Franklin Richards Controls The Marvel Universe

▸ Franklin Benjamin Richards is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is usually depicted as a supporting character in Fantastic Four. He has been portrayed as a child and as a novice superhero.
FOLLOW ME HERE!
▸ Subscribe: bit.ly/ComicsExplainedSub
▸ Twitter: / comicsexplained
▸ Patreon: / comicsexplained
Videos Everyone Loves:
▸ New To Invincible? Start Here: • Origin of Invincible (...
▸ Too Powerful For Marvel Movies: • Rune King Thor Too Pow...
▸ Marvel & DC Full Stories: • Marvel’s Infinity Gaun...
▸ New To The X-Men? Start Here: • Marvel Comics: The Cro...
Come Join The Discord: / discord
Become a Patron: / comicsexplained
▸ What Is Comics Explained:
This channel was designed to assist in answering all of your questions about Marvel Comics and DC Comics in an easy to understand way.
#marvelcomics #franklinrichards #comicsexplained
Franklin Richards Controls The Marvel Universe
• Franklin Richards Cont...
Comics Explained
/ comicsexplained

[@gr8tbigtreehugger]

The concept of a little boy's imagination playing with superheroes hits to the very heart of comics.

[@chozahfearless7524]

That is one of the realest things ever said

[@AstralLaVista]

It's why i wasn't angry reed died in multiverse of madness as him implies franklin exists, we can't have that kid on screen

[@issy785]

i hate that he’s so OP at such a young age without really earning or even training the ability, so lazy

[@cptsketch13]

This actually makes a ton of sense and really the only reason for Franklin to be so powerful.

[@shinobiemcee5115]

Where’s the hype when he talks about when Franklin said “TO ME MY GALACTUS!” 😂😭

[@wakandaforever616]

It's in the Playlist avengers new avengers

[@jeffhidalgo6037]

Franklin Richards might be too powerful for the MCU but I would love to see him and Galactus show up together eventually

[@Desciple860]

Only if we hear him say to me my galactus cuz that would make the crowd go nuts 🎉

[@MisterSinister47]

Right!?! Like in some kind of future timeline clip.

[@dkapow]

Putting Franklin in the MCU would be easy, just return him to his "Tattletale" days and let his power build up organically.

[@shadowx8145]

Both those characters are rumored to appear in the F4 movie lol

[@blaze048]

​@@Desciple860only if they don't have him whisper it like cap saying " avengers assemble"

[@beefymcweefy]

New Franklin Richards video on a rainy day what a treat

[@blackholesun47]

Facts its ranning cats and dogs in Florida right now! Thanks Rob for the upload!

[@teleportedbreadfor3days]

Touché

[@Vancev99x]

It was raining here in they Bay and halfway through this video sun's coming out. I'll try and send this energy east!

[@DRACOFURY]

Rainy? Mane It's Snowin ❄️🌨️❄️🌨️ Out Here

[@newbskywalker7246]

Comment of the year

[@Just_Some_Guy_with_a_Mustache]

Once again, we can thank Spider-Man. Thanks, Spider-Man. And I guess that also means Franklin just...does not want to see his uncle Pete happy. "He made me go to bedtime early when I didn't want to. And now he will pay for it."

[@Sibbs002]

Uncle Pete wouldn’t be the same if he had no trauma and lived a stress free life as a hero… it’s not that he doesn’t want to see him happy, he loves him the way he is

[@Xainfinen]

So he love him unhappy? Got it.

[@CTheng]

Or Peter rants about his Parker Luck so much that Franklin heard about it and subconsciously continues to make it happen. It's like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

[@matthewschwartz6607]

He knows that Peter is Spider-Man?

[@emwbjr]

​@@matthewschwartz6607 yes, they've even gone web swinging together.

[@vincesergi7339]

"No one before Ben Parker and Gwen Stacey has stayed dead." What about Mar-Vel?

