Ben Grimm

Ben Grimm

Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing was an astronaut and former USAF test pilot. Grimm was exposed to high levels of cosmic radiation when his best friend, scientist Dr. Reed Richards took him and his friends Sue Storm and her younger brother Johnny Storm, into space in the stolen rocket; Marvel-1. The radiation mutated him and his friends, turning him into a super-strong rock like monster with a "Heart of Gold". Together they became the Fantastic Four, a team of adventurers who explored space, time, and alternate dimensions and saved the world along the way from science-based threats.

Attributes

Powers

The Thing received his powers when cosmic rays bombarded his body. He is extremely strong and durable. Nick Fury's intel classified him as power level 8.[85] He is considered one of the strongest men on Earth.

Rock-Like Skin

The Thing possesses a smooth, orange, rock-like hide as a result of exposure to cosmic rays. The mutagenic process caused his musculature, bone structure, internal organ composition, soft tissue structure, and skin to greatly increase in toughness and density.

Superhuman Strength

The Thing's primary superhuman power is his great physical strength. Initially, he was only strong enough to rate as a class 5. Over the years, through rigorous training and further mutation, his strength dramatically increased to the point where he rated as a class 85 (the rating system is only for comparing characters with each other and should not remotely be taken literally). His latest rating put him as class 100.[10] His feats include successfully holding back a giant alien spacecraft from jettisoning from Earth,[88] lifting an oil rig and stopping a multiple story building (weighing roughly 30,000 tons) from falling over and lifting it back into place.[89] Ben even displayed sufficient physical strength to break free from Quasar's constructs,[90] to break free from (presumably secondary) Adamantium chains,[91] and to impressively cause moderate damage in a living black hole.[92] Moreover, the Thing could overpower a hydraulic press that was stated to be powerful enough to push through a planet.

Superhuman Stamina

The Thing's advanced musculature produces considerably less fatigue toxins during physical activity than the musculature of a normal human. At his peak, he can exert himself for about 24 hours before the buildup of fatigue toxins in his blood begins to affect him.[103] Incidentally, The Thing's lungs are of greater volume and efficiency than a normal man's, enabling him to hold his breath underwater for up to 9 minutes, despite the fact that he used to smoke.

Superhuman Durability

The rock-like composition of the Thing's body renders him highly resistant to physical injury. The Thing's body can resist extremely powerful impact forces, such as the force of the Hulk's punches (the Hulk is far above class 100, which makes his punches devastatingly strong).[100] He can also withstand exposure to high levels of explosives, such as being struck with bazooka shells or being shot point-blank with a high-caliber firearm without sustaining injury. His body can also withstand extreme temperatures.

Superhuman Sensory Adaptation

Though his senses aren't superhumanly acute, his five senses can withstand greater amounts of sensory stimuli than he could when he was a normal human being, with no reduced sensitivity. This was demonstrated during the Fantastic Four's first fight with the Hulk. While the sonic boom caused by Hulk's thunderclap knocked out the rest of the group, Ben was barely phased, only sent slightly back due to the accompanying shockwaves.

Abilities

Expert Pilot

Ben is an exceptionally skilled and experienced pilot, proficient with many varieties of both conventional and exotic aircraft.

Experienced Astronaut

Ben has also trained as an astronaut and was piloting Reed Richard's spacecraft during the team's fateful bombardment with cosmic rays.

Master Combatant

He is uniquely gifted in the art of hand-to-hand combat (a skill Ben honed long before he became the Thing), though his fighting style tends to be a rather loose brawling technique all his own. This style often incorporates collegiate wrestling techniques, Boxing (as he has been stated to have spent hours upon hours honing his boxing skills in the gym during college), and on at least one occasion even Jujutsu. In his youth, Ben was a talented football player.

Peak Human Speed and Agility

Despite his abnormal size and weight, Ben is able to move as fast and as freely as he did when he was human.

Indomitable Will

One of Ben's remarkable qualities is his extreme willpower. Whatever obstacles may come, he would try until he overcomes them or dies.

Subconscious Restraint

Ben is portrayed as someone who holds back; it has eventually been indicated that the Thing normally exercises subconscious control over his strength, not allowing it to exceed a certain limit and accidentally harm others.

Musical Skill

The Thing can play the saxophone.