The MCU Still Hasn't Unleashed One of Marvel's Most Overpowered—Yet Strangely Underused—Characters
Here's a bombshell for Marvel fans: despite the cosmic scale of the MCU, one of Marvel Comics' most terrifyingly powerful figures remains conspicuously absent. And no, we're not talking about Galactus or even Mephisto—this is about a character so formidable he could rewrite reality with a thought. Meet Owen Reece, better known as the Molecule Man, a villain who might just eclipse even Doctor Doom in raw power. But here's the twist: the MCU might finally be gearing up to introduce him.
Who Is the Molecule Man—And Why Should You Care?
First appearing in Fantastic Four #20 (1963), Molecule Man wasn't your typical megalomaniacal villain. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, he started as an unremarkable factory worker until a freak nuclear accident granted him dominion over molecules—the fundamental building blocks of nearly everything in existence. Imagine controlling the very fabric of reality, from the air you breathe to the ground beneath your feet. That's Molecule Man's power in a nutshell.
Early on, Reed Richards outsmarted him by exploiting a limitation: Reece could only manipulate inorganic molecules. But don't let that early weakness fool you. Over time, his powers evolved to near-omnipotence, making him a linchpin in some of Marvel's biggest events, particularly Secret Wars.
The Controversial Power Scale: Is Molecule Man Too Strong?
Here's where things get divisive. Molecule Man isn't a household name like Thanos or Magneto, but his abilities arguably dwarf theirs. In Secret Wars II, he's the one who defeats the Beyonder—a being who views the Marvel multiverse as a child's plaything. That's like a single chess piece toppling the player. Some fans argue this makes him a narrative dead end: if a villain can alter reality on a whim, where's the tension? Others counter that his humanity and reluctant villainy add depth. What do you think—should power that extreme exist in the MCU?
From Obscurity to Multiversal Keystone
Molecule Man's resurgence came via Jonathan Hickman's Avengers and New Avengers saga, where he was retconned as a living bomb created by the Beyonders to destroy the multiverse. Every version of Owen Reece across infinite realities was the same entity, a chilling revelation that redefined his role. In Hickman's Secret Wars, Doom and Molecule Man orchestrate a desperate plan to save existence—only for Reece to ultimately transfer godlike power to Reed Richards to rebuild reality.
Will the MCU Adapt Him—And How?
With Avengers: Secret Wars on the horizon, the MCU faces a dilemma. The 2015 Secret Wars leaned heavily on Molecule Man, but the 1984 original downplayed him. Which version will the films follow? And if they do include him, how do you balance a character who could snap the universe out of existence with a single tantrum? One theory ties him to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness—what if the concept of "dreams as alternate selves" stems from Molecule Man's multiversal connection?
A Final Provocation: Does the MCU Need Molecule Man?
Let's be real: introducing Molecule Man risks upending the MCU's power dynamics. But isn't that exactly what Secret Wars should do? If the stakes aren't cosmically high, why bother? Or would his inclusion feel like a deus ex machina waiting to happen? Sound off in the comments—is Molecule Man the next big bad, or a narrative Pandora's box best left closed?
