Warning: SPOILERS for The Unbelievable 4: First Steps are forward!
Apart from being set on an Earth within the Nineteen Sixties the place know-how is much more superior than what we had again then and exhibiting Galactus as an precise big strolling and speaking entity, one other large manner The Unbelievable 4: First Steps distinguished itself from the earlier Unbelievable 4 motion pictures was through the use of Franklin Richards. Not solely was Reed Richards and Sue Storm’s son born in the midst of the 2025 film launch, he additionally had the identical reality-bending powers that he does within the comics. In actual fact, that’s the rationale Galactus got here to Earth-828 within the first place!
Effectively, this was simply the beginning of Franklin’s journey within the MCU, because the Unbelievable 4: First Steps mid-credits scene teased Physician Doom’s curiosity within the boy. This might be explored extra in subsequent yr’s Avengers: Doomsday, which, together with Avengers: Secret Wars, will carry the Multiverse Saga to an in depth. However the extra I take into consideration Franklin’s introduction in First Steps, the extra I’m satisfied that he’s not simply tagging alongside together with his dad and mom and uncles in these subsequent Avengers motion pictures. Somewhat, he’s going to play an integral function in these upcoming Marvel motion pictures.
What Occurs To Franklin In First Steps’ Mid-Credit Scene
With the ending of The Unbelievable 4: First Steps’ predominant story briefly checking in with the staff a yr after Galactus and Silver Surfer have been banished from Earth, the film’s mid-credits scene picks up 4 years after that, putting Franklin round about 5 years previous. After she’s finished studying a guide to her son, Sue goes to the opposite facet of the room to choose up one other considered one of his favorites (not Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species). When she turns round although, Franklin is standing in entrance of a mysterious man in a inexperienced cloak holding a steel masks.
This man is, in fact, Physician Doom, the Unbelievable 4’s arch-nemesis within the comics. Whereas he didn’t issue into the occasions of First Steps, Robert Downey Jr.’s model of Doom has taken over from Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror because the lead antagonist of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. It’s additionally been confirmed that this scene was shot by administrators Joe and Anthony Russo throughout filming on Doomsday moderately than as a part of the First Steps’ manufacturing.
There’s An Attention-grabbing Fan Idea About Physician Doom And Doom And Franklin
The sight of Franklin Richards reaching as much as contact Physician Doom’s unobscured face caught my consideration, as Doom virtually takes off his steel masks due to his scarred visage. So I made a decision to see what different folks considered this Unbelievable 4: First Steps second and stumbled throughout an attention-grabbing concept posited in numerous locations, together with Reddit: that Franklin would be the motive Doom appears like Tony Stark.
The thought is that Franklin will manipulate Franklin into altering his face in order that he can idiot the Avengers and different heroes on Earth-616. It’s an enchanting thought, though I ponder if it’s not a lot about reworking Doom’s face, however moderately simply therapeutic his scars if Robert Downey Jr.’s model of the character is a Tony Stark variant. Regardless, I feel there’s a extra necessary motive that Franklin is critical to the story being instructed throughout Doomsday and Secret Wars.
I Assume Franklin Will Substitute For One other Character From 2015’s Secret Wars
There are two Marvel Comics storylines referred to as Secret Wars, with each premises involving places known as Battleworld. Though Avengers: Secret Wars will incorporate plot components from each storylines, on condition that we’re nonetheless within the Multiverse Saga, it’s cheap to imagine that the film might be extra influenced by the 2015 occasion. That story noticed Physician Doom gaining godlike powers and merging numerous Earths into one Battleworld. Whereas the multiverse was restored by the tip, the comics’ Earth-616 and components of the unique Final Universe have been merged, most notably Miles Morales and his household and buddies.
It was revealed throughout 2015’s Secret Wars that Victor von Doom turn out to be God Emperor Doom when he channeled the facility of Earth-616’s Molecule Man, who’d absorbed the powers of his counterparts from different universes once they have been destroyed in an effort to kill the Beyonders. It was solely when Molecule Man was freed and he transferred his enhanced energy to Mister Unbelievable that the multiverse was restored. However I don’t suppose we’ll be seeing Molecule Man within the MCU.
Somewhat, I feel that Franklin Richards would be the energy supply for no matter scheme Physician Doom has concocted for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, whether or not that be forming his personal Battleworld or reshaping the multiverse in another manner. Perhaps Doom merely continues manipulating the boy after kidnapping him, or possibly he finds a approach to siphon off Franklin’s energy straight into himself. Both manner, with out Franklin, the occasions of Doomsday and Secret Wars don’t occur.
What This Might Imply For The Future Of The MCU
Evidently that when all is alleged and finished, Physician Doom might be defeated by the tip of Secret Wars, identical to Thanos was in Avengers: Endgame. It’s additionally secure to imagine that Franklin might be returned to his dad and mom secure and sound. Nevertheless, that doesn’t imply all the pieces might be again to regular by the point the Multiverse Saga has concluded.
Fairly the opposite, as Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige described Secret Wars to Selection as a “reset” of the MCU and indicated there’ll finally come a time when characters like Tony Stark and Steve Rogers are recast. Then there’s the Jake Schreier-directed X-Males reboot in growth, which can presumably function the mutant superheroes in the identical predominant MCU timeline following our reunion with numerous variations of those characters from twentieth Century Fox’s X-Males movie sequence.
Nevertheless the MCU ends trying post-Secret Wars, my cash is on Franklin Richards being answerable for any modifications that happen. Okay, let me rephrase: Franklin’s powers might be accountable, besides this time, it’s one other particular person who’s harnessing them to undo no matter Physician Doom did. Perhaps it’s Reed Richards who does it like he did within the comics with Molecule Man’s energy, or possibly it’s another person. Although now that I give it some thought, I suppose it’s additionally doable that Franklin’s intelligence might additionally improve to a degree the place he might deal with this himself.
Both manner, we’ll have him to thank for closing out one MCU period and ushering in a brand new one. Alas, since Avengers: Doomsday doesn’t come out till December 18 on the 2026 motion pictures schedule, and Avengers: Secret Wars following on December 17, 2027, it’ll be some time till we study if my hypothesis is on the cash or not.