Post by BijuuGuy on Mar 1, 2023 21:57:24 GMT
"I was taught that the way of progress was neither swift nor easy."
- Marie Curie
General Information
Full Name:
Dr. Susan Victoria Storm
Codename Or Alias:
The Invisible Woman, Sue, Susie
Anonymity:
Susan Storm is a very well-known hero and scientist in those respective communities and to the general public as well. As one of the founding members of the Fantastic Four and the team’s collapse notably happening after her departure, Susan and her previous team remain points of discussion. Currently, Susan is very much known as a trailblazing scientist and a force of nature in her own right.
Gender:
Female
Race:
Human Mutate
Age:
49
Place Of Birth:
Glenville, Long Island, New York
Occupation/Status:
Chief Scientific Officer at Planetary
Occasional superhero
Mother
Alignment:
Hero
Factions:
Planetary
Canon Or Original?:
Canon (Fantastic Four)
"If you know you are on the right track, if you have this inner knowledge, then nobody can turn you off. No matter what they say."
- Barbara McClintock
Powers/Abilities:
Supergenius
Susan Storm is, by all standards of measure, one of the most gifted minds of her generation. While her ex-husband continues to hold the superlative genius titles, Susan still rarely faces a question or a problem she cannot solve and her peers are well-aware of that. She has two doctorates: one in physics and another in genetics, although she has been academically recognized in mathematics, astrophysics, biochemistry, and robotics as well. Her efforts in evolving space exploration have been lauded by her peers.
Cosmic Radiation
Like every other member of the now-defunct Fantastic Four, Susan gained her powers when a reckless space mission went awry and cosmic rays bombarded the team’s vessel. The rays changed each of the four’s cellular structure to a degree where they all gained unique abilities. Susan was bestowed the powers of invisibility and the generation of psionic force fields. While the application of her powers was simple at first, she honed her skills and became much more potent in their use as time went on. Now, she is arguably considered to possess the most raw power of the four. The energy source for Susan’s powers is seemingly limitless, with her capabilities only limited by her imagination, reserve and willpower to use them at their full strength.
Longevity
The one mutual factor that each of the team’s members received over time, was their noticeable longevity. Their aging process slowed significantly, beginning to show signs only as they entered their 40s. Each of them will likely live to one-hundred, if not one-hundred fifty. Additionally, their immune systems have been bolstered, making it much more difficult for them to fall victim to disease.
Invisibility
The Invisible Woman has the mental ability to manipulate ambient cosmic energy (from a still unknown source) for a plethora of effects. The most prominent one being the rendering of herself and other objects invisible. By simple concentration, Susan can cause all wavelengths of visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light to bend around her without distortion, making her completely invisible. An observer would have the sensation of seeing through Susan. She also directs enough undistorted light to her eye, so that she retains full range of vision while invisible.
On the flip side, Susan can turn the optic nerves of someone else invisible, causing temporary blindness. Additionally, the cosmic rays affected Susan’s retinas, so that she is able to clearly see various forms of cosmic rays and energy. This also includes the ability to see her own force fields, a feat she was originally incapable of. Susan can, additionally, provide herself with a limited form of vision, should she be blinded. Though that is more akin to something like echolocation, but by using cosmic rays and her own power.
Sue can also mentally project her invisible energy outward to render other people or objects invisible. The largest volume she can currently turn invisible at a single time is approximately the size of a medium to large swimming pool. She can increase that area up to 200 meters in diameter with the help of a force field.
The Invisible Woman has sufficient control over her powers that she can turn parts of her body selectively invisible. Objects or people that have been turned invisible by other sources can be made visible and disrupt their use of that ability through Susan letting her own energy projection interfere with that other method. Furthermore, she can make energy that is not in the visual portion of the electromagnetic spectrum visible by a similar interaction. Susan is naturally invisible to radar equivalents. She can also emit low-level waves of invisible force to detect nearby objects or people in a radar-like fashion.
With her power, Susan can manipulate the interaction of light waves to essentially change the colour of anything she chooses.
