Pedro Pascal shared the one significant weakness of his version of Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Reed Richards is perhaps one of the most brilliant minds in the Marvel Universe, and the MCU's iteration of the character is set to take center stage in the upcoming Phase 6 movie, where he is set to prove that he is an important character in the Multiverse Saga's grand scheme of things. However, Richards is far from perfect, as evidenced by the worst mistakes he committed from Marvel Comics (such as The Multiversal Bridge and the superhero prison in the Negative Zone).
Pascal's version of Reed Richards is not from the mainline MCU, but he will soon cross paths with the rest of Earth's Mightiest Heroes due to the Fantastic Four's confirmed appearance in Avengers: Doomsday. While not much is known about Pascal's Mr. Fantastic, The Fantastic Four director Matt Shakman is hyping up the character's appearance (via Variety) by describing the character as "part Steve Jobs and part Oppenheimer," noting that he is "always on the edge of saving the world or destroying it." And now, Pedro Pascal revealed in a new interview how flawed his Reed Richards really is due to his character's one big weakness.
Speaking with Kino ahead of his press conference, Pedro Pascal pulled back the curtain on Reed Richards' greatest weakness, pointing out that he misses "a lot of little details" because his "mind is always focused on the greater good:"
"That's a really good question. I think when your mind is always focused on the greater good, you can miss a lot of little details. Knowing those details is very important to keeping the family together."
Marketing for The Fantastic Four: First Steps has already provided hints of Reed Richards' weakness after scenes showing the character blaming himself for Galactus' looming invasion of Earth. It is apparent that Richards did something in this universe that brought Galactus's attention, and he might've thought that whatever he did was for the good of mankind.
Interestingly, Pedro Pascal's comments are tied to what happened between Reed Richards and Tony Stark in Matt Fraction and Salvadore Larroca's Invincible Iron Man # 4. At one point in the story, Stark defeats Reed on every chessboard, except for the one directly in front of the Fantastic Four leader, because it is the only one he is focused on throughout.
It's worth noting that Richards' vulnerabilities have already been shown in other media, such as in 2005's Fantastic Four. In the movie (where Reed Richards is portrayed by Ioan Gruffudd), a miscalculation from Richards causes them to enter the cosmic storm that gave them their powers in the first place. This is something that he came to regret later on and wanted to try to reverse.
In Ultimates #4 from Marvel Comics, an alternate evil version of Reed Richards transformed into the Maker, and he is the one who caused the deaths of the Fantastic Four. This storyline proves that Richards can go down a darker path if he allows his greatest weakness to take over him.
Directed by Matt Shakman, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is set in an alternate world where Reed Richards and his team are the only heroes, and they need to ensure everyone's safety against the looming threat of Galactus. The MCU film highlights Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm, and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm.
Will Reed Richards’ Greatest Weakness Be the Main Reason His Team Will Lose?
Aside from Reed Richards' remarkable powers of super-stretchiness, there is no denying that his brilliance is his key asset. Still, this latest comment from Pedro Pascal suggests that his intelligence could be crucial to Richards and his team's downfall. By overthinking and focusing on the greater good (aka the bigger picture), Richards will inevitably miss key details throughout his heroic journey that could push him to do unimaginable and reckless things in the name of science.
The MCU's Tony Stark also suffered the same fate in Avengers: Age of Ultron when he pushed for Ultron's creation, which he regretted down the line. While the Avengers helped Stark defeat Ultron, the ramifications of the villain's arrival were felt in the years afterward.
At one point in the trailer of The Fantastic Four, Richards is seen being honest with the public about being unsure about the world's safety due to the looming arrival of Galactus. Given that his back is against the wall, the Fantastic Four leader's overcalculation or lack of much-needed preparation might've gotten the better of him, forcing him to be honest with the public in the face of danger.
Richards might've failed to unpack the little details about the threat and instead zeroed in on the bigger picture, proving how flawed an individual he is. While it remains to be seen if the Fantastic Four will eventually lose to Galactus in the upcoming movie, Richards will need his team to help him redeem himself and save, not just their Earth, but the 616 Universe as well as they prepare to clash with Doctor Doom.
