A New MCU Hero Almost Copied Their Deep Cut Comic Book Destiny (& It Isn’t Too Late)

On Earth-828, life kicks off splendidly in the beginning of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Minor misconduct is virtually nonexistent as Reed Richards keeps tabs on criminal activities and alerts law enforcement to prevent harm. Even formidable adversaries like Mole Man and Red Ghost find their nefarious schemes foiled, thanks to the Fantastic Four’s readiness to counter any malicious plots. Marvel’s First Family is so skilled at their duties that Invisible Woman negotiates a truce with Mole Man, thereby averting the potential takeover of the surface world by Subterranea. However, the team encounters some rough patches when the Silver Surfer pays a visit to the planet.

Galactus’ messenger announces to everyone on Earth that their existence is about to come to an end. She doesn’t give many specifics, but it’s evident that her superior intends to erase Earth from existence. Almost instantly, Mr. Fantastic starts working on a solution using the resources at his disposal. Meanwhile, another team member adopts a different strategy, one which could potentially mirror the actions of their comic book counterparts.

First Steps‘ Johnny Storm Is Willing to Give It All Up for His Nephew

Intrigued by the ominous revelation of Galactus, I, Johnny Storm (a.k.a. the Human Torch), find myself pursuing the enigmatic Silver Surfer. Eager to grasp the nature of the peril looming over my family and our planet, I press her for answers, yet all I receive is a cryptic phrase in an alien tongue. The words echo faintly in my memory, striking a chord that rings true – they are reminiscent of a transmission Reed stumbled upon at the Baxter Building.

With the team rallying to confront Galactus once more, we manage to glean a bit more about the Silver Surfer’s language, which proves useful in decoding her cryptic messages. Meanwhile, humanity labors tirelessly to move our planet using Reed’s bridges, only for the Silver Surfer to return and systematically demolish them all.

The next phase of her plan becomes clear when she sets her sights on kidnapping Franklin Richards. It seems that Galactus views our young prodigy as a potential replacement for himself – a chilling revelation indeed.

Before the Silver Surfer manages to reach the child, Johnny steps in and plays recordings instead, which turn out to be messages from her world’s inhabitants. They express gratitude for her sacrifice, but Johnny changes the conversation by playing transmissions about the planets Galactus devastated. This convinces the Silver Surfer to retreat, although she remains silent regarding encouragement for Johnny. The Devourer of Worlds seeks the child, and nothing can deter him. In a desperate attempt to safeguard his family, Johnny proposes taking Franklin’s place. He doesn’t mind Galactus’ retaliation as long as everyone else is secure. While the Silver Surfer dismisses this idea, it isn’t entirely unreasonable given that the Human Torch has previously worked for Galactus.

The Human Torch Is a Former Herald of Galactus

In Marvel Comics, Galactus angers so many aliens by destroying their planets that they develop a device to hide planets from him. However, they learn about the Invisible Woman who could render the technology ineffective. To prevent Galactus from using her against them, these aliens travel to Earth with the intention of killing her. The Fantastic Four refuse to let this happen, so Reed quickly switches Johnny and Sue’s powers, making the Invisible Woman appear differently than her description. Despite averting one threat, another arises in the form of Galactus who takes Johnny and makes him his herald, wanting to use his new powers against the aliens hunting him.

Johnny doesn’t seem well-suited for the role as Galactus’s herald, as he spent most of his time trying to find a way to vanquish the villain instead. The Fantastic Four and Quasar teamed up to handle the task, eventually defeating the Devourer of Worlds and returning him to his human form, rendering him defenseless. If Galactus had recruited Johnny in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he might have followed a similar path. Unfortunately, this wasn’t his fate. The only possibility for the big-screen Human Torch to become a herald now is if Galactus reappears on Earth-828 at a later time and seeks revenge against the Fantastic Four.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is in theaters.

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2025-07-29 03:40

First Steps‘ Johnny Storm Is Willing to Give It All Up for His Nephew

The Human Torch Is a Former Herald of Galactus

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