Why Everyone in Fantastic Four: First Steps Is Obsessed With a Baby

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Spoilers ahead for the plot of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

As a passionate cinephile, I can’t help but notice the similarities between the upcoming “Fantastic Four: First Steps” and the 2007’s “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.” However, this new film has its unique aspects that make it stand out. For instance, instead of a metallic surfer announcing the approach of Galactus, an ominous cloud in the previous film, we have a different take on the Eater of Worlds (Ralph Ineson), who isn’t an evil storm cloud but a cursed, eternally feeding giant humanoid.

Moreover, “Fantastic Four: First Steps” introduces a surprising new member to the team – Franklin Richards, the son of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby). In an intriguing twist, the movie’s mid-credits scene hints at the MCU’s next major villain, Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), encountering young Franklin Richards. This sets up crucial events for future films. The question remains: what is this toddler’s role in the storyline? And can we glean any insights into his future trajectory from Marvel’s original comic book lore?

One fascinating aspect of the story First Steps lies in its scarcity of initial answers, which compels the meticulously prepared character Reed Richards to grapple with the enigma surrounding the type of child he’ll father, given their encounter with cosmic rays that bestowed them with powers. All of Reed’s tests during Sue’s pregnancy come back normal. However, when Galactus poses a threat to their planet, and the First Family ventures into outer space for negotiations, the ancient being detects something extraordinary in Sue’s unborn child. He proposes sparing Earth but demands their offspring in exchange, hinting vaguely that the baby could potentially relieve him of his curse and become a worthy successor.

The task at hand seems incredibly challenging, but by the movie’s end, Franklin shows an unexpected uniqueness. Sue gives her life to safeguard the planet and her child from Galactus, only to be brought back when Reed places Franklin on her chest. The baby’s hands radiate a celestial light, reviving Sue with stars in her eyes – much like a scene in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” where Ego the Living Planet (Kurt Russell) shares “eternity” with his son Star-Lord (Chris Pratt). However, Celestials are known to be incredibly ancient, older than the universe itself. Franklin, on the other hand, is merely four years old in the post-credits scene, having spent most of the movie as a newborn. So, it’s puzzling: why does everyone in this film seem so determined to capture, rescue, or encounter Franklin? What gives him such significance?

Although Franklin made his first appearance in the “Fantastic Four Annual” comic back in 1968, he has not been featured prominently in any earlier live-action adaptations of the Fantastic Four, except for a brief glimpse in the 2009 animated series “The Super Hero Squad Show”. For years, there was speculation about Franklin’s powers, and eventually, it was unveiled that he could perceive (or sense) his mother when she became invisible. Later on, Franklin’s eyes began to glow with stars, much like Sue in the comic “First Steps”. However, before anyone could fully understand the nature of Franklin’s abilities, a villain named Annihilus appeared and attempted to abduct him to drain his energy – a plot element that was also seen in the movie.

Through time, numerous authors and creators have given diverse interpretations about the nature and origin of Franklin’s abilities, often likened to reality manipulation, similar to Wanda Maximoff (portrayed by Elizabeth Olsen in the MCU). Initially, his powers were loosely linked to “cosmic energy” in 1973’s Fantastic Four No. 130. Later, in the ’80s “Days of Future Past” story in Uncanny X-Men, he was labeled a mutant, one at the highest level, Omega. This makes him equal in power to figures like Magneto, Professor Xavier, and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. In the ’90s, an alternate version of Franklin was referred to as a “nexus being,” a concept hinted at in WandaVision, while in a significant Fantastic Four series from the 2010s penned by Jonathan Hickman, a group of Celestials identified his powers as surpassing even an Omega classification.

Hickman’s work on the Fantastic Four and the Avengers eventually culminated in the 2015 “Secret Wars” crossover event, which appears to serve as a foundation for upcoming MCU films like “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars”. In earlier comics, Franklin’s powers showed up quirkily, such as accidentally aging himself into an adult superhero with a beard in a 1982 comic. However, Hickman rebooted the storyline to allow readers to gradually uncover his full potential, including his ability to create entire universes and perhaps even immortality.