[@MisterSinister47]

That actually sounds like a really dope explanation for things. We ARE ALL Franklin at heart. We're all that little kid that want our heroes to continue. I'm a grown man and I'm STILL imagining a different universe.

[@warpath7985]

Correction for something that was said. Johnny wasn;'t "unconscious" after facing off against the annihilation wave, he was dead. He was continually being killed and brought back by annihilus over and over again, which traumatised him if I remember correctly

[@UpcycleShoesKai]

Yup, he got chopped

[@GeeksandGrub]

I like the idea of this in Meta narrative sense. The idea that all the superheroes and villains are basically 80s Saturday Morning Cartoon toys (like Ninja Turtles or GI Joe) and just acting out his imagination is a very cool concept. Though I do wish character death meant something in comics again.

[@jessemillan1385]

Franklin Richards is a powerful character. I can imagine someone doing a Marvel comic miniseries that centers around Franklin fighting against some of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe, like Molecule Man, the Sentry, and one of the most powerful omega level mutants, Matthew Malloy. I still need to collect and read Hickman's Fantastic Four.

[@Supremmo]

I would like to see him take on an unexpected threat like Nightmare or Shuma Gorath.

[@CorbCorbin]

@@Supremmo Go into Dormammu or Mephisto’s dimensions, and just make them plead for mercy. 😆

[@Supremmo]

@@CorbCorbin Franklin faced Mephisto during John Byrne’s run.

[@nobodyknowsforsure]

Wait a minute...wait one minute...the fantastic four were struck by cosmic rays so their power is basically cosmic, the control rod was used on Franklin so maybe the two types of powers mixed giving him that amazing level of power. they should have a story where Doom or someone else figures this out and tries to basically get similar powers to Franklin Richards...or even better they decide to combine even more power sources to see what they can create.

[@michaelw.8331]

There is also a comic where they force Franklin into the next tier of evolution, and he becomes so powerful that he is whatever he is perceived to be. They did this because Galactus had died and the universe needed a replacement, so they used Franklin. They believed him to be Galactus, and he just became him and forgot he was Franklin.

[@Spoopball]

Cosmic rays, and the cosmic control rod use the same source (last I read) The power cosmic, which is also galactus' power source. It's why it all ties in together. Basically Susan storm and Reed convinced a child (made of the power cosmic). It's why galactus would be come his herald. Galactus gained the power cosmic by being the last person surviving the last universe (universe number #5, we are in #8 now). Galactus, was imbued with the power cosmic, but Franklin was literally born from it.

[@kdeehill]

@@SpoopballI would like to see stories from the previous universes

[@Spoopball]

@@kdeehill #5 sometimes gets shown (just previous universe) #6 was what was mostly main universe. #7 was all new, all different marvel after #6 was destroyed #8 current is what [all new all different] turned into after secret wars was completed and franklin Richard's remade the marvel universe with molecule man and Reed Richard's help. It's the most current version (they took everything that worked, and made money from "all new, all different" and put it in the regular universe, like miles morales and a few other characters)

[@emwbjr]

​@@Spoopball You merely adopted the power cosmic; I was born in it, molded by it.

[@Wezt334]

4:39 Mar-Vell, died from super cancer in the 80’s and never came back

[@eman67rp]

That's because "the Death of Captain Marvel" is one of the most iconic graphic novels in all of comics, along with Kingdom come, and Watchmen.

[@Wezt334]

@@eman67rp I don’t dispute that, just an example of a death that occurred after Franklins birth that stuck

[@nielsfrederiksen6636]

Glad im not the only one who thought of Mar-vell

[@eman67rp]

@Wezt334 there could be and underlying reasons, Marvell was going to be the next incarnation of the one above all, now it's Franklin. They need to do a story because Marvell destiny is now Franklin's.

