Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Franklin Richards has finally arrived in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with powers that could change the MCU timeline forever. Introduced in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm appears as a child with immeasurable potential. This is already drawing intense speculation for the MCU’s future, especially considering his more impressive abilities.

In the comics, Franklin is one of the most powerful mutants in all of Marvel history. First Steps gave viewers a glimpse of just how reality-breaking he might become. Indeed, he’s not just another super-powered kid. Franklin Richards is a multiversal threat and protector all in one. His abilities place him leagues above almost anyone else in the MCU.

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Immortality & Power Beyond Celestials

Franklin Richards isn’t just powerful, he’s eternal. In the comics, he’s described as an “Omega-level” mutant whose strength surpᴀsses even the Celestials. One storyline even shows an adult Franklin killing two Celestials in battle.

While The Fantastic Four: First Steps doesn’t show Franklin reaching this level, the implication is clear: he’s not going to develop like a regular human. Franklin is first MCU hero will far beyond any of his peers. Thor and the Eternals already operate on extended timelines, but Franklin takes this to another level.

In a universe that often resets or pᴀsses mantles to younger generations, Franklin offers something new. He’s a character who can anchor entire cosmic sagas for decades, or even centuries. His potential has no ceiling, which makes him one of the most important ᴀssets Marvel has just introduced – as Doom has already determined in the First Steps post-credits scene.

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Pocket Universe Creation

As the MCU continues to expand into multiversal storytelling, Franklin Richards brings a power that’s an obvious next evolution: the creation of entirely new universes. In the comics, Franklin famously creates pocket universes – entirely self-contained realities with their own physical laws and timelines. This is a game-changer for the MCU.

While Loki, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and What If…? have introduced the concept of alternate realities, Franklin can generate them at will. This means the MCU could begin building stories within universes created by Franklin himself. He can create new sandboxes that don’t have to adhere to existing continuity.

This would allow Marvel Studios to try bolder experiments, reboot legacy characters, or even explore “What If” stories outside the format. Franklin’s universe-building power is like having a multiversal rewrite ʙuттon – and no other character in the MCU currently has that kind of influence. This could prove vital in facing future Fantastic Four villains in the MCU.

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Reality Warping

One of Franklin Richards’ most staggering powers is his ability to reshape reality itself. In the comics, Franklin has reshaped entire timelines, altered the fundamental makeup of matter, and even manipulated life and death. In the MCU, this could have enormous implications.

Unlike Scarlet Witch’s reality warping in WandaVision, which was contained to Westview and influenced by the Darkhold, Franklin’s power is completely internal. He doesn’t need an artifact, a spellbook, or even training – it’s instinctual. This could become vital as the Multiverse Saga concludes.

It means Franklin could, theoretically, change the rules of the MCU at any point, whether that’s erasing entire events, reviving ᴅᴇᴀᴅ characters, or reshaping what’s considered canon. As the Multiverse Saga continues to explore increasingly abstract concepts, Franklin’s powers make him the ultimate wild card.

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Resurrection Powers

One of the most emotional moments in The Fantastic Four: First Steps comes at the end when Franklin brings his mother back to life. While the circumstances around how Franklin revived Sue have not been revealed, it was an explicit demonstration of his incredible power.

This act isn’t just emotionally resonant – it’s unprecedented. In the MCU, characters have died and returned through multiversal trickery (Loki), Infinity Stones (Avengers: Endgame), or mystical means (Moon Knight). Franklin, however, simply wills Sue back into existence.

There is comic precedent for this: Franklin has previously brought Galactus back to life and has even resurrected entire species. Yet this moment in First Steps marks the first time in the MCU that a character brings someone back from the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ through sheer psionic will. This elevates him beyond even Wanda Maximoff or Doctor Strange.

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Future Sight & Cosmic Awareness

In the comics, Franklin Richards develops a form of cosmic awareness and future sight, allowing him to perceive threats long before they occur. He even grows into a role as a mentor to other powerful beings, guiding them through vast multiversal conflicts. While this hasn’t been shown or referenced in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it would alter the MCU’s future.

This makes him more than a powerhouse, it makes him a strategic force in upcoming phases. The MCU has very few characters who possess this level of awareness. Aside from Doctor Strange’s brief look into millions of futures during Infinity War, and Charles Xavier’s telepathy in Multiverse of Madness, the franchise lacks powerful clairvoyants. Franklin fills that role and more.

As the second major telepath in the MCU (after Xavier) Franklin stands to usher in the next age of cosmic-level psionics. This is a power set barely touched in the franchise so far. After his introduction in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, his ability to sense what’s coming may be just as valuable as his ability to reshape it afterward.