Psionic Force Fields
While the cells of Susan’s body produce the manifestation of her invisibility energy, the cells of her brain produce a more potent variant. Again, through concentration, she is able to project an invisible field of psionic force, which she can manipulate into a number of relatively simple forms: rectangular planes, cylinders, globes, domes, cones, etc. The complexity of the shape is limited by her ability to imagine (mentally visualize) a particular form and keep it in sharp mental focus. She is also able to manifest multiple force fields and objects at once, with the upper limit currently standing at 6 fields at once, when her concentration begins to waver.
The size of a given psionic force projection is also limited by that same factor. The smallest projection she can visualize (and maintain) is the size of a pea. The largest solid force projection she can visualize and maintain is about 300 feet in diameter. She can project larger force-objects if they are hollow. For instance, she could visualize and project a dome 1 foot thick about a mile in diameter (5,280 feet) and a dome 1 inch in thickness which she can project for about 3.2 miles. Small objects at high speeds become missiles; large objects at slow speeds become rams. She can make these objects grow or shrink in size as desired. She can also create more complex constructs out of her force fields, such as stairs, weapons, and other such objects. Her force fields can also be use as shockwaves, by sending a wave of her energy outward.
Aside from forming force constructs to act as weapons, Susan can also use the fields to apply more direct and frightening levels of damage. By forming force fields within their bodies, Sue can render people unconscious or induce more serious physical distress. She an give an instant embolism from a hundred yards out, crush wind pipes, fill lungs, and drive force spikes through their hearts without blinking. Additionally, she can induce heart attacks by blocking off the three main coronary arteries, affect parts of the nervous system with her precise control, compress brainstems, force air bubbles into the bloodstream and place force fields in the brains of her targets, causing headaches or in extreme cases, brain death. Susan can also project a force field inside an object and expand it, causing it to explode. These applications of her abilities are typically used as means of intimidation and threat, as Susan is typically opposed to using her abilities in such harmful ways.
Since her power is an extension of her mind and body, the Invisible Woman is affected by inertial forces acting upon her projections. Thus, if a car travelling at 60 mph hit a wall of her force that was 6 inches thick, unless she generated a bracing shape against a sufficiently sturdy object, she would be affected as though she were hit by the car directly. Susan is able to control the surface of the fields rigidity to an extent. She can cause the surface of the field to be very hard, depending on its thickness (steel-like at about 2.5 feet) or as resilient as foam rubber. By making the field more resilient, she is able to absorb more of the inertia of impacts within the field without averse effects on her body. She is also able to alter the shapes she creates mid-use, often to absorb or deflect the force of impacts. When she creates objects that are at the limit of her ability to mentally visualize, they tend to be resilient rather than rigid.
Susan’s fields are also extremely resistant to the elements, natural phenomena and other powers. Telekinesis and telepathy cannot penetrate her fields, for instance. Should she create a force field around the person using said abilities, all those effects in the immediate vicinity would cease. This is basically what happens with other abilities as well, like intangibility and phasing.
Her force fields also allow for traversal in a few ways. The most common method is by creating a disk, slightly larger than herself, beneath her feet and manipulate it to fly around. Should she be required to go underwater, Susan can either create a bubble around herself and up to 5 other individuals or envelop herself in one of her fields. While not usually required, her fields can withstand limited exposure to the vacuum of space, though that usually lasts no more than 10 minutes. Each method of traversal is able to reach speeds up to 100mph, which Susan has previously used in combat situations, being able to move around the given battlefield far quicker than most would expect. As she is able to create fields anywhere, Susan can also walk on air, water, etc.
The one mutual factor that each of the team’s members received over time, was their noticeable longevity. Their aging process slowed significantly, beginning to show signs only as they entered their 40s. Each of them will likely live to one-hundred, if not one-hundred fifty. Additionally, their immune systems have been bolstered, making it much more difficult for them to fall victim to disease.