[@Wezt334]

@@eman67rp maybe, as stated I’m just giving an example of a death that stuck is all. If someone needs to make a reason for it to support the theory then cool but it’s still a hole in the theory

[@nathanieljackson5554]

I like the idea of Franklin altering the Marvel Universe. Characters age slower even though their universe is seemingly current to our own. It's a fun storytelling device. Plot Armor Incarnate: Franklin Richards.

[@bartonabrams3433]

Thought experiment- would this mean at some point Franklin would take an aspect of himself, an avatar if you will, to fulfill the “prophecy” of him and Galactus merging at the birth of the next universe but the true Franklin has evolved to the point of becoming The One Above All? Seeing everything play out like a kid watching ants nudging his avatar to nudge events the way he wants. It sounds convoluted but if that was the case and Franklin is TOAA and has seen everything play out in every universe it would make sense. Thoughts?

[@dboii54]

Sooo... The reader is Franklin Richards?

[@ElusivEnigma]

But also....the writer?

[@Nemesis_T-103]

There was a tv show called something like St. Elsewhere about a hospital and in the final episode its shown that the whole show took place in the mind of a child who was fantasising about a snow globe with said hospital inside. It's not one to one, but it seems somewhat similar to the Franklin theory.

[@Jujizzle915]

This entire theory makes absolute sense

[@Blakk_Wolf7]

He's a mutant because he was born w/his powers. They used the CCR[cosmic control rod] to ease Susan's birth. The radiation energies got into Susan's womb, allowing those energies to get into Franklin. He's a beyond Omega Level reality warper. Dude is SUPER OP bro

[@CorbCorbin]

That would be better reasoning, for why his reality warping was so amplified, with him still being a mutant.

[@richiepommells180]

Recently Charles Xavier said Franklin is not a mutant, He created his own x gene his subconscious side Xavier explain it carefully

[@lokiragnarok1881]

Makes no sense his powers far outweigh that of the cosmic control rod, 30 control rods couldn't defeat him

[@plagueboi2861]

@@richiepommells180 Bro was doing mutant face 😭

[@Shin_Lona]

Franklin literally has the power of retcon - as such, the specifics don't matter because they can change at any time.

[@piusdoe8984]

Franklin in his bed making galaxy is epic but my God the art is atrocious. Never gets better every time I see it

[@richarddickerson4774]

Thanks. Put together really well. Makes a whole lot of sense the way you explained it, too.

[@wakandaforever616]

Wow excellent theroy sir this is easily one of your best vids.

[@jimkwakkenbos9874]

Thanks for the video, man

[@Xexus77]

thank you for this video!!!!

[@trymuk8816]

Great video Rob, thank you.

[@SKy_the_Thunder]

I very much doubt it was ever the original intention. _But_ that doesn't mean they couldn't have adopted it over the decades that theory has been around - completely or in part. It's definitely somewhere in their drawers, as a plausible enough explanation to fall back on when they need it. Heck, it's a great excuse to keep him hovering at the sidelines - the narrator always wanting to have a good view of the action, but subconsciously being scared of standing in the line of fire himself. Fits well enough with his X-Gene "dilemma" too: As Xavier said, he saw the X-Men as the coolest people back in the day, so he retconned himself to be a mutant in order to associate with them. But when they became so isolationist during their Krakoa phase, he became unsure if he wanted to be part of that, and - in his mind - potentially having to leave his family. So he subconsciously retconned his powers again. With the mutants' approach like that, he was bound to anticipate the pot boiling over, with them in a moral gray area and having to re-find themselves to not fall to their extremist elements - as we've since seen across their _several_ global, interdimensional and interplanetary wars that directly resulted from their isolation...

[@ultramagchen1]

Rob , I like all the videos that you ever made . You always add something new in each video .

[@fabiantavares1320]

Truly Excellent Theory Rob!!!

[@itsme_Dio]

Woot woot. Was so hoping you’d drop this soon

[@ViroVeteruscy]

What if the reason why so many bad things happen to Spider-Man is because there has to be some sort of balance to Franklin always shifting things in favor of the heroes and that he knows Spider-Man can shoulder the burden and take it? Peter is one of Franklin's favorites (as well as his uncle) and, though it's not something he'd want anyone to have to suffer, he knows Peter can keep moving forward. Can only imagine what would happen to Peter if he learned such information if true.

