We've finally reached the conclusion of the Rocky Grimm, Space Ranger storyline. The cover of the twenty-second issue of The Thing showed Ben Grimm cradling Tarianna carefully in his arms on a deserted planet. The tale was titled "To All Things An Ending." The issue had a cover date of April 1985.
The story started with Ben running to his girlfriend's doorstep with a box of candy and a bouquet of flowers. However, Alicia Masters quickly rejected her boyfriend and began swinging her fists at him, even after he changed into the Thing. When Grimm opened his eyes, he found himself inside a large arena.
Ben was now staring directly at the enemy who had tormented him for much of his time after the Secret Wars. He told his rival that he'd created a psychological block that prevented him from becoming human, because he felt that Alicia had preferred his superhero self. The stranger let down his hood to reveal that he was Ben Grimm.
He explained how he was created, so that Ben could examine the lives of his human and superhero identities. This version of Ben's self was determined to keep his human form, which he felt less and less of every time Ben changed into the Thing. He started hatching a plot after finding Ultron's head.
The evil android was not needed to destroy the Thing. Ben's doppelganger leapt at his twin, He lacked the hero's fighting ability, but still pressed on nonetheless. In the meantime, Tarianna was breaking free of her bonds, eager to return to Grimm's side.
As for Ultron, he had been revived (as shown last issue) and had assembled a machine army ready to take over the patchwork planet. Both battles raged on simultaneously. Tarianna eventually leapt to her love's side, and lodged her sword deep into her captor's side. He cried out not in pain but in anger.
The action caused the stadium to collapse, and Ultron's forces to disappear. Ben was now left with Tarianna dying in his arms. After she passed on, he walked alone. Now there was nothing keeping him on that world any longer. He realized that killing the human side of him was his idea all along. He grabbed Ultron's head that was lying nearby and pressed the remote control that his teammmate Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) had left him. Moments after the Thing left Battleworld, the planet began to collapse in on itself before finally exploding, its debris left to orbit endlessly in space.
This was the conclusion of this storyline and Battleworld, but the implications would carry over into the next issue. The revelation and final struggle in this particular story would stay with Ben for some time, but I really feel like this should have been revisited. It reminded me of the identity crisis that Bruce Banner had at about the same time.
You'll probably see what I mean tomorrow, when I cover the twenty-third issue of the Thing. Ben is back on Earth, but he definitely isn't home. Tune in on Thursday to find out what happens to Grimm once he tries to reconnect with people that he's known for years. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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