Fantastic Four: First Steps Borrows a Page From Fox’s Playbook (& It Pays Off)

The Fantastic Four: First Steps sure has its work cut out for it. Not only is it releasing at a time when the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in need of a win after a couple of years full of misses, but there’s also a lot of baggage that comes with the property. The last time Marvel’s First Family appeared on the big screen, it was a total disaster, with Josh Trank’s film failing to win over critics and fans. Fan4stic also didn’t make all that much money at the box office, which was surprising because it felt like superhero movies just couldn’t lose in 2015.

The two movies that predated the Miles Teller-led one, Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, performed decently at the box office. Their issues had more to do with the story, especially when it came to the main villain of the second movie, Galactus. First Steps goes out of its way to make up for the giant purple cloud, but it doesn’t ignore everything from Rise of the Silver Surfer. In fact, it steals a major part of that movie’s climax and is better for it.

The Silver Surfer Is on the Fence in Fantastic Four: First Steps

The Fantastic Four are feeling themselves when First Steps kick off. With a few years of crime-fighting under their belt, they feel ready to tackle any problem, even if it comes from underground. What the team isn’t prepared for is to deal with threats that come from space. The Silver Surfer shows up on Earth pretty early in the movie and reveals that her boss, the Devourer of Worlds, is on his way to eat the planet. With the public in a state of panic, the Fantastic Four head off into space to confront the villain. Negotiations break down after Galactus asks for Reed Richards and Susan Storm’s baby, though, forcing them to make a quick escape. However, while Reed, Sue, and Ben Grimm are all focused on the Galactus of it all, Johnny Storm is thinking outside the box, wondering whether he can flip the bad guy’s herald.

Johnny starts learning all he can about the Silver Surfer’s language because he recognizes it from transmissions that Reed received in the Baxter Building. By the time the herald arrives on Earth and destroys nearly all of the bridges that are going to teleport the planet, Johnny is ready for her. He confronts her in New York City and plays recordings from her people, thanking her for giving up her life to protect them, as well as ones from planets she’s marked for death. All of the emotion is too much for the Silver Surfer to handle, so she heads back out into space, waiting for her boss to finish the job. She doesn’t stay in orbit for long, though, coming back down during the Fantastic Four’s fight against Galactus and knocking the villain through the portal. Since she goes through the opening as well, her fate is left a mystery, but her sacrifice is reminiscent of another herald’s big moment.

Read Next

Fantastic Four: First Steps Features the MCU’s Strongest Character (& It Isn’t Galactus or Franklin Richards)

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Gives Its Titular Herald a Redemption Arc

Rise of the Silver Surfer‘s story isn’t all that different from First Steps‘. The Silver Surfer shows up and starts making trouble all around Earth before Reed deduces that the strange being is preparing the planet for destruction. The Fantastic Four do everything they can to fight their new enemy, but they soon realize he’s not destroying worlds for the fun of it. Sue learns that he works for Galactus to protect his home, which is something she and the rest of her family understand. After freeing the Silver Surfer from the government, the herald has a change of heart and starts helping the heroes.

Getting his board back makes the Silver Surfer strong enough to revive Sue, who died at the hands of Doctor Doom, and take a run at his boss. He flies straight into the cloud, leading to a massive explosion that seemingly kills them both. However, like his MCU counterpart, Rise of the Silver Surfer‘s mid-credits scene reveals that he’s not down for the count. The character never returned, of course, but he paved the way for the next Silver Surfer to do the right thing despite the dangers that come with turning on Galactus.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is in theaters.

Did you notice the similarities between The Fantastic Four: First Steps and The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer? Would you like to see the Silver Surfer return in the MCU? Let us know in the comments below!