A new The Fantastic Four: First Steps theory explains how the team’s youngest member, and its most powerful, could be why they make their way to the main Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Earth. I love how Marvel Studios is exploring different ideas with the Fantastic Four, which is exactly what should happen. One of the issues of the Multiverse Saga was how only a few projects have been truly connected to the multiverse. Some of the MCU’s best movies — Spider-Man: No Way Home and ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine — understood the ᴀssignment.

I want to see that continue with Marvel’s First Family, and with all I have seen from The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ story so far, I would say Marvel is doing a great job of making the multiverse matter. The upcoming MCU movie will take place entirely or almost so in an alternate universe, with the heroes coming from a retro-futuristic version of the 1960s. However, they have to arrive on Earth-616 somehow in time for Avengers: Doomsday, and Reed Richards and Sue Storm’s son could be the answer.

The Fantastic Four’s Ship Has Entered The Main MCU Universe

Marvel Studios Already Set The Stage For The Team

While we have yet to see the Fantastic Four interact with other MCU heroes, the team has seemingly already found a way to the MCU’s main universe. That was the surprise reveal of Thunderbolts*‘s post-credits scene. After the MCU’s latest movies established that the Thunderbolts are the franchise’s New Avengers, the superhero team was alerted about an anomaly in space. We not only discover there is a space crisis going on in the MCU, but see the Fantastic Four’s ship arrive.

Now, there could be a few answers to who is on the ship, given it looks different from the one that appears in The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ trailers. There have been theories about how Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom could have taken the ship or that it could even be the original Fantastic Four movie cast, which included MCU star Chris Evans as the Human Torch, on the ship. However, the easiest explanation is that the MCU’s Fantastic Four found a way to Earth-616, and the team’s movie will explain how they got there.

Franklin Richards Is One Of Marvel’s Most Powerful Characters

The Power Rankings In The MCU Are About To Change

Before we get into the new Marvel theory, it is important to note just how much of a game-changer one MCU character that is introduced in The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be. That is Franklin Richards, the son of Pedro Pascal’s Reed and Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm. In Marvel Comics, Franklin is one of the most powerful characters in the multiverse, with the young Fantastic Four member having the power to manipulate reality at his will.

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Even though Franklin is expected to be a baby through all of The Fantastic Four: First Steps or at least a large portion of the film, the timing of his introduction is interesting. That is due to how an older version of the character was crucial to rebooting the multiverse in the comics in the 2015 Secret Wars event. With the Fantastic Four confirmed to appear in the next two Avengers movies, Franklin could have the same role in 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars, meaning his powers should be key to the MCU.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps Theory – The Team Try To Get Rid Of Franklin’s Powers And It Backfires

On Reddit, user Twindo shared a theory about the Fantastic Four’s MCU debut that explains how Franklin Richards could be the reason the heroes get stuck on Earth-616. In Marvel Comics, Galactus has taken an interest in Franklin’s enormous power, with both characters linked time and again. The MCU theory suggests the reason Galactus comes to devour the Fantastic Four’s Earth is that he senses Franklin’s power and comes to take it. However, the heroes come up with a plan to stop it.

The Fantastic Four ship that appears in Thunderbolts* would be different because it is built to go through a recreation of the event that gave the team their powers, but with the goal of getting rid of Franklin’s, which would turn Galactus away. Instead of being successful, they end up going through the dimension that gave them their powers and arrive at the main MCU. This leaves their Earth to be devoured by Galactus and could give Doctor Doom a reason to hate the team if Robert Downey Jr.’s villain comes from The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ universe.