Fantastic Four: First Steps Teases a Major Marvel Villain (No, Not Doctor Doom)

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First Steps”. His intention is to consume Earth just like he does any other planet. However, the Fantastic Four aren’t going to stand by and let this happen. They brainstorm a strategy and decide to venture into space to face this enigmatic being, despite their lack of knowledge about the circumstances they are about to encounter.

Prior to encountering the Cosmic Entity known as Galactus, Marvel’s founding team deliberates over potential challenges they may face upon disembarking from their spacecraft. Their knowledge of this entity is limited to its name, which holds no significance to them. However, this discussion serves a purpose, as it lays the groundwork for another formidable villain in the Marvel universe.

The Fantastic Four Think They Could Be Facing a Space Dragon

Given that they’ve spent their entire lives on Earth and encountered only cryptic alien messages, Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Susan Storm, and Johnny Storm are taken aback when the Silver Surfer appears. They’re stumped for answers to the public’s questions about this unexpected arrival. To better understand the situation, the Fantastic Four embark on an interstellar journey. Ben, in his disbelief, jokingly refers to their upcoming encounter with a planet-devouring entity as a “space dragon.” However, he shouldn’t use such terms casually because Marvel Comics is brimming with extraordinary creatures.

The most prominent extraterrestrial resembling a dragon is Fin Fang Foom, originating from Kakaranthara. He’s an alien with the ability to change shape, leaving his peaceful home planet behind due to dissatisfaction with his race’s demeanor. Foom eventually arrives on Earth, planning malicious actions for conquest. Characters from various eras have encountered this antagonist and fought against him. However, Fin Fang Foom develops a strong hatred towards Tony Stark, who uses technology to create troubles for the colossal dragon. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it seems unlikely that Fin Fang Foom would instigate a conflict with Tony Stark’s variant. Nevertheless, there is another prominent screen hero whose attention could possibly be caught by Fin Fang Foom.

The MCU Has Been Setting the Stage for Fin Fang Foom for Years

In his solo movie, it might seem like the dragon Shang Chi battles is Foom, given that giant dragons are rare. However, this creature is merely the guardian of Ta Lo and has no relation to the extraterrestrial being. Nevertheless, there could be ties between Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and the comic book antagonist. The title artifacts that the Mandarin wields originate from a spaceship, which is an intriguing detail as in the comics, these rings also arrive on Earth via space travel, though their creators are not a secret. The Makluans, who are Foom’s species, construct the rings to control their advanced spaceships, and there’s a possibility they’ll seek out the ones that Shang-Chi possesses.

In the post-credits scene of Shang-Chi, the main character encounters well-known Marvel Cinematic Universe figures such as Wong, Bruce Banner, and Carol Danvers. They’re all puzzling over these rings they found and where they originated, but their only definitive conclusion is that there’s an active tracking device within them. It seems that either Foom or another Makluan is heading towards Earth, and chances are they don’t plan to be friendly neighbors. While the battle with Doctor Doom might take priority for now, it looks like The Thing could still meet a space dragon as initially suspected, though this encounter may not happen for a few more years.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is in theaters now.

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2025-07-27 19:40