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Full spoilers follow for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps has achieved lift off in theaters – and I imagine you have plenty of questions about the Marvel movie's ending and its post-credits scenes.

Below, I'll do my best to answer your biggest questions about the first Marvel Phase 6 project, including how it sets up the next Avengers film, aka Avengers: Doomsday. So, here's your final warning: major spoilers immediately follow for First Steps. Turn back now if you haven't seen it yet.

What happens to Galactus and The Silver Surfer in The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

What becomes of Galactus and his Herald during First Steps' climax? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

They're transported to the furthest reaches of the alternate universe – designated Earth-828 – that The Fantastic Four reside in. Without his planet-devouring space vessel, it'll take the now-stranded Galactus millions of years to make his way back to the quartet's home world, and that's even if he's capable of doing so.

So, how will the eponymous team prevent Galactus from destroying their planet? After all, they refused to hand over Reed Richards and Sue Storm's son Franklin, which would've spared their world. Galactus sees Franklin as his successor because, according to the terrifying space god, Franklin possesses the Power Cosmic, a source of unlimited energy that turned the former mortal man known as Galan into the immortal, never-satiated entity known as Galactus.

Anyway, the gang aims to defeat Galactus by using a scaled-up version of the teleportation device Reed was working on earlier in the film. You know, the one that he used to move an egg from one transmat machine to another in his lab.

Galactus comes to Earth-828 to kidnap Franklin Richards (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

With the help of every nation on Earth, Marvel's First Family initially builds a series of giant teleporters with the intention of moving their world to a different universe. That way, Galactus won't be able to reach them. However, that plan fails when The Silver Surfer destroys all but one of the devices.

Reluctantly, Reed, Sue, and their Fantastic Four cohorts decide to use Franklin as bait to ensnare Galactus. They plan to place the baby in a carrier under the last remaining teleporter. Once Galactus steps inside its field range, the group will distract him by attacking, while one of them replaces the baby carrier with an empty one. Then, they'd activate the machine and flee the scene as a trapped Galactus is transported to whereabouts unknown.

It's a plan that almost works, but before he steps into the teleporter's area of effect, Galactus realizes Franklin has been whisked away to the Baxter Building, aka the group's headquarters, and makes a beeline for him. Long story short: despite their best efforts, The Fantastic Four can't stop Galactus from taking Franklin.

All hope appears to be lost until Sue Storm regains consciousness, after being knocked out when Galactus swats the Fantasticar into a building, and sees the immortal cosmic entity leaving with her only child.

Sue Storm is the most valuable player of First Steps' third act (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Summoning all her strength, which is heightened by her maternal instinct to protect her offspring, Sue uses her force field powers to slowly force Galactus toward the teleporter. The rest of the team, who have come to their senses after also being taken out by Galactus, rush to help. Ben Grimm uses his strength to knock down a building that Galactus is steadying himself on, Johnny Storm activates the device, and Reed uses his stretch powers to climb Galactus and rescue Franklin.

With one final push, an over-exerted Sue shoves Galactus through the portal. Exhausted, she collapses to the ground.

But, it doesn't seem to have been enough as Galactus starts to re-emerge through the portal. Johnny, who tried to negotiate with The Silver Surfer earlier and offer his services to Galactus in exchange for sparing Franklin and his planet, decides to make one last Hail Mary move.

Aiming at Galactus, he flies towards the portal in a self-sacrificial move. However, he's knocked out of the way by The Silver Surfer. Clearly, the pair's earlier exchange appealed to her humanity, and The Silver Surfer makes the sacrifice to force Galactus back through the portal before it closes, thus stranding them both in the far reaches of this universe.

Reed and Sue's baby boy brings the latter back to life with his own superpowers (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

With Galactus gone, Reed, Johnny, and Ben race to Sue's side, but try as Reed might to revive his wife, it seems he's too late. Sue has died.

Or so it seems. A distraught Franklin wriggles out of Ben's and then Reed's arms to be with his mom. Lying on her chest, Franklin smiles and quietly places his hands on her. Miraculously, the fingers on Sue's right hand twitch, she gasps for air, and is resuscitated. Smiles, hugs, and happy tears all around.

Does The Fantastic Four: First Steps have a mid-credits scene?

Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm don't appear in First Steps' mid-credits stinger, but someone else does (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

The joy of defeating Galactus, plus the relief of Sue's revival, are somewhat short-lived, though, because of what happens in the first of two end credits stingers.

