Franklin Richards And The Power Cosmic

The Fantastic Four: First Steps includes a few major setups for the next Avengers film, including the reveal of the Infinity Stones’ replacement. The MCU has struggled to regain the same level of success it had leading up to Avengers: Endgame, partly because the Multiverse Saga has lacked a strong connective storyline.

One way the Infinity Saga connected all of its stories was through the Infinity Stones. The Stones served as the Saga’s MacGuffin, a plot device that drove the narrative forward, creating motivation and conflicts for many characters. Each Stone was teased in several movies before Thanos eventually came down to collect them all in Avengers: Infinity War.

After the Stones disappeared from the narrative, the MCU hasn’t replaced them with a new puzzle piece that connects all the dots, but that has changed after First Steps. The film introduces Sue Storm and Reed Richards’ son, Franklin Richards, who may be the real key to the upcoming multiversal battle.

Franklin Richards Is The MCU’s New MacGuffin

Franklin Richards touching Dooms face while holding his mask in Fantastic Four First Steps

Franklin was already the MacGuffin of First Steps. While the main plot was The Fantastic Four fighting off Galactus from eating their planet, the powerful newborn was the prime motivation behind the planet-eater’s mission. As Galactus states, Franklin “possesses the Power Cosmic,” and could have replaced the Devourer of Worlds on his throne.

In Marvel Comics, Reed and Sue’s son is one of the universe’s most powerful characters. His abilities include creating universes, warping reality, and telepathy. He is also capable of resurrecting people, as he demonstrates when saving his mother after the film’s climactic battle.

In the film’s post-credits scene, Victor Von Doom visits Franklin, taking off his mask to allow him to examine his face. Given Victor’s desire for power, he likely has a great interest in utilizing Franklin’s power for his own nefarious purposes. His plans won’t be revealed until Doomsday, but there is speculation regarding why Doom’s interested in Sue and Reed’s child.

Doomsday will lay the groundwork for 2027’s Secret Wars, meaning Doom could build his Battleworld, a world ravaged by war ruled by the God Emperor Doom. Since the Beyonders haven’t been introduced in the MCU, the villainous scientist may use Franklin’s reality-warping abilities to bring Battleworld to life.

Franklin also may possess the ability to open the door to the multiverse, allowing Doom to travel to Earth-616. The Thunderbolts* post-credits scene teased The Fantastic Four’s arrival in the main timeline, but that could be a misdirect. It could be Doom and Franklin on the ship, traveling across the multiverse.

Still, The Fantastic Four‘s post-credits scene confirmed that there is great interest in Franklin. He may be what connects multiple factions of heroes, as the Avengers, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four fight for control over Franklin’s powers. While the Infinity Stones allowed Thanos to wield power over the universe, Franklin may be the key to controlling the multiverse.