Invisibility
The Invisible Woman has the mental ability to manipulate ambient cosmic energy (from a still unknown source) for a plethora of effects. The most prominent one being the rendering of herself and other objects invisible. By simple concentration, Susan can cause all wavelengths of visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light to bend around her without distortion, making her completely invisible. An observer would have the sensation of seeing through Susan. She also directs enough undistorted light to her eye, so that she retains full range of vision while invisible.
On the flip side, Susan can turn the optic nerves of someone else invisible, causing temporary blindness. Additionally, the cosmic rays affected Susan’s retinas, so that she is able to clearly see various forms of cosmic rays and energy. This also includes the ability to see her own force fields, a feat she was originally incapable of. Susan can, additionally, provide herself with a limited form of vision, should she be blinded. Though that is more akin to something like echolocation, but by using cosmic rays and her own power.
Sue can also mentally project her invisible energy outward to render other people or objects invisible. The largest volume she can currently turn invisible at a single time is approximately the size of a medium to large swimming pool. She can increase that area up to 200 meters in diameter with the help of a force field.
The Invisible Woman has sufficient control over her powers that she can turn parts of her body selectively invisible. Objects or people that have been turned invisible by other sources can be made visible and disrupt their use of that ability through Susan letting her own energy projection interfere with that other method. Furthermore, she can make energy that is not in the visual portion of the electromagnetic spectrum visible by a similar interaction. Susan is naturally invisible to radar equivalents. She can also emit low-level waves of invisible force to detect nearby objects or people in a radar-like fashion.
With her power, Susan can manipulate the interaction of light waves to essentially change the colour of anything she chooses.
Psionic Force Fields
While the cells of Susan’s body produce the manifestation of her invisibility energy, the cells of her brain produce a more potent variant. Again, through concentration, she is able to project an invisible field of psionic force, which she can manipulate into a number of relatively simple forms: rectangular planes, cylinders, globes, domes, cones, etc. The complexity of the shape is limited by her ability to imagine (mentally visualize) a particular form and keep it in sharp mental focus. She is also able to manifest multiple force fields and objects at once, with the upper limit currently standing at 6 fields at once, when her concentration begins to waver.
The size of a given psionic force projection is also limited by that same factor. The smallest projection she can visualize (and maintain) is the size of a pea. The largest solid force projection she can visualize and maintain is about 300 feet in diameter. She can project larger force-objects if they are hollow. For instance, she could visualize and project a dome 1 foot thick about a mile in diameter (5,280 feet) and a dome 1 inch in thickness which she can project for about 3.2 miles. Small objects at high speeds become missiles; large objects at slow speeds become rams. She can make these objects grow or shrink in size as desired. She can also create more complex constructs out of her force fields, such as stairs, weapons, and other such objects. Her force fields can also be use as shockwaves, by sending a wave of her energy outward.
Aside from forming force constructs to act as weapons, Susan can also use the fields to apply more direct and frightening levels of damage. By forming force fields within their bodies, Sue can render people unconscious or induce more serious physical distress. She an give an instant embolism from a hundred yards out, crush wind pipes, fill lungs, and drive force spikes through their hearts without blinking. Additionally, she can induce heart attacks by blocking off the three main coronary arteries, affect parts of the nervous system with her precise control, compress brainstems, force air bubbles into the bloodstream and place force fields in the brains of her targets, causing headaches or in extreme cases, brain death. Susan can also project a force field inside an object and expand it, causing it to explode. These applications of her abilities are typically used as means of intimidation and threat, as Susan is typically opposed to using her abilities in such harmful ways.
Since her power is an extension of her mind and body, the Invisible Woman is affected by inertial forces acting upon her projections. Thus, if a car travelling at 60 mph hit a wall of her force that was 6 inches thick, unless she generated a bracing shape against a sufficiently sturdy object, she would be affected as though she were hit by the car directly. Susan is able to control the surface of the fields rigidity to an extent. She can cause the surface of the field to be very hard, depending on its thickness (steel-like at about 2.5 feet) or as resilient as foam rubber. By making the field more resilient, she is able to absorb more of the inertia of impacts within the field without averse effects on her body. She is also able to alter the shapes she creates mid-use, often to absorb or deflect the force of impacts. When she creates objects that are at the limit of her ability to mentally visualize, they tend to be resilient rather than rigid.
