While The Fantastic Four: First Steps is still more than half a year away, many fans already have pet theories about the upcoming MCU reboot. Here’s mine: I’m convinced Marvel Studios is going to combine two major characters from the Fantastic Four comics.
My evidence? The recently released Fantastic Four: First Steps plot synopsis; specifically, the following excerpt: “Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, [the Fantastic Four] must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.”
It’s the “personal” bit that jumps out at me. Could this just be the Marvel PR team’s way of hyping up the familial tension within the Fantastic Four itself? Absolutely. But I think it’s more than that. I’m convinced director Matt Shakman and his team will up the emotional stakes in First Steps by merging the Silver Surfer with another, equally important figure from the FF mythos: Alicia Masters.
Wait, Who Is Alicia Masters in Marvel Comics Canon?
Need a refresher on who exactly Alicia Masters is? According to Marvel Comics lore, Alicia is the daughter of supervillain Philip Masters, better known as the Puppet Master. Unlike her old man, she’s a good egg and quickly switches her loyalties to the Fantastic Four. Alicia’s remained in the team’s orbit ever since, primarily as a love interest for Ben Grimm/The Thing. Oh, and she’s blind, although that hasn’t hurt her career as a next-level sculptor. So, all told, Alicia is a big deal within FF canon.
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She even plays a pivotal role in “The Galactus Saga,” the classic Fantastic Four comic book arc that (presumably) inspired at least some of First Steps‘ story. In “The Galactus Saga,” Alicia’s the one who convinces the Silver Surfer to turn on his planet-chomping boss. How? With a heartfelt – personal, even – plea to the alien powerhouse regarding the value of human life. The obvious move would be for the as-yet-uncast Alicia to fulfill a similar function in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Obvious – but far from guaranteed.
Why Might Marvel Studios Combine Alicia Masters and Silver Surfer?
Marvel Studios isn’t afraid of diverging from established comics’ continuity in major ways. Heck, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is itself proof of that; whereas “The Galactus Trilogy” features the original, male incarnation of the Silver Surfer, Norrin Radd, the MCU adaptation utilizes the female Shalla-Bal version, instead. So, there’s nothing to suggest Shakman and Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige would balk at blending Silver Surfer and Alicia Masters into a single character. But why would they? It’s simple: it lends a more intimate dimension to proceedings – just like First Steps‘ synopsis promises.
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Think about it: what’s more personal than if the Silver Surfer rebels against Galactus because she’s in love with the Thing? It hits a heckuva lot harder than if her motivation is simply “A nice lady told me Earthlings are more than just space god food, actually.” Besides, on a more prosaic level, giving Alicia’s romance with Ben Grimm to Shalla-Bal slims down the number of supporting characters in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. That’s a very real consideration, too. After all, the reboot already has a quartet of leads; that doesn’t leave much screen time for anyone else!
Are There Any Holes in the Alicia Masters/Surfer Theory?
Sure. For starters, Marvel Studios still hasn’t announced The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ full cast, which means they could turn around tomorrow and announce an actor in the Alicia Masters role. There’s even a likely candidate for the part among the performers attached to the production in an undisclosed capacity. Russian Doll star Natasha Lyonne is officially locked in for First Steps and would make a great Alicia. That’s probably why plenty of MCU devotees are already certain Lyonne will play Alicia when the movie finally hits theaters.
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What’s more, Shakman and Marvel might want to keep Alicia and Shalla-Bal separate to keep the latter’s MCU future more open-ended. Tethering a cosmic being like the Silver Surfer to the Earth – via love or (as in the comics) Galactus-related payback – is a bit of waste. Or they could consider the Ben/Alicia dynamic too pathos-laden to change; “blind woman ‘sees’ rock man’s inner beauty” is a pretty strong hook. Yet in the absence of conclusive proof to the contrary, I’m sticking by my theory. Marvel will combine Alicia Masters and Silver Surfer in The Fantastic Four: First Steps (probably).
The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives in cinemas on July 25, 2025.
Published: Nov 24, 2024 09:00 am