The Marvel Universe is teeming with iconic heroes, yet one character stands out for his unsettling and dark potential: Reed Richards, also known as Mister Fantastic. While characters like Wolverine and Daredevil have seen their fair share of evil variants, the frequency with which Reed morphs into a villain across the Multiverse raises intriguing questions. It’s easy to regard The Fantastic Four as steadfast heroes in the main continuity (Earth-616), but the broader tapestry of the Multiverse suggests otherwise.
At his core, Reed Richards is portrayed as exceptionally intelligent and altruistic. His shapeshifting abilities may seem somewhat bizarre, but his dedication to safeguarding humanity is undeniable. Time and time again, he has fought to preserve the world’s safety, leveraging his remarkable intellect for the greater good. Yet, beneath this noble exterior lies a troubling truth: Reed’s alternate realities often depict him as a villain. Unlike most characters who occasionally turn bad, Reed’s malevolence is oddly persistent.
A plethora of alternate universes showcase the darker inclinations of Mister Fantastic, where his inability to remain a hero leads to catastrophic consequences. This phenomenon is particularly striking when compared to the relatively few malevolent versions of characters like Peter Parker. Perhaps this frequent portrayal speaks to a deeper narrative truth, or it may simply be a recurring theme crafted by various writers eager to exploit Reed’s versatile character.
Reed Richards: Catalyst of the Zombie Plague
Marvel Zombies: Dead Days – A Tale of Destruction
In the acclaimed “Marvel Zombies”series, Reed plays a pivotal role in the emergence of a relentless zombie apocalypse. When the zombie virus ravages the world, turning all who encounter it into ravenous undead, they retain their intellect and powers—an alarming combination. Instead of working tirelessly on a cure, Reed descends into obsession, believing that zombies represent the next step in human evolution.
His fixation culminates in a gruesome decision: Reed isolates the virus from a captured zombie and deliberately infects the Fantastic Four. As a direct result of his actions, fellow heroes like Nick Fury and Iron Man meet their demise at the hands of their zombified comrades, a chilling reminder of how far Reed is willing to go.
Reed Richards: A Dangerous Disruptor
Complicit in Catastrophe
Reed’s reckless ambition doesn’t stop there. He attempts to construct a device to facilitate the escape of zombies from their universe, threatening to engulf the entire multiverse in horror. This version of Reed exemplifies the destructive potential within him. His interactions with the alternate universe, particularly the Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610), showcase another psyche twisted by the same obsession. By manipulating his doppelgänger, Reed nearly unleashes the zombie plague on yet another universe.
In Earth-10011, the stakes escalate even further. Here, Reed corrupts his allies through dark dealings with the Many-Angled Ones, transforming the Fantastic Four into horrifying parodies of themselves, dubbed the Ftaghn Four. This version of Reed even sacrifices his own son, Franklin Richards, to facilitate this dark transformation.
Reed Richards: The Archetypal Villain
One of the most chilling iterations of Reed Richards resides in Universe-1610, where a series of tragedies transform him from a well-meaning hero into the Maker, a malevolent mastermind threatening the very fabric of the multiverse. Despite his initial intentions to be a savior, the cascading events of his life push him down a dark path, solidifying his status as one of Marvel’s paramount villains.
The pervasive trope of noble characters turning villainous is indeed compelling, yet Reed Richards’s transformations hint at an inherent darkness that might have always existed within him. While Mister Fantastic persists as a hero in the primary universe, the considerable evidence suggests that his destiny as a villain is perhaps a recurring theme across realities. An embodiment of potential lost, Reed Richards embodies the delicate balance between heroism and villainy—serving as a chilling reminder that even the best intentions can lead to unimaginable consequences.
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