The Invisible Force: 7 Shocking Facts About Sue Storm, The MCU's New Fantastic Four Matriarch, Vanessa Kirby

The Invisible Woman is finally stepping into the spotlight. As of late 2024, the anticipation for Marvel Studios' *The Fantastic Four: First Steps* is reaching a fever pitch, largely due to the confirmed casting of the team's heart and most powerful member, Susan "Sue" Storm-Richards. This latest incarnation promises a fresh, definitive take on Marvel’s First Family, with Sue Storm being positioned not just as the wife of Reed Richards but as a formidable hero in her own right, ready to showcase the true, devastating extent of her cosmic powers. The role of Sue Storm is one of the most coveted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and it has been officially entrusted to the acclaimed British actress, Vanessa Kirby. With the film slated for release on July 25, 2025, the focus is now turning to how Kirby will embody the character's complex blend of nurturing leadership, scientific intellect, and world-breaking power, setting a new standard for the character previously portrayed by actresses like Jessica Alba and Kate Mara.

Vanessa Kirby: Biography and Profile of the MCU's Invisible Woman

The actress stepping into the role of the Invisible Woman is a highly respected figure in both film and theatre, known for her intense and nuanced performances. Here is a detailed look at the new face of Sue Storm.

• Full Name: Vanessa Nuala Kirby
• Date of Birth: April 18, 1988
• Place of Birth: Wimbledon, London, England
• Nationality: British
• Parents: Jane Kirby (former magazine editor) and Roger Kirby (prominent retired prostate surgeon)
• Education: Studied English at the University of Exeter.
• Breakout Role: Princess Margaret in the Netflix series *The Crown* (2016–2017).
• Major Film Roles: White Widow in the *Mission: Impossible* franchise (*Fallout*, *Dead Reckoning*), Hattie Shaw in *Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw*, and the lead in *Pieces of a Woman*.
• Key Awards and Nominations: Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for *Pieces of a Woman* (2020), won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for *The Crown*.
• MCU Role: Susan "Sue" Storm / The Invisible Woman in *The Fantastic Four: First Steps* (2025).

The Evolution of Sue Storm's Powers: From Invisibility to Cosmic Force

When Sue Storm was first introduced in 1961 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, her primary power was simple invisibility, a reflection of the era's tendency to sideline female characters. However, over the decades, the Invisible Woman has undergone a massive evolution, transforming her into a top-tier powerhouse—a fact the MCU is expected to embrace fully.

1. Invisibility (The Humble Beginning)

Sue's initial power, gained from the exposure to cosmic rays during a fateful space mission, allowed her to render herself and objects around her completely invisible. This ability is a form of mental manipulation of ambient light waves, bending them around her body. While often underestimated, this power is a critical tool for infiltration, reconnaissance, and tactical retreat, making her the team's stealth expert.

2. The Game-Changing Force Fields (Kinetic Mastery)

The true power of the Invisible Woman lies in her ability to generate psionic, invisible force fields. These fields are constructs of compressed kinetic energy, making them virtually indestructible. She can shape them into any form imaginable, including:

• Defensive Shields: Creating spherical or dome-like shields capable of withstanding nuclear explosions, blows from the Hulk, and even attacks from cosmic entities like the Galactus heralds.
• Force Objects: Generating solid, invisible platforms to stand on, battering rams to attack with, or even sharp blades to cut through metal.
• Internal Attacks: A terrifying, rarely-used ability allows her to generate a force field *inside* an opponent's body, such as creating a small bubble in their lungs or brain to instantly incapacitate or kill. This lethal potential is often cited as the reason she is considered the most powerful member of the Fantastic Four.

7 Shocking Facts That Prove Sue Storm is the Fantastic Four's Most Powerful Member

Despite Mr. Fantastic's intellect or the Human Torch's flames, comic book lore consistently shows that Sue Storm-Richards possesses the most destructive and reality-bending power on the team. Her control over kinetic energy is nearly limitless.

1. She Has Held Back a Cosmic Cube

In one of her most impressive feats, Sue was able to use her force fields to contain and hold back the reality-warping power of a Cosmic Cube, an artifact that can rewrite the laws of physics and is one of the most powerful objects in the entire Marvel Universe. This act demonstrates that her psionic energy control operates on a cosmic level.

2. She Can Choke Out the Hulk

Sue has repeatedly showcased her ability to use her force fields offensively against powerhouse characters. She has been shown to create a force field bubble directly within the lungs of the Hulk and other gamma-powered beings, effectively cutting off their air supply and incapacitating them. This technique, known as "force-field suffocation," highlights her lethal potential.

3. Her Force Fields Can Pierce Celestial Armor

The Celestials are giant, ancient, god-like beings who are among the most powerful entities in the Marvel cosmos. In a conflict, Sue once managed to project a force field *clean through* the seemingly impenetrable armor of a Celestial, a feat that very few heroes in the Marvel 616 universe could replicate.

4. She is the Matriarch of Marvel's First Family

Beyond her powers, Sue is the emotional anchor and matriarch of the team. Her relationship with her husband, Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), and her brother, Johnny Storm (Human Torch), forms the core dynamic. She is often the one to mediate conflicts and provide the moral compass for the group, including their best friend, Ben Grimm (The Thing).

5. She is the Mother of Two Omega-Level Mutants

Sue and Reed's children, Franklin Richards and Valeria Richards, are two of the most significant characters in Marvel Comics. Franklin is an Omega-Level Mutant with the power to manipulate reality and create pocket universes. Valeria, named after their frenemy Doctor Doom, is a super-genius who often surpasses her father's intellect. Sue's role as their mother is central to her character arc.

6. Doctor Doom Has Been Her Godparent

In a bizarre twist of fate, the Fantastic Four's arch-nemesis, Doctor Victor von Doom (of Latveria), is the godfather of their daughter, Valeria Richards, a fact that speaks volumes about the complex, intertwined history of these characters. This entity is a crucial part of Sue's comic book history.

7. She Has Blocked Thor's Lightning

Sue's defensive capabilities are legendary. She has been shown on multiple occasions to effortlessly block the most powerful attacks from heroes and villains alike, including creating a force field bubble robust enough to completely absorb and neutralize a direct blast of lightning from Thor, the God of Thunder.

The Future of Sue Storm in the MCU (2025 and Beyond)

With Vanessa Kirby's casting, the MCU is signaling a clear intention to feature a powerful, modern, and multifaceted Sue Storm. Early reports and the general direction of Marvel Studios suggest that this version of the Invisible Woman will embrace her status as the team's powerhouse. The film, *The Fantastic Four: First Steps*, is expected to focus on the family's origin, likely in a retro-futuristic 1960s setting, before their arrival in the present-day MCU. This approach allows Marvel to establish the core relationships—Sue's bond with Reed, her protective nature over her younger brother Johnny, and her friendship with Ben—before throwing them into the larger cosmic conflicts of the Multiverse Saga. Fans are eager to see Kirby's Sue Storm finally unleash the full extent of her psionic force field powers, moving beyond the simple invisibility often depicted in previous adaptations. Her character is not just a supporting player; she is the Invisible Woman, the one who holds the whole family together, and the one who can, quite literally, stop the world from falling apart.