Fantastic Four: 10 Times The Thing Redefined The Word “Fantastic”
5. Standing Down During Civil War
The Thing had a problem. He had friends on both sides of the Super Hero Civil War. His best friend, Reed Richards was one of the leaders of the pro-registration side. But his teammates Sue Richards and Johnny Storm had joined the resistance, which was led by Captain America, a man for whom Ben had the utmost respect.
Ben was friends or acquaintances with most of the parties on both sides of the conflict. The Thing would have been a powerful ally to either side but when a battle between the two factions endangered civilians, Ben angrily chastised both sides for the callous disregard of the people around them.
Grimm refused to join either side but, as a former military man, he could not go against his government, so Ben went to France until the Civil War was over. He returned to be a pallbearer at the funeral of Steve Rogers and returned for good when the war was over.