Marvel Officially Confirms One Major Avengers: Doomsday Character Is A Mutant

One of the biggest characters in Avengers: Doomsday was classified as the MCU's next mutant. Mutants are set to play a major role in this movie when it hits theaters on December 18. Over half a dozen legacy X-Men stars will appear alongside the MCU's Avengers and Fantastic Four. However, the X-Men aren't the only mutants featured in this epic crossover event.

Magic: The Gathering is launching a new Marvel expansion, Marvel Super Heroes, on June 26, following pre-releases that start on June 19. One of the cards in this set is for Franklin Richards, the son of Reed Richards and Sue Storm of the Fantastic Four (who made his MCU debut in 2025's The Fantastic Four: First Steps). Interestingly, the card labels Frankin as a mutant, potentially setting him up to be one in Avengers: Doomsday as well.

Franklin Richards made his Marvel Comics debut in Fantastic Four Annual #6 (written by Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, and Joe Sinnott) in 1963, but he was not shown to have any powers in his first appearance. Over the years, small hints were given that Franklin had powers, largely by suggesting that he was filled with cosmic energy because his parents were exposed to cosmic rays in the accident that gave them their powers.

Then, in Uncanny X-Men #141-142 (written by John Byrne, Chris Claremont, and Terry Austin), Franklin is revealed to officially be a mutant in one of the futures shown in the Days of Future Past storyline. Later, in Fantastic Four #238, Byrne provided further confirmation that Franklin was a mutant.

However, a 2022 comic, Fantastic Four #26 (written by Dan Slott and R.B. Silva), seemed to reverse that designation for Franklin. Charles Xavier revealed to Franklin that he was never a mutant, saying that the young boy used his cosmic powers to change every cell in his body, making it seem as if he possessed the X-Gene.

According to this comic, Franklin was described as a cosmic "mutate" rather than a mutant. He used his Omega-level power to secretly suppress his god-like abilities to experience a normal childhood, but due to his mutant status being revoked, he was banned from access to the mutant island nation of Krakoa.

Unlike Franklin, his sister from the comics, Valeria (who may eventually come to the MCU), has never been labeled a mutant in Marvel history. Instead, she has always been described as a "mutate" just like her parents, as she was also altered by the cosmic radiation in Reed and Sue's DNA.

Behind Robert Downey Jr.'s return to Marvel as Doctor Doom, Avengers: Doomsday will feature multiple teams of heroes from the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four joining forces to keep Doom from destroying the entire multiverse.

Franklin Richards' Potential Role in Avengers: Doomsday

Should Franklin be depicted as a mutant in Avengers: Doomsday, it would surely open the door to plenty of ties to other important heroes. Specifically, team leaders like Sir Patrick Stewart's Professor X and Sir Ian McKellen's Magneto could be interested in the young man, who has proven to be well on his way to becoming one of the MCU's most powerful heroes, if not its most powerful.

Doctor Doom is also likely targeting Franklin and seems to want to use his powers to impose his will on the greater multiverse, according to reports about the film's plot. While this could keep him from interactions with the Avengers and X-Men, those teams could also decide to help the Fantastic Four get Franklin back if and when they realize how insanely powerful he is.

Additionally, Franklin being a mutant would make him only the third character with that designation on Earth-616, the others being Iman Vellani's Ms. Marvel and Tenoch Huerta's Namor the Sub-Mariner. Considering how young he is as well, he is expected to be a major focus for some of the MCU's more veteran characters as they look at what kind of impact Franklin could have on the entire multiverse.