At A Glance: Dr. Doom needs Franklin Richards’ reality-warping abilities to create Battle World – a multiversal battleground he’ll rule as God Emperor Doom after the multiverse collapses from incursions. Franklin’s power cosmic makes him capable of literally creating entire universes, which is exactly what Doom requires for his ultimate plan to save and control all reality.
The shocking post-credit scene in Fantastic Four: First Steps isn’t just a cameo – it’s the opening move in the most ambitious villain plan the MCU has ever attempted. When Dr. Doom removes his mask to speak with four-year-old Franklin Richards, he’s not just introducing himself. He’s recruiting the one being in the multiverse powerful enough to make his cosmic ambitions a reality.
Here’s exactly why the greatest Marvel villain of all time specifically needs this super baby to achieve his multiversal endgame.
What Is Secret Wars and Why It Changes Everything
Secret Wars represents the ultimate Marvel crossover event, and the MCU is adapting the 2015 version that literally destroys and recreates the entire multiverse. Understanding this event is crucial to grasping why Doom’s interest in Franklin is so significant.
The 2015 Secret Wars Adaptation
The Russo brothers and their screenwriter Steven McFeely, joined by Michael Waldron (writer of Loki and Multiverse of Madness), are loosely adapting Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 Secret Wars storyline. This isn’t just another superhero team-up – it’s the story of how one man becomes God Emperor of all reality.
In the original comics, the multiverse dies because of incursions – catastrophic collisions between different universes that destroy both realities. Sound familiar? That’s exactly what’s happening in the MCU right now with universe 828 (Fantastic Four), Earth-616 (main MCU), and Earth-10005 (X-Men universe) beginning to collide.
Battle World: Doom’s Ultimate Creation
When the multiverse collapses in Secret Wars, Dr. Doom steals the power of cosmic entities called the Beyonders and uses that ultimate energy to create a new pocket universe called Battle World. Think of it like the void from Loki and Deadpool & Wolverine – a metaphysical space where fragments of destroyed realities can exist.
But here’s the crucial difference: Doom rules Battle World as its God Emperor, reshaping reality according to his will and erasing people’s memories to create his perfect world.
Why Franklin Richards Is Essential to Doom’s Plan
Dr. Doom’s appearance in the Baxter Building isn’t random – he specifically needs Franklin’s unique combination of power cosmic and reality-warping abilities to achieve what even cosmic entities struggle to accomplish.
Reality Creation on a Universal Scale
Franklin Richards isn’t just powerful – he’s capable of creating entire universes from nothing. In the comics, this child has literally created new realities while playing under his blanket. When he resurrects Sue Storm in Fantastic Four: First Steps, he’s not just healing her – he’s rewriting reality to bring her back from the dead.
That’s the kind of power Doom needs to create Battle World after the multiverse collapses.
The Power Cosmic Advantage
Franklin was born with the power cosmic – the same limitless energy that makes Galactus nearly omnipotent. But unlike Galactus, who uses this power to maintain cosmic balance through destruction, Franklin combines cosmic abilities with human understanding and emotional connections.
This combination makes Franklin potentially more powerful than the Celestials themselves – the cosmic gods who claim responsibility for creating stars and galaxies. When Doom looks at Franklin, he sees someone who could literally rebuild reality from scratch.
Why Manipulation Over Theft
Rather than trying to steal Franklin’s abilities, Doom appears to be taking a more sophisticated approach. The post-credit scene shows Doom removing his mask – something he never does in the comics – suggesting he’s trying to earn Franklin’s trust rather than simply kidnap him.
This makes perfect sense. You can’t force someone to use reality-warping powers effectively. Doom needs Franklin to willingly participate in creating Battle World, which means he has to convince the child that his plan is the right solution to save the multiverse.
The Anchor Being Theory: Collecting Cosmic Keystones
One of the most intriguing possibilities is that Franklin Richards serves as the anchor being for universe 828, making him essential to Doom’s larger strategy of multiversal control.
What Are Anchor Beings?
The concept of anchor beings emerged from Deadpool & Wolverine, where we learned that certain individuals serve as cosmic keystones for their entire universes. When an anchor being dies, their universe begins to decay and eventually gets pruned by the TVA.
