The Fantastic Four has just finished dealing with a monster escaped from another dimension when a much worse problem is brought to their attention — Reed is rumored to have let the shields fail to test his theories on the effects of cosmic rays. Could the FF's intrepid leader be capable of such a thing, or is there more to this situation than meets the eye?
This episode includes the following tropes:
- Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: A large alien bug appears at the beginning of the episode. More appear later on.
- Attack on One Is an Attack on All: A heroic example; when Dr. Doom attacks Reed, the other three attack him.Ben: If you attack one of us, Doom...you attack all of us.
- Admiring the Abomination: Reed is fascinated by the existence of the Negative Zone creatures and Susan has to snap him back to getting rid of them.
- Brick Joke: At the episode's start, Ben grouches that, "a sign would have been nice. 'Big alien monster behind door, do not touch.'" At the episode's end, he requests that if Reed has any more doors to alien dimensions, he label them.
- Clear My Name: Reed attempts to find out the truth, and gets to the bottom just before his framer shows up.
- Comically Missing the Point: Johnny, for a few minutes.Susan: We can't free ourselves, but maybe we can free each other. Johnny, do you remember when you made Ben's soda can explode just by looking at it?Johnny: Oh, that was so great; it went all over him! I just concentrated really hard and—oh, I get it!
- Doomy Dooms of Doom: Guess who's behind all this.
- Frame-Up: Doom forged part of the journal entry leaked to the media.
- Guinea Pig Family : The paper suggests Reed used Susan, Ben, and Johnny as guinea pigs.
- It's All My Fault: In spite of the fact that in this universe, it was Doom's fault the shields failed, Reed still feels this way about what happened to Susan, Johnny, and Ben.
- I Would Say If I Could Say: Alicia (who is blind) asks Ben an ironic question.Reed carries so much guilt about what happened to all of you—and especially you. If I can see that, why can't you?
- Mad Scientist: Doom is trying to make Reed out to be "a betrayer and a madman."
- Not Helping Your Case: After the news breaks and Johnny calls Reed "Dr. Evil", Susan tells her brother the media are untrustworthy, pointing out that they tell all kinds of nasty stories about him. Johnny answers that most of the stories about him are actually things he did.
- One-Word Title
- The Power of Friendship: Reed mentions it when talking to Doom."You're right, Victor [about him being weaker on his own]. But you forgot one thing. Unlike you, I'm not alone!"
- Power Nullifier: Doom's cells were built to counteract Susan, Johnny, and Ben's powers.
- Power-Strain Blackout: Reed loses consciousness in midair when he finishes closing the Negative Zone portal.
- Red Sky, Take Warning: When Doom opens the Negative Zone portal, the sky turns red.
- Shout-Out: When Johnny thinks Reed may be guilty, he refers to him as "Dr. Evil".
- Understatement:Reed (upon finding an alien loose): You know there's sensitive equipment in my lab.Ben: Sensitive? Way to put it mildly, Stretch.
