10 Heartbreaking Times The Fantastic Four Broke Up
3. Ben Died - Fantastic Four #508 (2004)
After battling Doctor Doom for the trillionth time, the Fantastic Four cast the malevolent monarch into Hell. With Doom finally out of the way, you'd assume the world would finally be at peace.
But since the iron-clad sorcerer was the leader of Latveria, his absence caused the country to fall into turmoil. Because Reed had Doom cast into the underworld, he blamed himself for this debacle and so, took control over the Eastern European nation. This decision nearly caused a war with Latveria's allies and enemies, forcing SHIELD to order Reed to surrender.
While all this was going on, Doctor Doom escaped Hell by transferring his soul into Ben. To ensure Doom's essence returned to Hell, Ben ordered Reed to shoot him dead.
Left with no choice, Reed blasted his friend, killing him and casting his nemesis back to Hell. With Ben's passing and the Fantastic Four's reputation in tatters, Reed thought it best to abandon the team for several weeks. After he went to Heaven, found Ben, and met God (yes, that actually happened), the Fantastic Four were back together.