Franklin’s reality-warping abilities and connection to the power cosmic make him a prime candidate to be universe 828’s anchor being. His importance to the cosmic order could explain both Galactus’s interest and Doom’s specific targeting of him.
Doom’s Collection Strategy
If Doom is indeed collecting anchor beings from multiple universes, Franklin would be the crown jewel of that collection. With anchor beings from various realities under his control, Doom could potentially:
- Prevent universe decay during incursions
- Control which realities survive the multiversal collapse
- Rebuild the multiverse according to his design
- Rule as God Emperor over all surviving realities
This strategy would explain why Doom appears in universe 828 specifically – he’s not just after any powerful being, but the one individual who could make or break his entire plan.
How the Post-Credit Scene Sets Up Avengers Doomsday
The Fantastic Four post-credit scene was actually directed by the Russo brothers on the set of Avengers Doomsday, confirming this moment directly sets up the 2026 film’s plot.
The Recruitment Scene
When Doom removes his mask to speak with Franklin, he’s likely sharing information about the coming multiversal crisis. The scene feels reminiscent of Fantastic Four issue 574, where a stranger teleports into the Baxter building on Franklin’s birthday and telepathically awakens something in the child.
In the comics, that stranger was an older version of Franklin from the future who helped awaken his younger self’s god-like abilities. The MCU appears to be adapting this concept with Doom taking the role of awakening Franklin’s full potential.
The Warning About the Future
Just like how future Franklin gave warnings about impending conflict in the comics, Doom might be telling four-year-old Franklin about the multiverse crisis and explaining that only he has the power to save every reality. From Doom’s perspective, this isn’t manipulation – it’s recruiting the one being capable of preventing total annihilation.
Why Franklin Might Trust Doom
The scene’s tone suggests Doom is sharing a genuine moment with Franklin rather than threatening him. If Doom explains the coming incursions and shows Franklin how his reality-warping powers could save countless lives, the child might willingly agree to help create Battle World as a sanctuary for survivors.
This would set up a complex dynamic in Avengers Doomsday where the Fantastic Four have to choose between protecting their son and potentially saving the multiverse.
The Multiversal War Setup
Secret Wars isn’t just about Doom’s ambitions – it’s about a three-way conflict between the main MCU heroes, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, with each team trying to save their own reality.
The Three-Universe Collision
The MCU is building toward a massive collision between:
- Earth-616: The main MCU timeline with the Avengers
- Universe 828: The Fantastic Four’s retro-futuristic reality
- Earth-10005: The X-Men universe where Monica Rambeau is currently trapped
Alan Cumming confirmed that his Nightcrawler fights Pedro Pascal in scenes he’s shooting, suggesting the X-Men and Fantastic Four will indeed clash during the multiversal crisis.
Each Team’s Motivation
During incursions, each universe’s heroes will naturally try to save their own reality, leading to inevitable conflict:
- The Avengers will fight to preserve Earth-616 and everyone they’ve sworn to protect
- The Fantastic Four will battle to save universe 828 and their son Franklin
- The X-Men will struggle to preserve their timeline and mutant legacy
This creates the perfect setup for Doom to position himself as the only one with a solution that could save everyone.
Battle World Creation: The Ultimate Reality Project
Understanding how Doom plans to create Battle World reveals why Franklin’s specific abilities are so crucial to the plan’s success.
The Beyonders’ Power
In the 2015 Secret Wars comics, Doom steals the ultimate power from cosmic entities called the Beyonders – beings who exist outside the multiverse and possess reality-shaping abilities that dwarf even the Celestials.
The MCU might adapt this by having Doom steal Franklin’s power cosmic, or more likely, manipulate Franklin into using his abilities to create Battle World voluntarily.
Memory Manipulation and Reality Reshaping
One of the most disturbing aspects of Battle World is how Doom erases people’s memories and reshapes their relationships. In the comics, he makes Sue Storm his wife and adopts Franklin and Valeria as his children, creating a twisted version of the family dynamic.
