In Marvel’s Empyre storyline, the heroes of Earth make a last stand against the combined forces of the Skrull and Kree alien empires, united under a charismatic new leader. The event promises to deliver planet-threatening action that more than makes up for its questionable spelling choices. But in a preview for the upcoming Empyre #1, when one of the most powerful beings in the universe stands up against the invasion force, he’s sent home by his parents.
Franklin Richards is the son of the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards and Susan Storm. He’s inherited the cosmic radiation that gave them their powers, but also expressed the mutant gene, resulting in the boy manifesting incredible cosmic powers at an early age. Franklin developed the power to rewrite reality at a whim, creating entire alternate universes at will. After the destruction of the multiverse in the Secret Wars storyline, the Fantastic Four, Franklin, and his sister Valeria (who has no superpowers, but her parent’s genius, meaning she’s becoming smarter than Reed) traveled the empty cosmos repopulating it with new worlds.
However, when the FF returned, series writer Dan Slott revealed Franklin’s powers are finite and dwindling. Even though his years of traveling space have made him old enough to go on missions with his family, he’s forced by circumstance to avoid overusing his abilities. At the same time, the X-Men have taken notice of Franklin’s return to Earth and have offered to work on producing a cure, something Franklin’s dad has failed at so far. The result is that, despite being at his weakest, Franklin has never been trapped in so much drama.
In Marvel’s preview for Empyre #1, Franklin accompanies the Fantastic Four on a diplomatic mission to the Kree/Skrull flagship, where the family plans to talk out whatever conflict is placing them on a warpath toward Earth. The group has two extra passengers, a pair of children that they rescued from a combat arena. One is Kree, the other is Skrull; the pair are still waiting for their battle to begin, illustrating just how recent and jarring the peace between the two races is. Before the Four’s ship reaches their destination, Reed tells Franklin to leave with the kids to get them out of the fight ahead. Franklin tells him that this sort of huge crisis is the exact thing he’s been saving his powers for, but Reed isn’t listening.
This is a strange moment from an emotional perspective. After all the adventures Franklin has been a part of, is a diplomatic mission really too much for Mister Fantastic to let his son come along? Are the two children that seem to have no context beyond a caption explaining where they came from really Reed’s “top priority?” Much like Franklin’s power shortage, this seems to be a contrivance to keep him from solving the problem before the event can begin.
Before Dan Slott took over Fantastic Four, Franklin wasn’t a part of the team’s battles because he was still a preteen and didn’t have the mental or physical maturity to be involved. Now that Reed and Sue’s kids are teenagers, Slott has to find new reasons for two kids who have more smarts and more raw power than their parents to sit in the sidelines. How long before Marvel has to find a permanent solution to the issue of the FF’s ultimate weapon?
Here’s the full preview:
Empyre #1 will go on sale at your local comics shop on Wednesday, April 15.
