Fantastic Four: First Steps ending explained and full spoilers – was Galactus defeated?

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For quite some time now, since the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) started with Iron Man in 2008, a plethora of iconic Marvel Comics characters have graced the big screen, making it challenging to keep track. However, four significant characters had always been missing from the extended universe.

Previously, the remarkable team known as The Fantastic Four – Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch, and The Thing – have graced the big screen, albeit in a manner that some enthusiasts might prefer to overlook. However, they’ve never been integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe before. But now, that has changed.

The movie “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” has recently debuted in UK theaters, marking the third film release of the series this year. Critics seem to agree that it serves as a fitting introduction for Marvel’s original team, the Fantastic Four, who are set to take center stage in next year’s “Avengers: Doomsday.

What connections can we find between this movie and the next one? Dive into our comprehensive review to follow the storyline of the latest film, and uncover solutions to the puzzling questions that might linger in your mind following the movie’s conclusion.

But beware: there are obviously some *major spoilers* ahead.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps ending explained – full spoilers for MCU’s latest

Following the initial presentation of our characters and their backgrounds, the movie picks up pace as Earth-828 residents are unexpectedly encountered by the Silver Surfer (portrayed by Julia Garner), who delivers a grim message: their world has been marked for annihilation by an overwhelmingly powerful cosmic entity named Galactus (Ralph Ineson).

In this situation, the Fantastic Four are encouraged to engage in discussions with a cosmic entity situated across a far-off star system. They encounter an unfavorable proposition: he threatens to destroy their planet, yet offers a reprieve if Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal) and the Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby) forfeit their unborn child, whom he asserts possesses immense cosmic power.

The majority of the remaining movie focuses on following the quartet as they strive to extricate themselves from this predicament. Their situation seems particularly dire when the crowd, who had previously idolized them, instead turn fiercely against them, demanding that they surrender the child to Galactus in order to save the planet.

Certainly, it’s the Fantastic Four we’re discussing here, so even when things seem grim and desperate, you can count on them coming up with an ingenious solution at some stage.

In this scenario, Reed proposes a groundbreaking concept: employing his homemade, experimental interstellar teleportation archway. His ambition is to utilize this device to shift our entire planet away from Galactus’ threatening grasp and into another solar system.

This task is quite significant considering the device’s previous use was limited to moving an egg approximately six feet. However, with global assistance, they aim to construct a novel system that, hopefully, will make the project successful.

Oh dear, it turns out things aren’t quite that straightforward. As soon as they set their plan in action, the Silver Surfer, who had been missing for a month since their previous meeting, suddenly resurfaces and wreaks havoc on nearly every teleportation bridge.

Prior to reaching the last one in Times Square, Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) steps in with a heroic action. He had developed a liking for her earlier, and through learning her language, he discovered that her name is Shalla-Bal. It turns out she had assumed the role of Galactus’s herald not out of choice, but to protect her own planet from being consumed.

Additionally, he grants her access to hear recordings from every planet consumed since she took on the role as Galactus’s right-hand, and this overwhelming evidence seems to cause her distress, leading to her departure from the location.

In the midst of everything happening, Reed and Sue are left with no other choice but to concoct a different strategy. They decide to employ their newly born child, whom they’ve named Franklin, as an attraction to draw Galactus towards Times Square. Once he’s there, they aim to guide him towards the bridge and teleport him to a distant location. Reed calculates that they will have approximately 37 seconds to complete this mission.

Just before the critical moment, Johnny devises a plan to deceive Galactus. He secretly transports Franklin back to the Baxter Building and leaves an empty pod in his stead. However, Galactus, being a wise and perceptive cosmic entity, sees through this trickery and correctly descends upon the actual child.

A fierce battle breaks out, pushing Mr. Fantastic (Reed) beyond his limits, courtesy of Galactus. However, Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) intervenes just in time and declares it’s “time to clobber” while doing so.

Is Galactus defeated in The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

Following Ben’s rescue of Reed, he subsequently recovers Franklin. It then becomes Sue’s responsibility to confront Galactus. She handles this challenge admirably, employing her power to generate shields and force him towards the portal.

At first glance, it appeared as if she had triumphed, but by pushing herself too hard and utilizing her abilities excessively over an extended period, Galactus was able to resurface once more, with merely 10 seconds left on the clock.

To keep Galactus trapped within the portal, Johnny was prepared to give up his own life. Fortunately, this self-sacrifice wasn’t necessary as Shalla-Bal returned, whisking herself and Galactus back through the portal, ensuring they would no longer pose a threat to Earth-828.

In other words, Galactus appears to be defeated for now, but it’s not entirely ruled out that he might reappear at some point in the future. After all, he is currently far away, possibly trapped, along with an assistant who seems quite unhappy about their situation.

Indeed, the multiverse is vast, and it’s confirmed that the Fantastic Four are soon departing from Earth-828 to merge with the current Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s only a matter of time before they return… almost certainly.

Does Sue Storm die in The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

After dealing with Galactus, one would think the focus would quickly shift to celebrations. However, a significant hurdle arises, dampening the immediate joy: Sue, in her efforts to repel Galactus, has sustained fatal injuries.

In a desperate attempt, Reed performs CPR on her, but it seems to have no effect; she appears to be as lifeless as a door nail. However, when Reed weeps and lays baby Franklin on her chest, she miraculously starts showing signs of life again.

Indeed, young Franklin truly embodies great power – wielding ‘The Cosmic Power’ – and it’s immensely reassuring that they managed to rescue him from the clutches of Galactus. Rest assured, he’ll undoubtedly assume a significant role in upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe episodes.

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2025-07-24 16:05