Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps saw Sue Storm shine particularly bright as the character finally embraces the full extent of her powers. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has finally entered Phase 6, aka the last chapter of the Multiverse Saga, and with that, Marvel’s First Family officially joins the fray. However, there are some notable changes from previous versions.
While Reed Richards continues to showcase how his mind is his true power, and Ben Grimm’s The Thing appears to be more accepting of himself, Sue Storm is arguably the character here who has changed the most from earlier versions. And she is not holding back.
Sue Storm Is Fully Powered Up In The Fantastic Four: First Steps
The Invisible Woman Outperforms Her Peers In The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Vanessa Kirby is brilliant in the role of Sue Storm. Effortlessly, she embraces the role of being a mother and leader in the team, while also being a spectacular force to be reckoned with. This is perhaps best seen in how Sue takes on the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus, in the third act of the film.
While experiencing heightened adrenaline as her son, Franklin, is at risk of being taken by the monstrous destroyer, Sue pushes her powers to the limits. She manages to harness light and energy, propelling Galactus back, despite his incredible size, and forcing him into a portal that will take him to the other side of the universe.
But more than that, even while Sue is in the middle of giving birth, she manages to use her abilities to cloak an entire rocket ship, and fool Shalla-Bal into following the Faster-Than-Light attachment into a black hole. It’s clear that Sue is the most powerful member of the team, and she wields her powers well.
Previous Versions Of Sue Storm Focused More On Invisibility
Sue Storm’s Powers Go Way Beyond Invisibility
Unfortunately, this is not how Sue has always been portrayed in live-action. In the 1994 unreleased film, Sue was more of a damsel in distress, who used her power to turn invisible, and it failed to inspire any great awe.
Then, in 2005, when Jessica Alba was cast to play the part, the character was made to appear more intelligent and got a slight bump in power, but still, her biggest strengths lay in turning herself and others invisible.
In 2015, Kate Mara’s version of the character had a greater ability to wield her force fields as energy blasts, but even still, this power paled in comparison to her peers. But Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm does not hold anything back, and just one generation after Fant4stic, the Invisible Woman has become the most powerful member of the team.
Sue Storm’s Powers Go Far Beyond Invisibility
Sue Storm Possesses Powers Beyond The Super Variety
The truth is, Sue Storm’s abilities go way beyond turning invisible. Like Reed, her powers go deeper, with her intelligence, diplomacy, and ability to inspire everyone making her a more versatile and interesting character. In earlier iterations, Sue has been relegated to being a sidekick, or just the love interest for characters like Reed Richards and even Victor von Doom.
In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Sue takes the lead, and she doesn’t wait for others to step up and be brave. She is the person who convinces the world to support them, and chooses not to sacrifice Franklin. She is the one who forges an alliance with Subterranea, and she is the one who becomes the face of the Future Foundation.
Add all of this to her ability to produce force fields, turn invisible, and generally manipulate light and matter, and Sue is the most formidable member of the team, and it’s not close. It’s possible that her teammates could hone their powers and catch up, but in three short years as a superhero, she has grown to become something so much more.
The MCU Should Continue To Show Off Just How Strong Sue Storm Is
The Fantastic Four Are Gaining More Experience Through The Years
While she takes the victory in The Fantastic Four: First Steps against Galactus, this is just the start of her troubles in the MCU. As seen in the mid-credits scene, Sue will soon need to deal with the likes of Doctor Doom. And Doom has never been a pushover, so he will be certain to present an immense threat to Sue and her family.
The way that Sue handles herself in The Fantastic Four: First Steps is just the tip of the iceberg.
This will continue throughout Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, where Sue is sure to be central to the struggles that the heroes face. Especially considering the central role her son Franklin is due to play. Sue will need to continue to step up as a protective mother, and prevent any threats from taking him and wielding his powers for more nefarious reasons.
She will also have a chance to prove her power against a range of heroes and villains, likely in a Battleworld scenario, where she can stand tall against the greatest and strongest heroes to ever appear in the MCU. All things considered, the way that Sue handles herself in The Fantastic Four: First Steps is just the tip of the iceberg, and there is plenty more to come from this fantastic hero as her story unfolds in the MCU.