In it, we learn that four years have passed since Galactus was banished. Sue and Franklin are sitting in the Baxter Building's living room and have just finished reading 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. Considering Galactus wanted Franklin to replace him as this universe's planet-consuming deity, it's quite an on-the-nose book for Sue and Franklin to have *ahem* devoured.

Anyway, Sue walks away to find 'A Fly Went By,' another of Franklin's favorite books. Locating it, she returns to her son, but hears a strange noise as she does so.

Activating her powers, Sue (and, by proxy, the camera) peers around the living room's central column to see that Franklin is not alone. A mysterious figure is not only squatting down in front of Franklin and holding his right hand to Franklin's face, but he's wearing a dark green hooded cloak and holding a metal mask in his left hand. Say hello to Doctor Victor von Doom, everyone!

So, is that Robert Downey Jr playing Doctor Doom in The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

First Steps answers the biggest question on everyone's minds: is Doctor Doom in it? (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

It's not confirmed, but I think it is.

Let's break down what we know. At San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Downey Jr, the superstar actor who played Tony Stark and his heroic alter-ego Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) between 2008 and 2019, was confirmed to be playing fan-favorite Marvel supervillain Doctor Victor von Doom. It was an announcement few people expected, so there was shock, delight, and the odd eyebrow raised when the reveal was made.

Downey Jr's return to the MCU came after Marvel fired Jonathan Majors in December 2023. The disgraced actor, who was found guilty of numerous crimes, including sexual assault, had been hired to play Kang the Conqueror, aka the Marvel Multiverse Saga's Big Bad. He even appeared in projects like Disney+ series Loki and Marvel Phase 5 film Ant-Man 3, so Marvel was all-in on Kang being this saga's primary nemesis.

However, after Majors was found guilty of the allegations made against him, Marvel quickly moved to replace Kang with Doom. Latveria's most famous son, then, is the Multiverse Saga's new overarching antagonist, and will square off against our heroes in Avengers: Doomsday and its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars.

With First Steps being the precursor to that pair, fans began to question whether Doom would appear in this Phase 6 flick. However, director Matt Shakman consistently denied that would be the case. Indeed, he said it wasn't part of his purview and later told me that he never considered installing Doom as First Steps' primary villain.

Downey Jr is expected to have top billing as Doctor Doom in Doomsday and Secret Wars (Image credit: Robert Downey Jr's Instagram)

Ahead of First Steps' release, though, Shakman's tone has changed. Speaking to ComicBook.com, he confirmed that Joe and Anthony Russo, who are directing the next two Avengers films, shot First Steps' mid-credits scene. The siblings also filmed Thunderbolts* post-credits stinger, which has big ties to The Fantastic Four's latest big-screen adventure and Doomsday.

So, is Downey Jr playing Doom in First Steps' mid-credits scene? That's unclear. We only see Doom from the back, and his hood is raised, so I can't say for sure if it's Downey Jr. The A-lister isn't credited with an appearance in the film's end credits crawl, either. For someone so synonymous with the MCU, you'd expect Downey Jr's name to pop up if he actually shows up in First Steps.

That said, considering the Russos shot this sequence, I'm more inclined to believe Downey Jr is playing Doom in this scene. First Steps underwent some minor reshoots and pickups around the time that principal photography began on Doomsday. It's plausible, then, that the Russos filmed this scene prior to commencing work on Avengers 5, which would make it more likely that Downey Jr appears (albeit uncredited) in this footage.

Is there a post-credits scene in The Fantastic Four: First Steps?

First Steps' post-credits scene shows the main title sequence of The Fantastic Four's in-universe cartoon (not pictured above) (Image credit: Marvel)

Yes, but truth be told, it's a nothing burger (from an MCU impact, anyway) of a post-credits scene.

Indeed, the main title sequence to The Fantastic Four cartoon series, which exists in-universe, is this movie's post-credits scene. It's a fun little sequence to include, and it's nice to see those who created it recognized for their work. As I said, though, it doesn't drop any hints about the future of Marvel's cinematic juggernaut, so it's ultimately not worth sticking around for.

How does The Fantastic Four: First Steps set up Avengers: Doomsday?

Avengers: Doomsday will be released in cinemas worldwide in December 2026 (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Potentially big spoilers follow for Avengers: Doomsday. Proceed at your own risk.

