Justin - The Thing’s Lament

Reed twists and stretches;

I am huge and inflexible. 
Johnny burns and flies;
I am a cold, earthbound rock.
Susan can disappear and hide away;
I can never hide this hideous, yellow visage.

They all can switch it on and off, their powers, but I am always this. I have no mask or disguise, I am what your fearful eyes see. 

I am the Thing.

I am a trained and skilled pilot with advanced degrees in engineering relegated to play the thug, the heavy. No one wants to hear my thoughts about solving the problem. They just want to hear me yell “It’s Clobberin’ time!” and start throwing my big, boulder fists at the bad guys. 

I could go back, I could be human again, but when I’ve tried, they need me. They need the big, yellow, rock guy to stand in front of them; to break through the obstacles; to take the punishment that they can’t. I could be normal, boring, but what will they do when they need someone to contain and tire out the Hulk when he goes on a rampage? How would I feel when I chose a normal life and wasn’t there to protect them if something happened?

I have been given a chance to make a difference, but is the difference worth the sacrifice? They can do both; they can have a semi-normal, off-duty life. I am always me.

Johnny burns and flies, Reed twists and stretches, Susan can disappear and hide and I am a huge, cold, inflexible rock, stuck on the ground, never able to hide what I am.

I am the Thing.