WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Fantastic Four #2, by Dan Slott, Sara Pichelli, Elisabetta D'amico, Marte Gracia and Joe Caramagna, out now.
The Fantastic Four are finally reunited in this week’s Fantastic Four #2, but as we’re reintroduced to the Richards family we see that a lot has changed for the superheroes, not least of which being Franklin Richards. The oldest child of Susan and Reed Richards is a good few years older than the last time we saw him, looking less like a shy 10-year-old and more like a scrawny, awkward teenager. His looks aren’t all that’s changed, though.
Ever since his birth in 1968’s Fantastic Four Annual #6, it’s been clear that Franklin Richards is more than special -- his powers are literally off the charts. He’s been defined as an omega-level mutant, the most powerful category there is, due to both of his parents’ exposure to cosmic rays.
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Unlike most mutants, though, his powers manifested when he was a toddler, and since then he’s been a veritable force to be reckoned with. He’s been abducted by everyone from Annihilus and Onslaught to Doctor Doom, and all have been eager to harness his reality-warping powers for their own.
Perhaps due to the sheer overwhelming extent of his powers, or perhaps as a way for writers to give as much creative room as possible, Franklin’s full strength has never been revealed, but after seeing some of the things he’s done in the past, readers could get a sense for just how strong he is.
Not only did he save all of the Avengers and Fantastic Four in the late ‘90s by creating an entire pocket universe in which they could live, he’s spent the last few years expanding the multiverse with his powers, aided by Molecule Man and his father, Mister Fantastic.
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In this week’s Fantastic Four #2, however, Dragon Man reveals to Franklin that, not only has he the mental capacity to create whole universes from nothing, but his reality-altering powers make him more powerful than Thor, the Hulk and the Silver Surfer.
That’s an impressive lineup to beat: a god, a cosmic herald and a gamma-irradiated monster. Franklin outmatches them all. While it’s always been clear that he’s one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe, it’s a whole new understanding entirely to have his power set redefined in this fashion.
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Unfortunately, by the end of the issue, things might be a little different for Master Richards. Ever since the end of 2015’s Secret Wars, Franklin has been out in the cosmos with his fantastic family, creating whole universes that make up a brand-new multiverse, replacing the one that was destroyed by Doctor Doom and the Beyonders. The epic strain that was put on Franklin must have taken its toll because, as the issue progresses, we see that his ability to craft whole new realities simply stops.
How it’s worked up until now has been like this: Franklin creates an entire universe built around a concept or idea suggested by the team. Then, Molecule Man anchors it to the multiverse with a piece of himself, creating a constant across the myriad cosmos. Finally, Reed sends this brand-new universe outwards to take its rightful place in the multiverse.
Without Franklin’s initial spark, though, they have no choice but to end their adventure. Molecule Man senses that Franklin is “done,” and Reed concurs, going a step further by saying that, while his powers are still off the charts, a part of his journey has come to an end.
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There’s no doubt that Franklin Richards is still an omega-level mutant, and who knows how his powers will help the Fantastic Four in their upcoming adventures. However, now that he’s unable to create whole universes with his mind, a part of his power set established for over 20 years has come to an end. Time will tell if he’s still more powerful than Thor, Hulk and Silver Surfer, but we’re sure it won’t be long before we find out.