Given what we learn in First Steps and Thunderbolts* post-credits scene – read my Thunderbolts* ending explained piece for more on the latter – some puzzle pieces appear to be falling into place.

For one, we now know Franklin has superpowers. If we believe what Galactus said about Franklin, i.e., he's a being of unlimited power, he'll be one of the most powerful beings to ever exist. Franklin is immensely powerful in Marvel Comics, so that checks out.

Thanks to Earth-828's various news agencies, it'll be public knowledge that Franklin possesses superhuman abilities, too. Rumors might also spread about what powers he has and/or how he resurrected Sue – well, if the general public finds out that he did. If they do, Doom will become aware of Franklin's powerset.

Furthermore, if you believe online speculation about Doomsday's plot – read my Avengers: Doomsday hub for more information on its confirmed details – Doom may actually try to prevent the Multiverse's collapse (via those pesky events known as Incursions) by merging all known universes into a single reality. That's the basis of Marvel's two 'Secret Wars' comic book runs, which the Russo brothers told me they're taking inspiration from for Avengers 5 and its follow-up.

Franklin Richards could hold the key to creating Battleworld, the planet created out of fragments from various universes (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

If that's Doom's aim in Marvel's cinematic franchise, he'll need someone like Franklin to achieve his goal. In Marvel literature, Franklin has the ability to warp reality, manipulate matter, and create pocket dimensions. All of those powers would come in handy for an egotistical individual like Doom, who'd view himself as the savior of the multiverse and, as he does in 2015's 'Secret Wars' comic book storyline, install himself as God Emperor of the MCU's take on Battleworld.

Okay, how does this tie into First Steps' mid-credits scene and Thunderbolts* post-credits stinger?

The former makes it clear that Doom has found Franklin. The fact that he has means he'll have some grasp of the unlimited power Franklin possesses. Franklin's mom won't be pleased (to put it lightly!) that another supervillain has come calling to kidnap her child, either.

My best guess, then, is that The Fantastic Four will collectively fight off Doom and, using the Excelsior and Reed's likely upgraded teleportation device, flee to another universe not unlike their own – i.e., the MCU. That's why we see the Excelsior emerging from a wormhole in the final Thunderbolts* end credits stinger.

The Thunderbolts – or, rather, The New Avengers – spotted the Excelsior entering Earth-616's orbit in their film's post-credits scene (Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Of course, that doesn't mean they're safe. The MCU's take on Earth's Mightiest Heroes will want to know why a group of superpowered beings has suddenly shown up from another reality. They're used to extraterrestrial threats emerging out of the blue, and if they don't get an answer they like, you can bet a fight will ensue between the MCU's Avengers and The Fantastic Four.

Considering Doom's own genius-level intellect, plus the plan of action he's put in place, it won't be long until he tracks down The Fantastic Four to Earth-616. Franklin may be temporarily safe from Doom's clutches, but it won't stay that way.

Whether I'm proved correct or not, I'm convinced Franklin – and Loki, who currently sits at the center of the multiverse in an attempt to hold it all together – is central to Doomsday's story. Don't be surprised, then, if he becomes the human McGuffin that Avengers 5 revolves around and is the individual who contributes most to the soft reboot that Marvel President Kevin Feige confirmed to be coming post-Secret Wars.

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There are over one billion smart meters already deployed across the world - 38 million in the UK alone. These are embedded IoT devices, designed to have an ultra-small footprint and fitted with lightweight software that is constantly communicating with energy providers and the national grid.

The cybersecurity of embedded devices like these is weighed against their size and performance requirements - while we want smart meters to be secure, we also want them to operate smoothly, use up very little energy and space, and send the right data at the right time. Additional layers of encryption would increase the size of this data, potentially impacting the performance and cost of smart meter infrastructure.

But this encryption is something the energy sector, and the technology supply chain as a whole, now has to rethink. Last year, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology revealed its final standards for post-quantum cryptography (PQC) - a new form of encryption designed to protect data from potential quantum computer attacks.

Now, agencies across the US and Europe, including the NSA and NCSC, are recommending that the governments and businesses coordinate their migration to PQC so that every device is quantum-safe by 2035.

This the biggest cybersecurity transition in a generation, and a real challenge for the world’s 1B+ smart meters.

Why do smart meters need to be upgraded?