[@robertfalcone3025]

I've been a supporter of this theory for a long time..& now it makes even MORE sense..👑 Keep up the good work brother 👑

[@nicholasmorgan9065]

I’d love more of these types of videos

[@kevinwestrom4775]

I like it, there is a certain logic to it, him subconsciously controlling the main one, the 616-reality universe at least,.. Fascinating if he met other versions of himself, at various ages & they collectively shared their knowledge, like Reed did in all of his Council of Reeds, or Kang did in his massive council of Kangs from across the multiverse.

[@tomkop213]

You make a compelling case. It's not impossible that he could do that. Makes me think of Dr Manhattan controlling the DC universe.

[@cjartiste]

"Hey, that's a good theory, we should do that." - Marvel Comics

[@mattr7120]

This is awesome. Thanks for your work.😂😂😂

[@therichardgravesgroup4747]

Let me say this bro I love comics, I have been reading Marvel and DC since I was 3 back in the 70s and I have loved Image and other independents as well. I love reading, thinking about and talking about comics. This is why I subscribe to your channel. What is going to now make me patreon you, is the fact that you are a philosopher, a thinker, and I respect the hell out of that. I hope to interview you one day for my small channel. I have heard you take on many existential questions about real life using comics as a analogy to have those discussions, it's simply quite fascinating.

[@Kenningar00]

Man... The panel you used as a thumbnail is so cursed 😂 like a tattoo fail kind of cursed.

[@maskarade9320]

That would greatly explain why the Xavier Mansion keeps getting rebuilt after being destroyed so quickly

[@jerryd1109]

Next video should be of Rick Jones is the One Above All. One regular guy being with that many heros and receiving so many powers over the years, it's plausible

[@Ziangal]

I'd love to see them continue the story that he continues to the next universe after merging with galactus and the spirit of the universe and create a new one and make a new line of comics

[@tron1007r]

It reminds me of Superboy-Prime going into the comic and playing with the characters and coming out with NEO level abilities, even if he doesn’t know everything about each of the universes he affects. He still has writer level abilities when he acts.

[@MomosuzuNenechi]

Thanks for a video on Saturday, Rob

[@thesajery]

Oooooh I've been waiting for this video.

[@Thereallathadon]

Appreciate this gem 💎

[@ctorres228]

After 2015's secret wars he recreated the multiverse one universe at a time with a little direction from his father

[@ryannacke5889]

Alright rob another great video!

[@brimstonefootsteps4332]

Whoever put these pieces together was brilliant. I have never spent any time with characters as powerful as Franklin because they always seemed to be "never lose" stories. I'm 100% with this theory. It fit so PERFECTLY with the different writers creative ides and changes. For the first time I'm a Franklin Richards fan!

[@justanotheryoutuber3532]

So Deadpool is actually teen age Franklin out having a good that's why he knows he's in a comic book and can heal from anything and why things always work out for him

[@Veledan]

Great video as always! Quick side note: I was super into the video until 11:10 when that comic cover popped up with the cock-eyed Thor which absolutely jolted me so hard my brain almost got whiplash.

[@UnwantedGhost1-anz25]

If only Franklin was there before Peter's uncle and girlfriend Gwen Stacy were killed.

[@quagmiller]

Wow dude, you are quick. Thanks.

[@595moore]

This would explain the sliding time scale, i think galaicus talked about this in the ultimates, where past stories that get referenced gets updated visuals as real time goes on.

