Why Franklin Richards Is Marvel’s Most Powerful Baby—and What It Means for the MCU
Curious about Franklin Richards, the cosmic baby from Marvel’s Fantastic Four? Let’s break down everything you need to know before and after watching Fantastic Four: First Steps. This little guy isn’t just any baby—he’s one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel universe, and his story is packed with twists that could shake up the MCU.
- Who is Franklin Richards and why is he special?
- How his powers compare to other Marvel mutants and cosmic entities.
- Key comic book moments that shaped his character.
- What happens to him in the movie Fantastic Four: First Steps, including spoilers.
- Why Doctor Doom might be very interested in Franklin now.
Meet Franklin Richards: The Cosmic Baby
In the opening scene of Fantastic Four: First Steps, Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) finds out she’s pregnant and tells Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal). Reed is understandably stressed—not just about babyproofing their high-tech Baxter Building home but also because the cosmic rays that gave them powers might affect their baby. And he’s right to worry. Franklin Richards isn’t your average kid.
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the ’60s, Franklin is a mutant with reality-warping abilities far beyond his parents’ powers. Reed can stretch, Sue can turn invisible and create force fields, but Franklin’s power ranks even higher—he’s classified above Omega Level mutants like Jean Grey and Magneto, wielding power comparable to the Celestials seen in Eternals and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. You can check out his full Marvel profile here.
Franklin’s Early Comic Adventures
Unlike most mutants who show powers at puberty, Franklin starts using his abilities as a toddler. In a 1973 Fantastic Four storyline, villain Annihilus kidnaps baby Franklin and triggers his full power, which is too much for the child to handle. Reed has to put him in a coma to keep things under control. Franklin wakes up 10 issues later to fight Ultron, which helps stabilize his powers.
In a 1982 arc by John Byrne, Franklin tries to speed up his maturity by using his powers to age himself into an adult body—but emotionally, he remains a kid. Eventually, he restricts his abilities to have a somewhat normal childhood.
Franklin and Galactus: A Cosmic Connection
Franklin’s story isn’t just about his powers; it’s also deeply tied to Galactus. In the comics, Franklin even becomes Galactus in an alternate universe series called Earth X. In Jonathan Hickman’s 2012 Fantastic Four run, Franklin resurrects Galactus to fight invading Celestials. In the movie, Galactus sees Franklin as a potential successor who can inherit the cosmic hunger and power known as the Power Cosmic.
While the MCU has hinted at mutants and multiverse shenanigans, Franklin’s power seems to be explained differently here, which also ties into his biggest moment in the film.
Major Spoilers Ahead: Franklin’s Role in Fantastic Four: First Steps
To save Earth-828, Reed and Sue use Franklin as bait to trap Galactus. Sue unleashes a huge amount of power to push Galactus into a teleport trap but seemingly dies from the effort. However, Franklin glows and reaches out to her, bringing her back to life. This resurrection isn’t typical for Franklin, whose powers mainly include telepathy, precognition, and energy blasts.
It’s likely that since Sue died from draining cosmic-ray-based powers (a weaker form of the Power Cosmic), Franklin was able to recharge her like an electric shock jump-starting a heart. But this doesn’t mean he can bring back anyone who dies under different circumstances.
Meanwhile, the Fantastic Four’s public reveal that Galactus wanted their baby has definitely caught Doctor Doom’s attention. He’s even seen removing his mask in front of Franklin, possibly seeking something from him—maybe healing his face? Fans will have to wait for Avengers: Doomsday to find out.