There are three main reasons for upgrading smart meters to PQC - risk, compliance, and market forces.

Risk is the word at the heart of every conversation around cryptography and cybersecurity. Every new iteration of an encryption algorithm or cybersecurity application is designed to stay one step ahead of the attackers and mitigate the chance of a breach. PQC is designed to mitigate the risk of an attack from future quantum computers, which experts anticipate will easily be able to crack current encryption standards.

When this cryptographically-relevant quantum computer emerges, critical national infrastructure (like the energy grid) will be a prime target for disruption. Therefore, energy networks need to act now to protect themselves and their data from this future risk. As vulnerable endpoints in the energy network - with the technical capability to cut off power supplies to households - smart meters need to be secured to ensure that infrastructure is protected from attack.

Providers should also have one eye on whether their smart meters comply with new regulations. Government guidelines are all recommending that hardware and software align with NIST’s PQC standards by 2035 at the latest - much sooner if your customer is the government itself. Simply put, the transition must take place, and is in fact already underway.

Finally, market forces will soon compel decision-makers still on the fence to upgrade smart meters to PQC. As migration deadlines approach, energy suppliers and hardware manufacturers who can promise PQC-enabled devices will be preferred for government and corporate contracts over those that have delayed their transition.

The challenge of upgrading smart meters

There are two parts to the smart meter PQC challenge - upgrading the millions of “brownfield” devices that are already deployed, and ensuring that the millions of “greenfield” devices currently on the production line are prepared for the upcoming PQC deadlines.

In most cases, already-deployed devices will require an over-the-air firmware update to become PQC-secure. This could be a major challenge for older memory-constrained models, and replacing this legacy hardware is likely to be the most costly part of the transition.

Where these upgrades are possible, there are physical challenges as well. Smart meters are small, embedded devices with minimal amounts of RAM and computing capacity. They are also limited on bandwidth - transmitting small amounts of data with every network communication they make. PQC implementations will need to work within these constraints, but some may run into issues.

For example, post quantum encryption keys are larger than RSA/ECC keys, meaning that a quantum-safe message is larger than those currently being sent by a smart meter.

Many smart meters rely on fixed-function hardware cryptography that is unchangeable, and cannot be upgraded in the field - this means that, on these devices, it’s not possible to update secure boot processes and maintain cryptographic agility (the ability to rapidly adapt the cryptography on a device).

Manufacturers don’t need to worry about over-the-air upgrades for “greenfield” smart meters that are still being designed, as they have a chance to protect devices before production. They will still face issues with memory and CPU, and will need to ensure that PQC is factored into their design process to ensure devices are compliant beyond 2035.

The next steps for smart meters

The first and most important step for the energy sector is to plan ahead thoroughly. 2035 is sooner than it seems - especially for large-scale digital transformation change projects - and this is a process that many companies will be hoping to finalize well ahead of that deadline.

The goal of the transition is to maintain the highest standards of security without compromising performance and without racking up unsustainable costs. Inevitably, the oldest models of smart meters that cannot receive over-the-air updates will need to be replaced - the ten-year transition timeline means that this can be factored into annual budgeting for hardware upgrades in the field, rather than through an impractical all-at-once rollout.

For all other devices - deployed and in production - manufacturers and energy providers need to identify where the most critical data on their device is transmitted from and focus on securing this as a priority. For smart meters, this means communication modules and the process by which they could trigger an energy shutoff, as these are the vectors that attackers will target first.

To navigate the challenges of migrating embedded and memory-constrained systems to PQC, smart meters will need low-footprint implementations of PQC, which are designed to apply NIST’s standards without exerting excessive demand on CPU and RAM. It’s worth bringing on PQC expertise to ensure that the right implementation for the right device is found - as robust as the PQC algorithms published by NIST are, they are also only as secure as the way they are implemented.

Manufacturers will need to factor PQC into their product roadmap. This sounds daunting, but as much as 80% of this transition will be handled in the supply chain - meaning that the vendors who supply the communication modules, HSMs, and microprocessors used in smart meters will themselves be responsible for upgrading vulnerable cryptography. The remaining 20% is the manufacturer’s responsibility - communications channels and metering software that needs to be upgraded in-house.

The key message for energy providers and device manufacturers is that this process needs to start as soon as possible. Smart meters are designed to have a long shelf life, and the risk of deploying devices in 2030 that are obsolete in 2035 is one that should be avoided.

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