The highly anticipated Fantastic Four: First Steps has delivered one of the most shocking endings in Marvel history, fundamentally changing the power dynamics of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film’s climactic moments reveal Franklin Richards as a reality-warping force unlike anything we’ve seen before, while the mid-credit scene officially introduces Dr. Doom in a way that sets up massive implications for the multiverse.
How Does Fantastic Four First Steps End?
Franklin Richards resurrects his mother Sue Storm after she dies saving Earth from Galactus. The ending sequence shows Sue Storm making the ultimate sacrifice, using all her force field energy to push Galactus through Reed’s teleportation portal. The effort kills her, but baby Franklin crawls over and places his hands on her body, bringing her back to life with a lavender glow – the same cosmic energy that powers Galactus himself.
This isn’t just any resurrection. Franklin demonstrates he possesses what Galactus calls “the power cosmic” – infinite, god-like energy that allows for reality manipulation on a universal scale. The fact that a baby can rewrite death itself establishes Franklin as potentially the most powerful being in the MCU.
The Final Battle Breakdown
The third act centers around Galactus’s ultimatum: give him baby Franklin Richards, or watch Earth burn. When the Fantastic Four refuse, Reed devises a desperate plan to teleport Galactus away using his bridge technology.
Here’s how the climactic battle unfolds:
- Reed’s Plan B: Use Franklin as bait to lure Galactus into Manhattan, then teleport him through the remaining bridge portal
- Sue’s Sacrifice: She channels every ounce of her force field power to push Galactus toward the portal
- Silver Surfer’s Redemption: Shalla-Bal switches sides at the last moment, helping push both herself and Galactus through the portal
- Sue’s Death: The effort drains Sue’s life force completely, leaving her dead on the battlefield
- Franklin’s Miracle: The baby places his hands on his mother and resurrects her with cosmic energy
What Makes Franklin Richards So Powerful?
Franklin Richards was born with “the power cosmic,” making him capable of reality manipulation that surpasses even cosmic entities like Galactus. According to Galactus himself, Franklin is the first being in the universe who shares this infinite power, making him worthy of succeeding Galactus as the cosmic balance-keeper of the universe.
Franklin’s Demonstrated Abilities
Even as a baby, Franklin shows incredible capabilities:
Reality Warping: He can rewrite the fundamental laws of reality, as demonstrated when he brings Sue back from death
Cosmic Energy Manipulation: The lavender glow from his hands matches the same energy signature used by Galactus and Silver Surfer
Subconscious Power Control: While still in Sue’s womb, Franklin was already manipulating Reed’s machines and erasing his own energy signatures to hide from detection
Death Defiance: Franklin accomplished something that even Infinity Stones couldn’t do – true resurrection from death
Why Galactus Wanted Franklin
Galactus reveals that Franklin’s power level makes him the perfect successor. For over 10 billion years, Galactus has carried the burden of maintaining cosmic balance by devouring worlds. He saw Franklin as his replacement – someone who could take over the responsibility of storing universal energy and restarting the next universe when this one ends.
The fact that Galactus, who predates Universe 828 itself, considers a newborn baby his equal speaks volumes about Franklin’s cosmic significance.
What Happens in the Mid-Credit Scene?
Dr. Doom appears to four-year-old Franklin Richards in the Baxter Building, having removed his mask to show his face. Set four years after the main events, the scene shows Sue reading “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to Franklin before leaving briefly to get another book. When she returns, she finds Franklin face-to-face with a hooded figure in dark green robes who has just removed his iconic metal mask.
The Significance of Doom’s Arrival
This scene carries massive implications for the MCU’s future:
Directed by the Russo Brothers: This scene was actually filmed on the Avengers: Doomsday set, making it essentially a preview of that film rather than just a Fantastic Four epilogue
Doom’s Unusual Behavior: In the comics, Doom never removes his mask. The fact that he’s showing Franklin his face suggests he’s trying to earn the child’s trust rather than simply intimidate him
Timing and Location: Doom’s ability to appear inside the Baxter Building suggests either advanced technology or multiversal travel capabilities
Franklin’s Reaction: The four-year-old reaches toward Doom’s face curiously, showing no fear – potentially because Franklin can sense Doom’s intentions or even heal Doom’s scarred face
Two Possible Scenarios for Doom’s Visit
Recruitment: Doom may be warning Franklin about the coming multiversal crisis and positioning himself as a necessary ally. Given the incursions threatening all realities, Doom could be building a coalition to save the multiverse.
