The True Replacement of Iron Man Is Reed Richards (Not Spider-Man)
The Marvel Cinematic Universe truly kicked off with the first Iron Man movie. ” I am Iron Man” was when the MCU was truly conceived. Kevin Feige and Robert Downey Jr. are the progenitors of this franchise. So it made a lot of sense when Iron Man was put in the front and center of every major MCU production since. But the character has gone on his last superhero crusade in Avengers: Endgame. He sacrificed himself for the sake of mankind. Tony Stark gave his own life to snap away Thanos. Ever since that death fans have speculated that Spider-Man will take up the leadership role, but we believe the true replacement of Iron Man is Reed Richards.
The Fantastic Four is the first family of Marvel. This is because of their core values which are adored by one and all. Reed Richards has led his wife, her brother, and his best friend in numerous battles to save the universe. He has done so for decades and has consistently achieved results beyond our wildest imaginations. He is a charismatic individual even though he is often bullied for being a nerd. Fans also may not know that Reed is more intelligent than Tony. His intellect is the stuff of legends and he has used it to neutralize universe-ending threats.
Mr. Fantastic Vs Spider-Man
Reed Richards is a very intelligent man and a very brave Superhero. But those are also qualities that Peter parker has showcased numerous times in the comics. It is, however, unlikely that the headliner role will be given to Spider-Man in MCU’s Phase 4. You see, while Peter Parker is a powerful metahuman he is still a child. He is naive and makes mistakes that others have grown past. As witnessed by the events of Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home, we have found Spider-Man to be lacking. He is not ready to fill the shoes of Iron Man, much less headline the MCU.
Whosoever is chosen as the next protagonist of the franchise will need to be extremely versatile and honest in his approach. They do not need to be sure of themselves (heroes rarely are). But they need to be swift in their decision making or lives will be lost. MCU heroes are about to face a time-traveling menace, they must band together under a strong leader if they wish to survive. If Captain America were still active, he would have been an obvious choice for the next leader, but the events of Endgame have closed that option.
The True Leader
Reed Richards has everything that Peter lacks. He is a compassionate super intelligent engineer who understands the stakes of war. His powers come from incidents of Peril and he is better suited to lead. Mr. Fantastic is much more aware of his surroundings. He may lose to Peter in hand-to-hand combat, but when it comes to protecting his family, there is no man better suited for the job. Reed has a PhD. in almost all science subjects, his intellect is said to far exceed Tony’s. He is also a man of principle, and not one prone to debauchery.
The only flaw of Reed Richards is his underconfident demeanor. Maybe that will come into play the next time it is questioned who will lead the Avengers. The new Avengers will comprise old and new faces and we are hoping to see The Fantastic 4 among them. Although the Disney Fox merger has given Disney access to the properties, it is unclear when the characters will be joining the MCU. It is our hope that it will be during the end of MCU so we can have contention for leadership in Phase 5.
Fantastic Four in the Multiverse
The multiverse stories and the introduction of the first family may also bring new enemies with it. Dr. Doom and the Battleworld storyline are strong contenders. We just hope that Reed Richards gets here in time. Don’t want the multiverse to self-destruct before Mr. Fanstastic has the opportunity to do his job. All in all, we think it is time we seriously consider that the true replacement of Iron Man is Reed Richards and not Spider-Man.
What do you think? Do you think we’ve struck the right chord? Or have we completely derailed the conversation with our speculation? I am unsure whether any such conclusions can be drawn effectively. Let us know your opinion in the comments below and keep watching this space for everything Marvel.
