Fire (heat) + Nuclei = Super Happy Fun Time (Thermonuclear Fusion)

If you look at the title, and know me very well, you can probably guess this has to do with something explosive, and you're right.  Unlike WD-40 and fire, red phosphorous and fire, and thermite and fire, this process isn't something your average chemistry student can pump out in a lab.  But I assure you it is just as fun, and explosive.  Just like the chemical equation that I have made famous : WD-40 + fire yields FUN, the same basic principle applies to thermonuclear fusion.  In a nutshell you heat nuclei to extremely hot temperatures.  When you heat nuclei they move at a faster rate.  The faster it moves, the more energy it creates, the more energy the higher temperature.  However they do not naturally move that quickly on their own and must be introduced to a sufficient source of heat.  Now, you can do this one of two ways: first there is an uncontrolled reaction, think the Ivy Mike test with the hydrogen bomb, that was an example of a thermonuclear reaction that was uncontrolled.  The second would be the opposite, a controlled reaction.  Considering it has never been done you can conclude its pretty difficult.  Getting the particles within the plasma to fuse together is only a matter of temperature, but keeping that plasma contained is a whole other story.  If that plasma touches anything solid the whole thing is done.  The fusion process is so specific that if anything goes amiss the whole thing collapses and fails, but on the upside that also means catastrophic failure and potential Chernobyl like implications are very small, if not statistically impossible.  Anyway the best way to contain that plasma would be within the vacuum.  The vacuum idea is not as easy as it sounds.  The problem right now is how to keep that fella from expanding and ruining your life.  The best examples would be stars.  Massive gravitational forces act to keep the plasma of the star from expanding outward.  If this can be achieved at a proportional level than we might have a break, and a huge one.  You can look at inertial confinement, and magnetic confinement as potential solutions to the problem of containing the plasma.  Both are great ideas, and have great potential.  The question is, will it be this, or will someone work out something entirely different that will change how we look at fusion.  I must note that Thermonuclear reactions are not the only way theoretically to achieve fusion, but considering its the only process that's ever worked (on an uncontrolled level)  you would be silly to go with what you don't know.  But then again stranger things have happened.