Reed Richards has been widely considered the smartest man in the Marvel Universe. His stretching superpowers accompanied by his genius brain make him a formidable being in the comics. The character has also raised a massive buzz after it was announced that Pedro Pascal would play the role in the upcoming Fantastic Four film set in the MCU.
It looks like The Mandalorian fame may want to reconsider his decision after Marvel Comics added a heinous twist to Reed Richards’ powers. Mister Fantastic’s powers in Fantastic Four #14 are nothing short of horror. Richards elevated his stretching abilities to an insane extent that presents a gross take on one of the most intellectual superheroes.
How did Marvel Comics present a bizarre twist to Reed Richards’ powers?
Reed Richards is one of the most popular characters in the Marvel comics for being the founding member and the leader of the Fantastic Four team. He along with Sue Storm, Ben Grimm, and Johnny Storm got their superpowers when their spaceship came under the grasp of cosmic radiation.
The comics have kept experimenting with Reed Richards’ powers over time. However, they crossed all limits in Ryan North’s Fantastic Four #14 (via Marvel). In a battle against Lady Octopus, Richards formed octopus-esque tentacles from his fingers and even formed multiple hands from one hand. The panels raise a disturbing feeling among the readers as we realize he has gone far ahead from his mere stretching abilities.
With his bizarre powers, Mister Fantastic beat Lady Octopus easily with one hand. Later in the same issue, he also uses his multiple hands to shut down the Metamind. Previously, he also stretched himself to form a protective shield around Wolverine in Wolverine (Vol. 3) #22. By capturing a mutant like Logan in his grasp, Richards has proved that he is no joke presently.
It looks like Reed Richards has made the perfect and disastrous combination of his stretching abilities and his highly innovative brain. It cannot be denied that it gives us some of the most badass and absurd panels in Marvel comics. However, it also forces the fans to think how such a scene would play out in the MCU.
Can MCU pull off such a feat with Mister Fantastic in the upcoming The Fantastic Four?
The casting of Pedro Pascal in the role of Reed Richards has raised a lot of chatter online. While the actor has amassed a massive fandom from Narcos, The Mandalorian, and The Last of Us, a certain section of fans don’t believe in the idea of him as Reed Richards.
Even though the MCU likes to play safe, with the recent surge in their R-rated projects and experiments, the fans wonder if such heinous powers of Reed Richards can ever make it to live action. It is highly unlikely that we can ever spot something like that in the MCU but it will be a unique body-horror experience if Marvel ever decides to add this unique kick to Reed Richards’ powers.
It will be interesting to watch how the upcoming film presents Pedro Pascal as Mister Fantastic and his powers. The Fantastic Four is slated to be released on July 25, 2025.
