated his magical competition, but there's a nice payoff for that here as well. I was impressed that Waid was able to make such great use of the guest star without taking the spotlight off Reed as far as who has to be responsible for saving the day. I also like the way that Waid has drawn a distinction between the way that magic and science works, not just in terms of process but in terms of effects.
Part of the credit there also belongs to Wieringo and Kesel. The effects of magic are, if possible, more pyrotechnic and strange than super-powers created by science. Doom's off-handed transformation of city property into demonic-looking slugs, not to mention his torment of the Fantastic Four, makes it clear that sorcery is a terrible and powerful energy, and it's effects on the powers of the team seem to make them more sinister and dangerous. Wieringo and Kesel also really pull out all the stops on the final battle sequence, and the impressive double-page splash where the team confronts Doom is a spectacular visual as well.
There's a lot of payoff here in this final chapter. Reed's acceptance of powers higher than himself, the impressive display of power from the team as they face off with Doom in the final pages and a couple of small moments where Reed shows his love for his children are but a few examples. While it's nice to see the heroes get their payback for all the suffering earlier in the arc, though, Waid doesn't leave the team completely unscathed in the wake of their confrontation with Doom. The final showdown between Doom and Reed leaves a grim reminder of Doom, and it's both a chilling moment and an interesting cliffhanger ending that has me curious to see what happens next.