Franklin’s reality-warping abilities would be essential for this level of comprehensive reality alteration. Only someone who can literally rewrite existence could create a pocket universe where Doom’s version of events becomes the only truth people remember.
The Perfect Sanctuary
From Doom’s perspective, Battle World isn’t just about power – it’s about creating a perfect sanctuary where he can protect survivors from different universes while ruling them according to his vision of order and justice.
Doom genuinely believes he’s the only one with the intelligence and willpower to create a perfect society. Battle World gives him the opportunity to prove that belief on a multiversal scale.
Why This Connects to the MCU’s Future Reset
Kevin Feige confirmed this week that the MCU is getting a reset after Secret Wars, and Franklin’s reality-warping abilities make him essential to that process.
Post-Secret Wars Universe Creation
In the comics, Secret Wars ends with Reed Richards, Franklin, and another character using their combined reality-warping abilities to restore the multiverse. This creates a new continuity for Marvel comics that incorporates the best elements from different previous realities.
The MCU appears to be setting up a similar ending where Franklin, possibly working with Wanda Maximoff, will create new universes that bring together:
- The beloved Avengers from the main MCU timeline
- The Fantastic Four from their retro-futuristic universe
- The X-Men from their established timeline
- Other characters from various Marvel properties
The Mutant Saga Foundation
Franklin’s classification as an omega-level mutant in the comics suggests he’ll play a crucial role in establishing the mutant presence in the post-Secret Wars MCU. His reality-warping could literally create a new timeline where mutants have always existed alongside the Avengers and Fantastic Four.
Doom’s Ultimate Defeat and Redemption
The reset also provides an opportunity for complex character development. While Doom will likely be defeated by Reed Richards in Secret Wars, his willingness to save the multiverse – even through tyrannical means – could set up future storylines where he serves as an antihero rather than a pure villain.
The Stakes: Why Franklin’s Choice Matters
The entire future of the MCU may depend on how four-year-old Franklin Richards responds to Dr. Doom’s recruitment pitch.
The Power of Innocent Perspective
Franklin’s youth could be his greatest strength in this cosmic crisis. Unlike the adult heroes who are bound by loyalty to their specific universes, Franklin might see the bigger picture – that saving some reality is better than losing everything.
If Doom presents his plan as a way to create a sanctuary where everyone’s loved ones can survive, Franklin might choose to help create Battle World not out of manipulation, but out of genuine desire to save as many people as possible.
The Family Dynamic
The Fantastic Four’s greatest strength has always been their family bond. Sue’s promise – “I will not sacrifice my child for this planet, but I will not sacrifice this planet for my child” – establishes that they’ll fight for both Franklin and the greater good.
This creates a complex moral scenario where protecting Franklin might require allowing him to use his dangerous powers, while saving the multiverse might require putting their son at risk.
The Ultimate Test of Power and Responsibility
Franklin’s storyline represents the ultimate exploration of the “great power, great responsibility” theme. Born with abilities that could reshape all reality, Franklin must choose how to use powers that dwarf even the cosmic entities.
Doom’s recruitment of Franklin forces the question: when you have the power to save everyone, but only by accepting a tyrant’s vision of salvation, what’s the right choice?
What This Means for Avengers Doomsday
Dr. Doom’s interest in Franklin Richards transforms Avengers Doomsday from a simple superhero team-up into a complex moral and cosmic drama about the price of salvation.
The Fantastic Four’s Impossible Choice
The Fantastic Four will likely face an impossible decision: allow their son to help Doom create Battle World, or watch the multiverse collapse completely. There’s no purely good option when cosmic annihilation is the alternative.
The Avengers’ Perspective
The Avengers will probably see Doom’s plan as unacceptable tyranny, regardless of his intentions to save survivors. This sets up ideological conflict between heroes who prioritize freedom and a villain who prioritizes survival.
Franklin as the Key
Ultimately, Franklin’s choice will determine the fate of all reality. His decision whether to trust Doom, help create Battle World, or find an alternative solution will shape the entire direction of the MCU’s future.
When Dr. Doom removes his mask to speak with Franklin Richards, he’s not just making first contact – he’s beginning negotiations for the fate of the multiverse itself.