[@diamondbender1991]

This is high quality rob corps material

[@warpath7985]

A theory I've had about Franklin for years now is that Franklin willed himself to remain at a young age for "decades". He seemed to be the only child that never seemed to age (yes I know it's the writers that don't want a universal reality warper to age because then they have to figure out how to neuter him). I remember when Scott Lang was apart of the FF when they thought Reed was dead, his daughter Cassie and Franklin were about the same age, but then she aged and became a full on teenager, but Franklin was still around the age of 8 or something. Same thing with Kristoff, that "heir of Doom" kid, he aged, Franklin didn't. Would have been a good twist seeing as how no one in the marvel universe seem to have noticed.

[@jaredmorgan3665]

I’m blown away Rob. I was a kid when the onslaught series came out. I will have the comics. Anyways, what you’ve laid out makes so much sense.

[@siriusshabazz7746]

Well..I guess I'm watch the Jonathan Hickman Fantastic 4 Playlist again.

[@bobbolan4672]

Did any of us NOT read the end of the last Secret Wars? My dawg Franklin rebuilt the 616 universe. Nuff said.

[@antonioskontonasakis]

Unironically, I want deadpool to comment on this theory. I think he's the only one where we can get an actual piece of lore on this theory

[@julianjenkins4847]

I honestly agree that this is probably the best depiction of what the Marvel universe is

[@DarthCuddlefluff]

I would love to see Doom realize this and try to basically groom Franklin to his advantage. Kinda like how Red Skull did with the Cosmic Cube to produce Stevil. It would also be very Marvel as it could show a story where if the future generations who hold all the power listen to the soft words of a tyrant things can do horribly wrong.

[@jayhemp00]

Great fucking video, Rob!!! 🤘🏾🤘🏾🤘🏾🤘🏾

[@fcm3d]

The Fantastic 4 has so many dope moments I need to see in the MCU.

[@masterrserch3971]

After you hinted at this vid yesterday, I listened when u said u went into this a bit already, and hit VIDEOS, OLDEST on ur page, 9 years ago, back to back vids on this (but like u said, more had happened since then).... I almost fully forgot u had that cool, kinda dramatic song wirh ur intro wayyyyy back when, when we were hyped at ur 5k subs mark.... Who'dathunk 5 FRIGGIN mil is ur next mileFRIGGINstone 😅😅

[@PKFat]

@0:15 Does anyone else think in the panel where Franklin yells "RISE!" to Galactus that his mouth looks like it was put there by Robot Chicken?

[@KalousTheGuy]

Thank you Rob!!!!

[@Mikeyjesuis]

I swear the fans can have better ideas than the actual writers

[@shadowx8145]

I mean this could also be and idea of the writers. U wouldn't know unless said otherwise

[@TheHardys01]

The internet has killed that shot of Franklin for me. Bloody sick of seeing it.

[@kylecollins3755]

You can never have too much Franklin Richards. You know you were going to make this video no matter what we said yesterday 🤣 Please do a DC top 20 characters power hierarchy!

[@Uatu-the-Watcher]

I like the theory. It’s a No-Prize answer that fits in-universe and continues to allow the publisher to do as they please. All because “Franklin” wanted it. Speaking of which. Franklin is the greatest kid ever! (please don’t delete me) I mean he’s just awesome. (please don’t delete me)

[@HOLLAifYouFEARme]

FRANKLACTUS 😂

[@williamsummerson1204]

Franklin Richards is my favorite marvel comic book character ever.

[@EricWilliamsXahero]

Franklin truly is the universe’s secret Avenger. Or Pre-venger?

[@michaelll]

Crazy. 1:40 I just read fantastic four 604 yesterday.

[@bandom3115]

Great now idk if I should blame the writers or Franklin for Peter’s struggles

[@user-nv7su2lj4h]

Would love to see you at Denver Fan Expo (again)

[@fcm3d]

Dude we need Franklin in the MCU to FIX EVERYTHING!

[@stephenchanwaihong1421]

THANKS!

[@whunt5533]

I used to have the issue where he was conceived. However, it also explains the way the mutants fight die rebirth just to fight all over again through Moira because it guarantees that Franklin will be reborn everytime.

