Franklin Richards Becomes Galactus: A Shocking Twist in the Fantastic Four Saga!

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The acclaimed Marvel series, Fantastic Four, stands out as one of their top superhero comics in circulation today. In the storyline One World Under Doom, the Fantastic Four play a crucial role alongside the Avengers and other heroes against Emperor Doom who has been causing them trouble, even stripping the Thing of his powers. This potential loss of power for the entire team propels them into venturing into the past of various universes to regain their abilities. However, their efforts fail, leading the Thing to send them to the past of Earth-616 instead. There, the cosmic radiation inadvertently takes away the powers of the past Fantastic Four, altering the timeline. In issue #32, Valeria Richards steps up to save the day, but her mind gets entangled with her counterpart in this new world. Puzzled by the apparent absence of the Fantastic Four in saving the world, she uncovers a startling truth: Franklin Richards has gained his powers and transformed into Galactus.

Intriguingly, for those newcomers who’ve just joined the Fantastic Four fanbase, there have been numerous connections between Galactus and Franklin Richards over time. The current depiction of Franklin is quite distinct from his previous incarnation, and a significant aspect of the narrative revolves around his transformation into Galactus. Remarkably, this isn’t the first instance where Franklin has assumed the form of Galactus. As Sue prepares to give birth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s worth revisiting the past relationship between Franklin and Galactus.

In one of Marvel’s most captivating alternate reality tales, Earth X, the narrative unfolds in a future where every Earth resident possesses superpowers, following Black Bolt’s detonation of a Terrigen Mist bomb that triggers a unique genetic sequence in humans. The storyline provides an overview of significant events in the Fantastic Four’s history, including the transformation of Galactus into a star by Reed Richards, although his role remains crucial within the Marvel Universe ecosystem. With the arrival of the Celestials attacking Earth, it is Earth X that discloses the Celestials gifted humanity its superpowers as a means to safeguard a Celestial embryo buried deep within Earth. In this dire situation, Reed Richards takes decisive action by summoning Galactus, but he does so indirectly by contacting Franklin Richards instead, thereby drawing Galactus back to Earth. This is not only to eliminate the Celestials, which is Galactus’s primary purpose to prevent overpopulation, but also to learn why Reed called him ‘Franklin.’ Reed cannot reveal the real reason because if Franklin stops believing he’s Galactus, he will revert back to human form, leaving the universe vulnerable without protection from the Celestials. This moment is deeply emotional.

A significant demonstration of the connection between Franklin and Galactus unfolds in the 2015 series titled “Secret Wars“. In this storyline, Doom rescues the multiverse from the Incursion by gathering fragments of various Earths. In his newfound power, he assembles an alternate version of the Fantastic Four, which includes Sue Richards, Franklin, and Valeria. Tragically, Reed is allowed to perish on their world. To deceive them, Doom assumes the role of their father. Together, they safeguard Battleworld. Throughout most scenes, Franklin can be observed meditating and utilizing his abilities from high above Galactus’ palm. Similar to the Power Cosmic, Franklin’s powers allow him to perform many of the same feats as Galactus. Unlike the benevolent fusion of Galactus and Franklin in “Earth X“, the character introduced in “Fantastic Four #32″ is entirely malevolent.

This New Galactus Is a True Monster

Valeria pondered over how the Earth managed without the Fantastic Four, only to discover the real story later on. It seemed that Franklin arrived on Earth before her, but instead of his consciousness controlling his new form, it was his powers that took hold. Reed and Sue employed their infant deity to annihilate any threats to the Earth. However, this intervention had a profound effect on the child, causing him to metamorphose into something truly terrifying – Galactus. Ever since then, he has ruled over the Earth with an iron grip, erasing or eliminating anyone who displeases him from his memory.

In essence, Valeria must devise a plan to prevent her brother from causing harm. To her surprise, she forms alliances with unexpected partners – Jean Grey and Namor. Together, they discover an extraordinary location, one that defies belief. Ultimately, Valeria demonstrates that intelligence can triumph over physical strength as she outwits this new Galactus.

Fantastic Four #32 is on sale now.

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2025-05-23 05:12