Marvel is jumping back in time for its latest MCU tie-in, which is in the form of The Fantastic Four: First Foes #1. In Fantastic Four: First Steps, there are a number of references to other characters and aspects of the Marvel Universe. One of those is René Rodin, aka the Great Thinker and eventually the Mad Thinker, who is mentioned in the film but is never actually seen on the screen. Now he has made his full MCU debut in the pages of this special, and it brings his role in the Fantastic Four’s origin into clearer view.
The Great Thinker’s MCU Role Could Be Huge
Fantastic Four: First Foes makes a major reveal in terms of the Mad Thinker’s impact on this universe, which is much larger than the reference in First Steps might indicate. In the film, it is mentioned that the Fantastic Four put a stop to Mad Thinker’s plan and saved the city in the past, but we never actually see Mad Thinker. Now, thanks to First Foes, we understand just how involved he was in the Fantastic Four’s big debut.
In First Foes, things flash back to the mission that would give the Fantastic Four their powers. It turns out that Rodin was at the helm of the mission back at Mission Control, and his pompous nature couldn’t help but mention that he was Dr. Richards’ college professor and was asked by Richards himself to bring this mission to life.
Rodin says that there were only two people with the intelligence to successfully achieve faster-than-light space travel, and that’s why he was at Mission Control, and Richards was on the ship. A reporter then says he must be some kind of “great thinker”, thus giving him what will be the precursor to his famous name later in time. Reed mentions this in the narration later, even saying that the voice they heard belonged to “the mad genius we’d come to know as the Great Thinker.”
Reed also addresses that Rodin is the one who saved the Fantastic Four that day, as after the ship encounters the cosmic storm that gives them their powers, it’s Rodin who figures out the new vector point in a matter of seconds and then gets the information to H.E.R.B.I.E. in time to save the ship and its crew. Not only is Thinker tied to their origin, but the seeds of his villainous run are planted here as well, as he is now frustrated that he wasn’t on the ship to receive powers of his own.
These elements could be huge for the character on the big screen, as after Doctor Doom, the Fantastic Four will need another major villain, and with his ties to their origin story, Mad Thinker could be perfect for that role. Plus, with Secret Wars on the horizon, you can pretty much move over any character from any world into the main one if you so desire, so everything is built right in to make Mad Thinker a future force in the MCU.
Fantastic Four: First Foes #1 is in comic stores now.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
