It happened. After years of fan casts and photoshopped posters, John Krasinski finally stretched onto the screen as Reed Richards. But it wasn't exactly the homecoming Marvel fans expected. When mister fantastic multiverse of madness made his debut, the collective gasp in theaters was followed almost immediately by a "wait, what?"
Fans had spent years begging for this specific casting. Then, within about ten minutes, he was turned into blue spaghetti by a grieving, reality-warping witch. It was brutal. Honestly, it was a bit of a troll move by director Sam Raimi.
But looking back at Earth-838’s smartest man, there is a lot more to dissect than just his messy exit. We have to talk about why a genius made such arguably "dumb" tactical choices and what his appearance actually means for the future of the MCU’s main timeline.
The Illuminati's Fatal Arrogance in Earth-838
People love to point out that Reed Richards is supposed to be the smartest man alive. So, why did he tell Wanda Maximoff exactly how Black Bolt’s powers work? "Black Bolt can destroy you with one whisper from his mouth." That line launched a thousand memes.
It feels like a massive blunder. However, if you look at the context of the Illuminati on Earth-838, it starts to make a weird kind of sense. These heroes weren't the scrappy underdogs we know from the 616 universe. They had already beaten their Thanos. They had executed their Doctor Strange for being a threat to reality. They were sitting on high thrones in a literal ivory tower.
They weren't scared.
Reed Richards approached Wanda not as a threat, but as a misguided mother who needed to be reasoned with. He was being empathetic. He thought he could de-escalate the situation because, in his universe, he’s the guy who fixes everything with a conversation and a bit of science. He underestimated the Scarlet Witch’s grief and her power. He thought he was dealing with a variant of a friend, not a multiversal monster.
That Costume and the John Krasinski Factor
Let’s talk about the suit. It was a perfect 10. The 838 mister fantastic multiverse of madness look was heavily inspired by the "Future Foundation" and modern Marvel comics aesthetics, featuring a sleek, high-tech texture and the iconic "4" logo.
💡 You might also like: Ashley My 600 Pound Life Now: What Really Happened to the Show’s Most Memorable Ashleys
Seeing Krasinski in the suit was the ultimate "what if" come to life. For years, the internet had been obsessed with the idea of him and Emily Blunt taking over the first family of Marvel. While Blunt has been vocal about not really being into the superhero genre, Krasinski seemed to lean into it.
Sam Raimi later admitted in the audio commentary that Kevin Feige cast Krasinski because it was an alternate universe. It was a nod to the fans. It gave them what they wanted without necessarily committing to him for the long haul. It’s a bit of a meta-commentary on fan service itself. You want him? Here he is. Now watch what happens when he faces a real threat.
How the Reed Richards Power Set Actually Looked
Stretching is hard to do in live-action. It usually looks rubbery or just plain gross. Ask anyone who watched the 2005 or 2015 versions.
In Multiverse of Madness, the CGI for Reed’s stretching felt weightier. When he reaches out to Wanda, his arm doesn't just look like a balloon; it has a certain tension to it. The way he was dismantled—literally unspooled—was a horrific use of his specific biology. Wanda didn't just kill him; she negated his very nature.
It’s interesting to note that his presence also confirmed the existence of the Fantastic Four in at least one corner of the multiverse. He mentions having a wife and children. This implies that Sue Storm, Franklin, and Valeria are out there somewhere on Earth-838, now mourning a father who died in a meeting that could have been an email.
The "Smartest Man Alive" Paradox
There is a long-standing trope in comics where Reed Richards is so smart he becomes disconnected from common sense. It’s called being "the absent-minded professor" on steroids.
In the comics, Reed has done some truly questionable things. He built a prison in the Negative Zone. He cloned Thor. He’s often cold. The mister fantastic multiverse of madness version seemed much warmer, which was perhaps his undoing.
📖 Related: Album Hopes and Fears: Why We Obsess Over Music That Doesn't Exist Yet
If he had been the cold, calculating version of Reed, he might have just let Black Bolt scream the moment Wanda stepped into the room. But he chose the "human" path. He chose to try and help her. It’s a tragic irony that his best quality—his humanity—is what got his entire team killed.
What This Means for the MCU Fantastic Four
With the 2025 The Fantastic Four: First Steps movie on the horizon, the conversation around the 838 variant has shifted. We now know that Pedro Pascal will be the main MCU Reed Richards.
