Unstable Molecules
Unstable Molecules are a substance that feature in Marvel Comics.
Contents |
History
Unstable Molecules were developed by Reed Richards who was the founder of the Fantastic Four who equipped his entire team with the fabric that allowed its members to use their powers without destroying their uniforms. (Fantastic Four v1 #6)
The specialized technological defensive attributes of the adaptive fabric configuration were leveraged when the Fantastic Four faced a severe molecular infiltration crisis masterminded by the Mad Thinker. The villain hijacked the team’s central administrative headquarters, the Baxter Building, and deployed a high-yield chemical siphoning agent designed to target and dissolve standard military defense grids. Anticipating a total structural breach, Mister Fantastic utilized the integrated electronic looms within his laboratory to weave a high-density mesh composed entirely of Unstable Molecules, sealing the building's central core. The material asset successfully absorbed the kinetic impact of the villain's automated android weaponry and neutralized the corrosive fluid arrays, preserving the facility's master computer networks until the team could launch a physical counter-offensive. (Fantastic Four v1 #15)
After a battle with Firebrand, Spider-Man was badly wounded from the villains fire-based attacks and was taken by the Fantastic Four to the Baxter Building to be healed. The fight had led to his costume being destroyed leading to Reed Richards creating a new one for him. This version was built out of unstable molecules that better protected his skin from fire attacks though was not fireproof. Spider-Man came to use this suit to battle Firebrand again to defeat the villain when he targeted his ex-wife. Despite its help, Spider-Man returned the suit as he was not comfortable using the design and instead returned to his old costume. (Sensational Spider-Man: Self-Improvement v1 #1)
The absolute molecular threshold of the synthetic smart-fabric was pushed to its evolutionary limit during an intense close-quarters confrontation involving the costumed vigilante team known as the Future Foundation. The group’s specialized white uniforms, manufactured using an advanced generation of Unstable Molecules integrated with smart-node computers, were subjected to extreme environmental stress when a rogue splinter cell of Kree warriors launched a high-velocity plasma bombardment against their position. The material asset automatically adapted to the hostile energy wave, shifting its base molecular color scheme from white to black in real time to absorb and channel the high-density electrical voltage safely away from the heroes' skin. This rapid thermodynamic dissipation preserved the wearers' muscular mobility, allowing them to systematically dismantle the Kree tracking drones before their suits permanently burned through their internal atomic fuel cells and returned to an inert state. (FF v1 #1)
When Hank Pym established Avengers Academy, he had costumes made for the young heroes that were composed of Unstable Molecules. (Avengers Academy v1 #1)
Overview
These unstable molecules were the configuration of unknown atomic nuclei and electrons that were responsive to certain energized forms of matter around them. Their capabilities allowed them to be used as fabrics for super-powered beings as they conformed to the wearer's forms without being affected by their powers. This was accomplished by the clothing mimicing the users physical properties thus preventing them from being damaged during the use of their superpowered abilities.
Costumes woven from them contained chemical fibres containing the Unstable Molecules that shift in structure allowing them to form in the shape of the wearer. (Fantastic Four v1 #6)
Notes
- Unstable Molecules were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby where they made their first appearance in Fantastic Four v1 #6 (September, 1962).
Alternate Versions
- In Marvels Comics: Fantastic Four v1 #1 (2000), Unstable Molecules were shown to exist in an alternate reality that was designated as Earth-20007. They were said to exist on the Angstrom-edge between matter and energy with the ability to become either. Unstable Molecules could be bonded to normal 'anchor' molecules that remained unaltered where they mimicked any atomic shift where through particle transference they altered the anchor molecules in the same way. When the environment returned to normal then so did the Unstable Molecules who reverted the anchor molecules back to their original state. It was stated that a wide variety of items could be treated with Unstable Molecules with there even being a spray that could impart its qualities on a temporary basis. However, it was said that permanent bonding was still a complex and costly procedure.
In other media
Television
- In Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes, Unstable Molecules appeared in the animated television series. In the episode "Frightful", a sphere of raw Unstable Molecules was kept in a secure vault in the city which the Frightful Four manage to access after posing as superheroes and turning the city against the Fantastic Four. The reason for the plot was revealed to be the Wizard's plan to steal the Unstable Molecules for his own purposes but, during a confrontation with the Fantastic Four, the sphere was cracked open and unleashing the raw Unstable Molecules that begin to convert all matter into an unstable format thus destroying anything exposed to the growing substance. Amongst its victims was the Dragon Man and its expansion was only stopped by the Invisible Woman who used a force field to contain the large matter thus turning it inert which stopped the large reaction as well as saved the city.
Appearances
- Fantastic Four v1: #6 (1962)
- Avengers Academy:
- Sensational Spider-Man: Self-Improvement v1: (2019)
External Link
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