In the Marvel universe, Franklin is frequently regarded as the most potent entity. Given this, it’s not surprising that Galactus from the MCU might desire to exchange roles with him. As depicted in Hickman’s series, a future, time-traveling Franklin even commands Galactus, transforming the Devourer of Worlds into his herald. However, Franklin’s powers take a backseat to his other characteristics. In Hickman’s Fantastic Four (including its spinoffs FF or Future Foundation), Franklin is portrayed as an ordinary, joyful kid, sharing the stage with several other gifted children under Reed’s tutelage. He enjoys dressing up as a cowboy and idolizes superheroes; while he claims Spider-Man as his favorite, it’s actually his uncle, Johnny Storm, that truly captivates him. What makes Franklin endearing and engaging is his relationship with his younger sister Valeria, a 3-year-old prodigy.

In a more casual and engaging manner: Instead of Franklin being a mischievous, impulsive teenager (sometimes shooting actual bullets from pretend guns when angry at Norman Osborn for interfering with his dad), Valeria is a strategic genius with the calm, analytical mind of an adult scientist. Their contrasting personalities make them ideal foils, especially as Franklin starts to unlock the full extent of his powers, thanks to advice from his future self with a beard. While Valeria constructs cities, Franklin can create entire universes. She possesses intelligence and guile, while he has boundless creativity, making them an excellent match in terms of scale – micro versus macro.

It’s unclear if Valeria will eventually join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). However, Franklin appears poised to play a significant role in future installments. It would be disappointing if he was only used as a plot device (MacGuffin); his character truly shines when interacting with other children and was once part of a superhero team called Power Pack. Given the MCU’s tendency to adapt major comics while adjusting certain elements, it wouldn’t come as a shock. For instance, in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) created the malicious AI Ultron instead of Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), who hadn’t been introduced yet. Similarly, in Avengers: Infinity War, existing objects like the Eye of Agamotto and the Cosmic Cube became Thanos’s Infinity Stones, while they were separate objects in the comics. Applying this pattern to Avengers: Secret Wars, it seems the events will likely be streamlined, with Franklin possibly at the heart of the storyline.

In the world of comics, Doom intervenes to prevent clashes between different universes (referred to as “Incursions,” hinted at in the MCU after “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”). To do this, he constructs a realm called Battleworld and becomes its ruler. Not only that, but he also alters reality so that Sue is now his wife and Franklin and Valeria are his children. This transformation is achieved by harnessing the power of an all-powerful entity known as Molecule Man, which Doom then uses to eliminate a higher-dimensional alien race, the Beyonders, who have been causing the Incursions. Simultaneously, Franklin is tasked with managing Galactus like a pet and using him against the heroes.

If the concept seems too difficult to follow, don’t worry: Molecule Man and the Beyonders aren’t part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), so they likely won’t be involved in the movie adaptation of Secret Wars. However, since Franklin has already shown godlike powers in First Steps, it could be that the films will depict Victor Von Doom utilizing Franklin’s abilities to either prevent the multiversal collisions or create his own universe – maybe even both.

From my perspective as a movie reviewer, it seems that in the world of Marvel comics, young Franklin Richards’ cosmic powers played a significant role in resolving the epic battle known as “Secret Wars.” This storyline was instrumental in consolidating and simplifying various Marvel realities by having Franklin aid Reed Richards in crafting new universes and timelines.

Now, fast forward to the Marvel cinematic universe (MCU), where Kevin Feige, the big boss at Marvel Studios, has hinted at “Avengers: Secret Wars” potentially paving the way for a soft reboot or a “reset.” This could mean that we might see our favorite heroes, such as Iron Man and Captain America, being recast in future movies. If this is the case, it would not be surprising if Franklin Richards’ big-screen counterpart also takes on the role of shaping the Marvel universe once the current phase of the MCU comes to a close.

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2025-07-26 00:54