I’m Still Disappointed The Fantastic Four: First Steps Nerfed One Hero’s Iconic Superpower

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In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, one member’s powers were noticeably diminished, leaving us pondering about the future of this central figure in Marvel’s First Family. This film signified the introduction of the Fantastic Four within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach effectively portrayed these iconic superheroes from the Marvel Comics for the first time in live-action. However, contrary to our expectations, one team member didn’t meet our strength expectations, leading some fans to speculate that this character may have fallen victim to Marvel Studios’ tendency to weaken its most powerful heroes.

The Fantastic Four: Initial Moves

In this story, the main characters, the Fantastic Four, confronted the mighty Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a being with divine powers. This cosmic entity aimed to seize the Power Cosmic hidden within the newborn son of Reed Richards (Pascal) and Sue Storm (Kirby), Franklin. The Fantastic Four strategically attracted Galactus to Earth, engaging in combat against this devourer of planets as they tried to force him through a portal. However, during the fierce fight, Mr. Fantastic found himself struggling to match Galactus blow for blow and fell short of demonstrating the full range of his elastic abilities – especially when Galactus almost ripped him apart by merely stretching him what appeared to be a modest distance.

Previously in live-action versions, Mr. Fantastic (Reed Richards) has been portrayed with an extraordinary ability to elongate himself vastly. In certain comic book instances, his reach extended up to 1500 feet, yet beyond this point, he experiences discomfort. However, he is capable of stretching even further. Contrastingly, in the movie “The Fantastic Four: First Steps“, Galactus only stretched Richards a minimal distance before he felt acute pain, and his specialized costume began to rip. This might seem unusual as it suggests that Mr. Fantastic’s power is limited in this adaptation. Nevertheless, this could mean positive developments for the character in future portrayals.

In “First Steps,” Galactus’ colossal size suggests he might have extended Reed Richards beyond our assumed limits, potentially causing his pain. It’s plausible that Reed was stretched over 1500ft, but considering Galactus’ ability to shrink and walk among humans in New York City, it seems improbable. This constraint on Mister Fantastic’s abilities in “First Steps” opens up opportunities for his growth in future MCU appearances, allowing him to maintain the impressive trajectory established in previous instalments.

In the tradition of Marvel Studios gradually revealing a character’s full potential upon their debut, it’s possible that Reed Richards in “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” may not initially exhibit his maximum stretching abilities. Just like Peter Parker, T’Challa, Sam Wilson, and Wanda Maximoff, who all developed their powers over time, Reed Richards could be on a similar growth trajectory. This opens up exciting possibilities for his roles in upcoming Phase 6 crossovers such as “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Avengers: Secret Wars”, as well as potential sequels to “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”.

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2025-08-17 20:18