Power Acquisition: Doom may want to harness Franklin’s reality-warping abilities to create “Battle World” – the pocket universe from the comics where fragments of destroyed realities are preserved under Doom’s rule.
Is Galactus Really Gone?
No, Galactus is still alive and remains in Universe 828. Reed’s teleportation technology only moved Galactus elsewhere within the same universe – it didn’t destroy him or send him to another dimension. This means Galactus will likely return, still determined to claim Franklin as his successor.
The film establishes that Galactus has a personal vendetta now. He’s never been thwarted like this before, and Reed Richards has made a direct enemy of a cosmic force that’s older than the universe itself.
Why Galactus Will Return
- Unfinished Business: Galactus still believes Franklin should replace him as the cosmic balance-keeper
- Personal Insult: The Fantastic Four didn’t just refuse his offer – they actively fought and defeated him
- Cosmic Responsibility: Galactus genuinely believes his role is necessary for universal survival, making Franklin’s recruitment a cosmic imperative
How Does This Connect to Avengers Doomsday?
The mid-credit scene officially begins the path to Avengers: Doomsday, with Franklin Richards positioned as the key to preventing multiversal collapse. Based on the comics’ Secret Wars storyline, Franklin’s reality-warping powers make him potentially the only being capable of rebuilding the multiverse after the coming crisis destroys all realities.
The Multiverse Crisis Setup
The film establishes several key elements for the broader MCU:
Reed’s Multiverse Research: During his children’s TV show, Reed discusses alternate dimensions and parallel Earths, showing his scientific foundation for multiverse theory
Incursions Coming: The cosmic-level threats and Doom’s involvement suggest the boundary erosions between universes that lead to multiversal war
Franklin as Anchor Being: Franklin’s power level makes him potentially the “anchor being” of Universe 828 – the individual whose existence maintains that reality’s stability
Kevin Feige’s MCU Reset
Marvel Studios has confirmed that the MCU will undergo a “reset” after Secret Wars. Franklin Richards, along with possibly Wanda Maximoff, may be the key to creating a new continuity that unites the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men in a single universe.
This reset would allow Franklin to fulfill Galactus’s prediction – not by becoming the next Devourer of Worlds, but by becoming the being who restores the multiverse after its destruction.
What About the Final Post-Credit Scene?
The final scene shows an animated sequence of the Fantastic Four fighting classic villains, confirming they’ve been active heroes for years. The animation style references the 1967 Hanna-Barbera Fantastic Four series and includes battles against Red Ghost, Puppet Master, and Diablo – all villains Reed mentioned monitoring during the film.
The sequence ends with a tribute to co-creator Jack Kirby and his quote: “If you look at my characters, you will find me. No matter what kind of character you create or assume, a little of yourself must remain there.”
The Books Franklin Reads: Hidden Clues
The mid-credit scene includes several book references that hint at Franklin’s future:
“The Very Hungry Caterpillar”: A story about metamorphosis and endless hunger, directly paralleling Galactus’s cosmic hunger and Franklin’s potential transformation
“The Origin of Species”: Darwin’s evolution theory, suggesting Franklin represents the next evolutionary step for powered beings
“Understanding Schrödinger’s Cat”: A quantum physics reference that connects to multiverse theory and reality manipulation
These book choices aren’t random – they’re carefully selected hints about Franklin’s role in the coming multiversal saga.
What Comes Next?
The Thunderbolts post-credit scene has already shown the Fantastic Four’s ship traveling to Earth-616, suggesting they’ll soon encounter the main MCU timeline. Whether they’re chasing Doom, fleeing Galactus, or responding to the multiversal crisis, their arrival will fundamentally change the MCU’s landscape.
Franklin Richards has been established as the most powerful being in Marvel history – a four-year-old child who can rewrite reality itself. With Dr. Doom making his move and Galactus still lurking in the shadows, the stage is set for the most consequential story in MCU history.
The first steps toward Avengers: Doomsday have been taken, and at the center of it all is a little boy who just might hold the fate of every reality in his hands.
