Marvel Won't Say It, But Fantastic Four's Tie to Thanos Could Mean Big Things For the MCU

The first teaser trailer for the MCU’s upcoming film Fantastic Four: First Steps was recently dropped, which is making fans as excited about a new Marvel Studios project as they were when Thanos was the ‘big bad’ of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Indeed, Fantastic Four: First Steps will mark the beginning of an all-new age for the MCU, though interestingly enough, it could also be the perfect link to the MCU’s golden age: The Infinity Saga. Well, at least one major aspect of it, as the Fantastic Four’s greatly-forgotten ties to Thanos could mean big things for the MCU’s future.

In Ultimate Fantastic Four #35 by Mike Carey and Pasqual Ferry, the world was introduced to Thanos of Earth-1610. As opposed to Earth-616’s Thanos (Marvel Comics and MCU), Ultimate Thanos hails from another dimension beyond the scope of the Ultimate Universe, though one that still falls under Earth-1610’s universal domain. That means Thanos had his own cosmos to conquer before challenging Marvel’s Ultimate Heroes - specifically, the Fantastic Four. Ultimate Thanos appears in two distinct storylines that act as a ‘Part 1’ and ‘Part 2’ of his overall story.

Thanos making his debut in the Ultimate Universe.

The first is charted in Ultimate Fantastic Four #35-38, which saw the Fantastic Four traveling to Thanos’ home dimension to help resistance forces. When the Fantastic Four entered his dimension, Thanos immediately recognized Reed Richards as the man who would recreate the Cosmic Cube (and, due to the timey-wimey aspects of this story, had already created the original one). So, when the Fantastic Four won the day and went back home (after defeating Ronan the Accuser), Thanos linked a piece of his consciousness to Reed’s, and subconsciously guided Reed as he rebuilt the Cosmic Cube.

In the ‘Part 2’ of Ultimate Thanos’ story charted through Ultimate Fantastic Four #50-53, it’s revealed that Reed Richards (while being unwittingly guided by Thanos) completed the Cosmic Cube. So, in pursuit of the ultimate power it offers, Thanos and his armies travel from his dimension to the main Ultimate Universe. Thanos seizes the Cube from Reed, turns every hero on Earth (Spider-Man, Daredevil, the Ultimates) into his soldiers, and literally reshapes the world to his liking. However, Reed built in a fail-safe, resulting in Reed taking control of the Cube once more, and killing Thanos once and for all.

The Ultimate Universe Had Its Own Version of the MCU’s INFINITY WAR/ENDGAME

Ultimate Thanos Caused as Much Damage in the Ultimate Universe as in the MCU

While Ultimate Thanos’ story is told in the Ultimate Fantastic Four comic series, it still impacted the entire Ultimate Universe. When Thanos came to Earth to take the Cosmic Cube from Reed Richards, the Ultimates, along with every other hero of Earth, rose to the occasion to challenge him. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough, and they all fell beneath Thanos’ might. Thanos then used the raw cosmic power the Cosmic Cube offered him to reshape the world as he saw fit, all while saying that he was doing so for the universe’s benefit, as he was bringing order to cosmic chaos.

In many ways, the Ultimate Universe had its own version of the MCU’s Infinity War/Endgame. In both instances, Thanos was on a quest to claim cosmic power while the heroes fought in real-time to stop him. And, also in both cases, Thanos initially wins. Thanos obtained the power he sought, and with it, he utterly defeated the heroes and made the universe a ‘better place’ as he saw it. The similarities are uncanny, and speak to the underlying essence of Thanos across Marvel continuities.

So, why does this matter? Well, it establishes that a version of Thanos that is nearly identical to the one that has been proven to resonate with audiences has close ties to the Fantastic Four - a version of the Fantastic Four that exists in a universe separate from the main Marvel Comics continuity of Earth-616. Interestingly enough, there’s about to be a version of the Fantastic Four that will be introduced in the MCU separate from that continuity’s main timeline with Fantastic Four: First Steps. Could that mean the First Steps’ version of the Fantastic Four will have its own Thanos akin to the Ultimate Universe?

Thanos’ Ties to the Ultimate Fantastic Four Sets Up His MCU Return

MCU’s Fantastic Four is in Its Own Universe, Setting Up ‘Ultimate Thanos’

Thanos wielding the Infinity Gauntlet in the MCU.

Since the MCU’s Fantastic Four will exist in its own separate universe, and given the fact that Marvel Comics’ original Ultimate Universe established such strong ties between the Fantastic Four and Thanos, it is not too much of a stretch to consider that the MCU’s new Fantastic Four will have their own Thanos within their separate continuity. This wouldn’t be a first for the MCU, either, as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness confirmed that another universe had its own ‘Infinity War’, in which Doctor Strange used the Darkhold to beat Thanos.

This means that, with the introduction of the Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four: First Steps, the MCU may very well be re-introducing Thanos - though one more akin to that of the original Ultimate Universe as opposed to Marvel Comics’ Earth-616. If that actually happens, the MCU would be able to partially re-capture the excitement of the Infinity Saga while also remaining completely comic comic-accurate. Plus, this version of Thanos was obsessed with the Cosmic Cube, something the MCU hasn’t adapted yet. Mix that in with Ultimate Thanos’ ties to the Fantastic Four, and it’s the perfect combination for the Mad Titan’s big-screen return.

Thanos being reintroduced in the MCU in this way would also be the perfect explanation for his potential appearance in the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars!

Of course, this isn’t to say that Thanos should be the surprise ‘big bad’ of Fantastic Four: First Steps itself, but it would be a cool callback to include an adaptation of Ultimate Thanos in the film’s post-credit scene just like the MCU did in 2012’s Avengers. Since this hypothetical Thanos would be extradimensional (like his Ultimate Thanos counterpart), he could avoid being impacted by the events of Fantastic Four: First Steps, and merely lie in wait for the next installment of the MCU’s Fantastic Four franchise, ready to strike just as he did in Marvel Comics’ Ultimate Universe.

Thanos left big shoes to fill upon his departure from the MCU, and while Doctor Doom (played by Robert Downey, Jr.) may very well fill them, no other villain since Thanos has even come close. But, upon re-reading some Ultimate Universe back-issues, it has become clear that Marvel Studios has a way to bring back the iconic super-villain while forging something completely new and while staying true to the comic book source material. So, while Marvel won’t say it (or, at least, hasn’t yet), the Fantastic Four’s Ultimate Universe tie to Thanos could mean big things for the MCU.

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