Overview
As anticipation builds for the upcoming Marvel Studios film The Fantastic Four: First Steps, fans are abuzz with speculation following its impressive showcase at San Diego Comic-Con. With production starting this week, questions about the film's role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) multiverse and its expanding roster of characters are growing. Amid the early conversation, one character, ideally, should be reserved for the team's future MCU adventures — Alicia Masters.
Who Is Alicia Masters?
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1962's Fantastic Four #8, Alicia Masters is a blind woman and the stepdaughter of the supervillain Puppet Master. After meeting Ben Grimm / The Thing and discovering his kind personality — while being unable to see him in his rock form — Alicia is motivated to betray her father and help the Fantastic Four. She becomes Ben's love interest and a frequent ally of the team, playing a pivotal role in Silver Surfer turning on Galactus.
After Ben leaves the team, Alicia appears to fall in love with and marries Johnny Storm / Human Torch, only to discover that she was a Skrull the entire time, and that the real Alicia is still in love with Ben. She continues to be a part of the Fantastic Four's orbit, as well as the heroes of the larger Marvel Universe.
Why Alicia Masters Should Be Saved for The Fantastic Four 2
Across the casting process and pre-production of The Fantastic Four, there have been theories that Alicia could factor into the film. Some fans speculate that Natasha Lyonne, cast in a mystery role, could be playing Alicia, based on their similar red hair rather than Alicia's mild-mannered energy from the comics. There’s always a chance Alicia could secretly appear in The Fantastic Four, especially since the film isn't a straightforward origin story and could feature Ben (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Alicia's relationship already established. However, there is a strong argument for saving Alicia Masters for a potential sequel.
Setting and Narrative Potential
We now know that The Fantastic Four is set in the 1960s in a different universe from the main MCU, featuring a retro-futuristic aesthetic and unique status quo. Additionally, the world-eating Galactus (Ralph Ineson) is expected to play a significant role in the film. With Avengers: Secret Wars on the docket for 2027 and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige hinting at the Fantastic Four's return, there's much speculation about how these two films will interact. It’s possible The Fantastic Four could culminate with Galactus destroying the team's world, causing them to jump ship and end up on Earth-616. This narrative decision would leave nearly all of the team's supporting cast stranded in a dying universe — including Alicia, if she were introduced in the film.
While the loss of Alicia could create an emotional pull for Ben in his subsequent MCU appearances, it might also shut the door on their relationship just as audiences are growing fond of it. Such a narrative choice isn't new in superhero media, as seen with Wonder Woman leaving behind Etta Candy and Steve Trevor in the 1940s (resorting to problematic means to bring Steve back in the sequel). However, given the MCU's past struggles with introducing meaningful romances and elevating human supporting casts, The Fantastic Four is a compelling opportunity to remedy both, instead of sacrificing Ben's true love in the first movie. Depending on how The Fantastic Four addresses Ben's self-hatred towards his transformation (ranging from well-adjusted to catastrophic in the comics), it could be charming to see him meet Alicia in whatever universe he ends up in post-Secret Wars. It is clear The Fantastic Four will shake up the MCU, but hopefully, Alicia Masters does not get lost in the fray.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps is currently scheduled to be released exclusively in theaters on July 25, 2025.