[@dajuice4200]

You might be a better detective than Batman. Love the theory.

[@cowboysinzero]

wow this is one ive never heard and its great

[@nickbraam7274]

Spider-Man is always mistaken for being a mutant, Franklin looks up to spider-man, Franklin makes himself into a mutant

[@johnnnysaint01]

You already made it!

[@MarjakStrife1943]

When I take a look at all the pieces, I see Franklin controlling the universe making sense. Being the true Unseen of the universe

[@Kardall]

Stan Lee would be proud of this theory. It's a really really cool idea. The only problem is, what would it take to get out of a sticky situation in this scenario... Something horrible happens and Franklin doesn't know what is going to happen. Before the year is up, the end of the universe is about to happen. Would they just bring 'adult franklin back' or adopt a "Franklin was Dreaming the last 60 years of Comics" scenario, and things go back to the way they were.

[@julbri9069]

Sir I did cry.. I felt like all the Marvel creators were talking thru u.. N telling me about Franklin Richards thru.. Even tho I know about Richards they told me to sit there n listen.. SmH.. 😅😢

[@llhennything_4567]

Im always here for more Franklin lore can’t wait for him to make his Appearance 🗣️🔊

[@matthewhickey4351]

We need a giant company wide crossover where Franklin is a villain.

[@Karma_Kay]

MIND BLOWN

[@joeybuddy96]

The story is a metacommentary on the nature of imagination. Children use imagination to look for the final possibilities of any given situation, and work their way backward from there. They see a desired outcome, and fill in the blanks to find the happiest and most exciting way to get to that destination. That's how comic book writers are able to find a target audience of highly imaginative people. The industry is paid for by those imaginative people, and worked on by imaginative people.

[@zebrion5793]

I am SO worried about when they decide to bring Franklin Richards to the MCU. There are so many ways they could mess that up, and it's something they only get one shot at. It has to be PERFECT.

[@xerothedarkstar]

Franklin Richards get's one shotted by Black Bolt.

[@jaimegonzalez5830]

Gotta admit, it makes him seem like a comic fan. I like that, almost makes him like one of us.

[@marshalljrjohn]

I need to get the Hickman fantastic four run. Some of the best lines I've seen. "A billion to one...I like those odds. FLAME ON!"

[@milkingday8396]

Who is more powerful between Franklin Richard or Scarlett witch?

[@natesmith1461]

franklin is leagues beyond her

[@empoweredshemphoward]

Franklin clearly outperforms Wanda by a mile.

[@mike_t_007]

Franklin

[@ripstake]

Not even remotely close. At her most powerful, the Scarlett Witch only affected most mutants, but couldn't even delete the Void. Nothing is beyond Richards. It's like asking who is more powerful, cheat code god mode Starkiller in The Force Unleashed, or the guy that unplugs the computer you're playing on?

[@pappabunny]

So this is like St. Elsewhere. All a fever dream in a child's imagination.

[@BiG420ToMaTo420BuDs]

Imagine, if Franklin Richard was secretly the one above all, and he was infinitely more powerful than anybody in the Marvel universe, like he could make the marquee of death cease to exist with the snap of his fingers, or if he was to grow into the one above all like right now as a child, he’s not that powerful. He’s not the one above all yet, but eventually he becomes the one above all.

[@dunnymonster]

Exactly my train of thought, perhaps Franklin is indeed the child persona of the One Above All. In this form he is free to interact within the Marvel Universe openly rather than the infrequent and thus far sparse appearances to date 😉

[@ArbyWanRR]

At this point Marvel has made this boy so damn powerful he might as well be the one running the show behind the scenes.

[@cootiezwars7087]

THANK YOU ROB

[@lclaureate]

This makes so much sense. There's always equivalent creators of the comic universe written in and childhood wonder is a great take on that perspective. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby are immortalized as adult characters and god-like beings, so why wouldn't a child character? We have references to comic creators all across media and medium, so why not in the thing they helped create?