Summary:
- Franklin Richards’ powers revive Sue Storm, hinting at an even bigger cosmic future.
- Galactus is banished through sacrifice, but not before revealing Franklin’s god-tier potential.
- Doctor Doom’s arrival sets up Avengers: Doomsday and cements Fantastic Four as Phase Six’s foundation.
- We answer all your questions, like why Galactus wants Franklin, who dies, does RDJ make an appearance, and the Silver Surfer’s fate.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps has finally arrived, delivering an emotionally resonant, action-packed, and surprisingly standalone entry into the MCU Phase Six. Taking place on Earth-828, MCU’s First Family’s origin story brings Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, and Ben Grimm together to face off against a planet-devouring entity, Galactus.
But with Galactus, teleportation bridges, the Power Cosmic, and a game-changing mid-credits scene packed into the final act, you might need a Reed-level brain to keep it all straight. Here’s a full breakdown of The Fantastic Four: First Steps ending and what it means for the MCU’s future.
Warning! The Fantastic Four: First Steps spoilers ahead!
Table of Contents
Galactus’ Demand, Reed’s Plan, and the Failed Times Square Trap
The turning point of the film is an impossible choice: Galactus is descending to Earth, demanding the planet or Franklin Richards, the newborn son of Sue and Reed, who possesses the Power Cosmic. Instead of surrendering, Reed proposes a daring plan: move Earth to safety using bridge technology.
That scheme fails when the Silver Surfer (Shalla-Bal) destroys most of the teleportation arrays set up across the world. Johnny breaks through her emotionally by learning her language and appealing to her buried guilt over her destructive role. The Silver Surfer leaves, giving the team one last chance.
They come up with a trap in Times Square, hoping to lure Galactus into one last standing bridge portal by using Franklin as bait. They exchange Franklin with a decoy pod, but Galactus does not fall into the trap. He tracks the real pod carrying Frankling by using his X-ray vision.
The Final Battle: Shalla-Bal’s Sacrifice and Franklin’s Awakening
What follows is a vicious climactic showdown. Galactus nearly destroys the Fantastic Four. Ben is hurled into space (only to be saved by Johnny), Reed is stretched to the breaking point, and Sue at last uses her last shred of energy to push Galactus through the portal.
Just as all hope fades, Shalla-Bal returns and sacrifices herself, sending Galactus off into the far reaches of the universe, or maybe a whole different timeline.
The price? Sue Storm dies from exhaustion after the battle. Reed attempts CPR on her, but it is her infant son, Franklin, who revives her with his still-developing Power Cosmic. Her eyes glow with cosmic energy—proof that Franklin’s power is beyond anything they imagined.
What is the Power Cosmic and How Franklin Gets It?
The Power Cosmic, introduced in Fantastic Four #48, is an ancient force that can distort matter, create life, and even reverse death. It’s traditionally wielded by Galactus and passed on to his heralds. Franklin is born with it in First Steps, likely a result of his parents’ exposure to cosmic radiation.
Why Does Galactus Want Franklin?
Galactus, who is cursed with eternal hunger, sees Franklin as a way of passing on that burden and ending his torment. The film suggests that Franklin could bear the Galactus curse and become an unbounded entity.
This is not what has occurred in the comics (where Franklin is still one of the most powerful mutants on the planet). But the MCU does use the cosmic origin and makes him a central figure in the MCU’s cosmic storyline.
Does Sue Storm Really Die in Fantastic Four: First Steps
Technically, yes. Sue dies after pushing Galactus through the portal. But in a moment that mirrors Sue’s comic book legacy and sets Franklin apart, the baby brings her back to life. His touch awakens her, and her eyes shine with a starry, cosmic swirl. It’s a sign that can’t be ignored: Franklin is not only powerful, he’s perhaps godlike.
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Who Dies in The Fantastic Four: First Steps?
Other than Sue’s brief death, the movie spares its main cast from death. It does, however, acknowledge the cosmic horror involved: Galactus has previously devoured many planets, which have experienced billions of unseen deaths. That point of reference emphasizes the high stakes and cosmic scale of the threat.
What Happened to Shalla-Bal?
The Silver Surfer, Shalla-Bal, defies her master when Johnny opens the doors to her past. She recalls those she had to sacrifice to save her world and ultimately chooses to betray Galactus. Her final act of pushing him through the portal is both redemptive and tragic. Whether she is killed or lost with him is unknown, but her own fate remains to be discovered in the future.
Does RDJ’s Doctor Doom Appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Yes, we finally get to see the first look of Dr. Doom in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The mid-credits scene cuts ahead four years. Sue reads to toddler Franklin when a hooded figure appears… Here’s the complete breakdown of both post- and mid-credits scenes of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Will There Be a Fantastic Four Sequel?
There’s no official sequel announced yet, but the conclusion of the movie sets up major threads for the future of the MCU. The Fantastic Four have been officially confirmed to appear next in Avengers: Doomsday, and there are rumors of a sequel potentially coming out in 2028.
Reed’s teleportation technology, Franklin’s powers, and Doctor Doom’s subsequent entrance in the films make First Steps not only a standalone film but a cornerstone for the next era of Marvel storytelling.
Final Thoughts on The Fantastic Four: First Steps
The Fantastic Four: First Steps ambitiously balances being both a standalone story and a foundational piece for the MCU. It brings Marvel’s First Family to life with heart, humor, and stakes that stretch across the cosmos.
With Galactus banished, Franklin as a cosmic force to be reckoned with, and Doctor Doom finally arriving in the MCU, the stage is now set for Avengers: Doomsday, and the multiverse will never be quite the same again.
The Fantastic Four have arrived. And they’re just getting started.