Does this invalidate the Krasinski cameo? Not really. It reinforces the idea that the multiverse is diverse. Variants don't have to look alike. We saw this with Spider-Man and Loki.
The 838 Reed Richards served as a "proof of concept." He showed that audiences are ready for the character and that the tone of the Fantastic Four needs to be distinct from the Avengers. They aren't just soldiers; they are explorers and scientists. Even in a brief appearance, Reed felt like a man who would rather be in a lab than a war room.
The Legacy of the 838 Massacre
The Illuminati sequence is one of the most polarizing moments in modern superhero cinema. Some fans felt it disrespected the characters. Others felt it was a masterclass in establishing a villain's power level.
Think about it. In one scene, Wanda wipes out:
- The smartest man alive.
- The most powerful Inhuman.
- A Super Soldier.
- A Captain Marvel variant.
- A Master of the Mystic Arts.
That’s a statement. By using mister fantastic multiverse of madness as the first domino to fall, Marvel signaled that no one was safe. It established that the rules of the 616 universe don't apply everywhere else.
👉 See also: The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads: Why This Live Album Still Beats the Studio Records
Technical Details and Easter Eggs
If you look closely at the room where the Illuminati meet, there are subtle nods to the history of the Marvel universe. The chairs, the way the robots (Ultron sentries!) function—it all points to a world where technology and magic live in a much more forced harmony.
Reed’s teleportation device is also worth noting. He arrives via a blue rectangular platform. In the comics, this is often associated with Time Platforms or advanced teleportation tech developed by Baxter Building scientists. It’s a tiny detail that shows the production team did their homework. They weren't just throwing a guy in a blue suit; they were building a world around him.
Real-World Impact on Casting Discussions
The fallout of this movie changed how fans talk about casting. It proved that "fan casting" can actually happen, but it also warned fans that they might not like the outcome.
Before this, the idea of a fan-favorite actor getting a role because of internet memes seemed impossible. Now, it’s a precedent. But because Krasinski’s Reed died so quickly, it also opened the door for the "main" Reed to be someone completely different, allowing for a fresh take that isn't burdened by years of internet expectations.
Actionable Takeaways for Marvel Fans
If you're still processing the fate of Earth-838's Reed Richards, here is how to frame it for the future:
- Don't expect 616 Reed to be the same: The main MCU Reed Richards will likely be much more cautious. Having seen (or eventually learning about) the failures of his variants, the 616 version might be more prone to over-preparing.
- Watch the "First Steps" trailer with a new lens: Look for how the new Reed uses his powers. The "blue spaghetti" moment set a high bar for how creative (and terrifying) stretching powers can be.
- Understand the Illuminati's role: Their failure wasn't a lack of intelligence; it was a surplus of ego. This is a recurring theme in Marvel's exploration of "council" groups.
- Re-watch the scene for the subtle cues: Notice Reed’s hands when he talks. He’s constantly moving, fidgeting—a classic trait of a mind that moves faster than his body.
The appearance of Reed Richards in the multiverse wasn't just a cameo; it was a bridge. It bridged the gap between the Fox era of characters and the Disney era. It served as a sacrificial lamb to prove that the Scarlet Witch was the ultimate threat of Phase 4. While we might never see the 838 variant again, his impact on the structure of the MCU and the way we view the "smartest man alive" is permanent.
Next time you see a character make a "dumb" move in a movie, ask yourself if it's a plot hole or just human arrogance. In the case of Reed Richards, it was definitely the latter. He thought he was the smartest person in the room. He forgot that in a multiverse of madness, being "smart" isn't always enough to keep you in one piece.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on how Marvel handles the "Council of Reeds" trope in future projects. If Earth-838 exists, there are thousands of other Reeds out there, and some of them might not be as nice—or as easily defeated—as the one we met in Doctor Strange’s journey.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
- Review the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness audio commentary to hear Sam Raimi's specific thoughts on the Illuminati's demise.
- Compare the Earth-838 suit to the Fantastic Four: First Steps concept art to see the evolution of the team's visual identity.
- Read the "Council of Reeds" storyline in Jonathan Hickman’s Fantastic Four run to understand the comic book roots of multiversal variants.