The fantastic 4: first steps introduces a very important new character in the Marvel universe, which should play a crucial role in Avengers : Doomsday. Attention spoilers !
By learning the lessons from three first fiery adaptations, The fantastic 4: first steps Finally does honor to the first Marvel family (not without defects). With its magnificent artistic direction and a high quality cast, the latest of the MCU gave the start of a new era in the cinematographic universe, directly paving the way to Avengers : Doomsday.
In addition, the post-generic scene confirms its central importance for the future. And it is not very surprising as Marvel seems to count on her new heroes for her future crossover. In particular by introducing in the feature film a element promised to a very intriguing future, a character who seems to have become the key toAvengers : Doomsday.
Fantastic baby on board
The first issue of 4 Fantastic concerned The newborn of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, Franklin. While his parents are concerned (notably Reed) of the possible changes caused by their genetic alterations, The baby finds himself at the heart of the quest for galactus. The devourer of worlds sees in Franklin a successor capable of finally allowing him to rest, and proposes to exchange it for the life of the earth.
Despite a battery of tests throughout the film, Reed does not detect any anomaly in his son. However, after the final battle, which sees Galactus being exiled to the other end of the universe thanks to the joint sacrifices of the silver surfer and Sue Storm, the child reveals himself. Faced with the heartbreaking death of his mother, He manages to resuscitate her thanks to the first manifestation of his powers. A scene that could surprise, but which is rather in line with the origins of the character.
Franklin Richards is the first of the two children of Reed and Sue (who also have a girl, Valeria), introduced early in comics, in 1968 in Fantastic Four Annual #6. It has the particularity of being a mutant with powers with almost infinite potentialwhich makes it one of the most powerful entities in the Marvel universe. Manipulation of reality, quasi-immortality, telekinesis, telepathy… Few characters can compete with himand it quickly becomes an object of lust.
Over the years, the use of its powers has become occasional, successive writers always finding the means of not destroying any issue. Franklin’s abilities are quite unstable (and his status as a mutant is now disputed), but the introduction of several future and alternative versions of him suggest that in full control, he has few limits.
Doomsday’s new key?
What role can such a powerful character take in the MCU? A beginning of response is in The fantastic 4: first steps. In its first post-generic scene, the film already has the good idea to make a jump in time (4 years, to be precise), probably in order to get rid of the baby in CGI Used in the film (and whose rendering is a little bizarre).
So we can see it An older Franklin, coveted by… Doctor Doomthe future opponent of the Marvel heroes in Avengers : Doomsday. While hitherto had little information on the film, The Fantastic 4 therefore offers us a size index, implying that The boy could be at the center of the challenges of the film.
See him become the key to Doomsday takes on its full meaning in view of the nature of its powers. Indeed, with its capacity to manipulate reality, It could be a crucial tool in the quest for Doom To redo the multiverse in its image. After all, at the end of Secret Wars of 2015, the fantastic 4 use Franklin’s powers to restore the multiverse after the end of Battleworld. An idea that would be clever enough for Marvel, which has not really managed to recreate the playful side of the infinite stones in this new saga.
With Franklin (and possibly Loki), Avengers : Doomsday would not have a macguffin, but also with an emotional pillar in this film which promises to be a beautiful character fair that do not know each other (unlike Infinity War). Logically, the fantastic 4, the dynamics of which are established and successful, should be at the top of the conflict with Doom, and the child’s kidnapping would give them a good reason to do so.
Remains to be seen What is Doom’s real plan in the film (Does the multiverse die because of the incursions or does it simply mean putting an end to it?) And its links with the first Marvel family. But with the introduction of Franklin Richards, The MCU discreetly placed one of its most important pawns in his future. And after a very confused saga, it is a step forward that does good.