Franklin Richards, son of Reed and Sue: Marvel's most powerful child unleashed
Born to two of the Marvel Universe's most iconic heroes—Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) and Sue Storm (Invisible Woman)—Franklin Richards was never going to be ordinary. But no one expected this.
Pedro Pascal and Vanessa Kirby in 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps'.
20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios
From the moment he first opened his eyes in New York City, Franklin's destiny was intertwined with the cosmos. Not just another gifted child of superheroes, Franklin emerged as a mutant—or something more—with the ability to reshape existence itself.
His middle name, Benjamin, honors his godfather, Ben Grimm, and his first name, Franklin, pays tribute to his maternal grandfather. But make no mistake: Franklin Richards would earn a name that cosmic entities would fear to speak.
Powers Unleashed: Too Much for Earth to Handle
As a toddler, Franklin’s powers manifested with terrifying potential. When the alien tyrant Annihilus tried to siphon the child’s energy, Franklin’s abilities surged to apocalyptic levels. Desperate to protect the world, Reed Richards did the unthinkable—he shut down his son’s mind.
This wasn’t the last time Franklin’s reality-altering powers would surface unexpectedly. A clash with Ultron-7 reawakened his abilities, triggering a power surge that wiped out the deadly android and reaffirmed the cosmic scale of his capabilities.
Guardians, Witchcraft, and Childhood Sacrifices
To ensure Franklin’s safety—and that of the universe—his parents enlisted the help of Agatha Harkness, a benevolent witch who became a surrogate grandmother figure. Later, robotic caretaker H.E.R.B.I.E. supervised him, though Franklin still accidentally aged himself into adulthood via subconscious power use.
That version of Franklin—an older, confident wielder of molecular manipulation and psionics—soon reverted himself to a child again, desperate for the normal life his powers constantly denied him.
Hero in Secret: The Tattletale Joins Power Pack
Though his powers were suppressed, Franklin couldn't stay out of the action. Under the codename Tattletale, he joined Power Pack, a team of pre-teen superheroes. He formed bonds with the Kymellian Whitemanes, especially the young Kofi, and even lived with the Power family for a time while seeking a more grounded existence.
His double life remained hidden from the Fantastic Four—he wore his uniform only around other heroes like Kitty Pryde, keeping his true identity cloaked even from Reed and Sue.
Psi-Lord and the Battle Across Time
Franklin’s timeline fractured when his grandfather Nathaniel Richards abducted him, raising a teenage version in a realm outside of time. This version—known as Psi-Lord—wielded controlled psionics, donned advanced battle armor, and co-founded Fantastic Force.
But Nathaniel had a motive: he aimed to prevent a future where Franklin and Rachel Summers would create Hyperstorm, a multiversal menace. Eventually, young Franklin was restored to Earth’s timeline, while Psi-Lord faded into cosmic irrelevance.
The Onslaught Saga: Franklin Rewrites Reality
Franklin's true power stunned the universe during the Onslaught crisis. After Earth's mightiest heroes sacrificed themselves to stop Onslaught, Franklin used his abilities to forge an entire pocket universe—recreating the heroes from memory.
This act not only saved the heroes but caught the attention of the Celestials, who recognized Franklin as the culmination of their genetic experiments. He was no mere mutant—he was a being who stood beside gods.
Gods, Demons, and the Madness of Doom
Franklin’s journey continued with tragedy and trauma. After briefly losing his powers reforming Galactus, he was abducted into Hell by Doctor Doom and the Haazareth Three. He survived torment with the help of The Thing, who restored his spirit and helped him recover.
But peace was fleeting. Onslaught returned, triggering new cosmic threats, forcing Franklin into exile on Counter-Earth, where the very fabric of reality twisted around his presence.
War Zones: Skrulls, H.A.M.M.E.R., and Norman Osborn
During the Secret Invasion, Franklin, Valeria, and the Human Torch were cast into the Negative Zone by a Skrull imposter. Trapped, they relied on the help of The Tinkerer and defeated the Skrull threat together.
In the midst of Dark Reign, Norman Osborn and his H.A.M.M.E.R. agents attacked the Baxter Building. Valeria used bureaucracy to isolate Osborn, while Franklin, disguised in a Spider-Man mask, confronted the madman. When Osborn raised a gun, Franklin fired first—using what appeared to be a toy gun—to protect his father.
Future Franklin, Celestial War, and Galactus Reborn
Years later, Franklin was visited by his adult self, delivering a telepathic warning to his sister Valeria. This older Franklin reawakened the younger’s dormant powers to prepare him for the Mad Celestials—beings that threatened to unravel reality.
In a final act of defiance, adult Franklin Richards and Galactus fought side-by-side, defeating the Celestials in a battle that shook the stars. Before fading into myth, Franklin stored his younger self’s powers in a cosmic orb and became immortal, destined to witness the birth of a new universe billions of years in the future.
Powerhouse and the Future Foundation
Franklin later adopted the codename Powerhouse and joined the reformed Fantastic Four and Future Foundation, battling alongside allies including Iceman to defeat the cosmic entity known as the Griever.
Returning to Earth, the Richards family settled into a new home on Yancy Street, passing the Baxter Building to a new superhero team. During this transition, Franklin began dyeing his hair black—perhaps to mark a new era, or hide his growing sense of responsibility.
The Secret Life of Franklin Richards
In a final revelation, Franklin disclosed that he chose to suppress his godlike powers for most of the year, allowing himself a chance to grow and mature without the burden of cosmic responsibility. Only once per year does he awaken fully, exploring the multiverse in secret and correcting imbalances when no one else can.
The Celestials once described Franklin Richards as equal to their own, and Galactus has fought beside him as an ally. No other character in the Marvel Universe straddles the line between child and creator, mortal and god, quite like Franklin.
Franklin Richards is not just a child of heroes—he is a creator of realities, the destroyer of gods, and the one who may shape the future of the Marvel Multiverse.