Susan’s fields are also extremely resistant to the elements, natural phenomena and other powers. Telekinesis and telepathy cannot penetrate her fields, for instance. Should she create a force field around the person using said abilities, all those effects in the immediate vicinity would cease. This is basically what happens with other abilities as well, like intangibility and phasing.
Her force fields also allow for traversal in a few ways. The most common method is by creating a disk, slightly larger than herself, beneath her feet and manipulate it to fly around. Should she be required to go underwater, Susan can either create a bubble around herself and up to 5 other individuals or envelop herself in one of her fields. While not usually required, her fields can withstand limited exposure to the vacuum of space, though that usually lasts no more than 10 minutes. Each method of traversal is able to reach speeds up to 100mph, which Susan has previously used in combat situations, being able to move around the given battlefield far quicker than most would expect. As she is able to create fields anywhere, Susan can also walk on air, water, etc.
Proficient Martial Artist
Susan is a capable unarmed combatant and engaged in regular training sessions with the rest of the Fantastic Four. After leaving the team, she continued her training under other adept combatants in the superhero community, finding the skill useful and necessary despite her focus on research.
Weapons/Items:
Planetary resources
Being the Chief Scientific Officer at Planetary, Susan has access to a myriad of financial, technological and other such resources necessary for the organization’s various operational and research efforts. Some equipment has been brought over from her days in the Fantastic Four, although necessary modifications were made.
Unstable Molecules
The brainchild of Reed Richards, unstable molecules are experimental particles, which can be easily altered and adapt to a certain environment. Initially used for the Fantastic Form uniforms, their use has since expanded beyond attire. Susan extracted a portion of the material from her suit and has since put it to good use within Planetary.
Universal Translator
A device that can decipher languages, both alien and terrestrial, into the native language of the user. Planetary has implemented the technology into every field agent’s suit.
Horn of Proteus
An Atlantean relic gifted to Susan by King Namor, as means to call him to her aid at any time. The horn can also summon and control deep sea creatures, although that application seems to be reserved for Atlanteans themselves.
Quick Travel Portal (QTP)
Planetary’s quick travel portal can be used to, unsurprisingly, swiftly travel from one location to the other. Allowed for use to Planetary’s field and high level operatives, The QTP is built into each of their suits. When given specific coordinates where to teleport the user, a square opens up above the user, descending to envelop the traveler and will materialize them in the same fashion in their desired location.
Negative Zone Projector
One of the most well-guarded items in Planetary, the Negative Zone Projector does exactly what it says; the device can create a portal into the treacherous dimension. How it came into their possession is simple: Susan stole the schematics and made a copy. With the fear of her ex-husband potentially using the dimension in his own experiments, she found it necessary to have a window into that world as well and occasionally monitor it. It is perhaps one of the only things Planetary does not share willingly. Accessing it requires Susan's explicit approval, along with numerous other processes, before anyone can even look at the device.
The brainchild of Reed Richards, unstable molecules are experimental particles, which can be easily altered and adapt to a certain environment. Initially used for the Fantastic Form uniforms, their use has since expanded beyond attire. Susan extracted a portion of the material from her suit and has since put it to good use within Planetary.
Universal Translator
A device that can decipher languages, both alien and terrestrial, into the native language of the user. Planetary has implemented the technology into every field agent’s suit.
Horn of Proteus
An Atlantean relic gifted to Susan by King Namor, as means to call him to her aid at any time. The horn can also summon and control deep sea creatures, although that application seems to be reserved for Atlanteans themselves.
Quick Travel Portal (QTP)
Planetary’s quick travel portal can be used to, unsurprisingly, swiftly travel from one location to the other. Allowed for use to Planetary’s field and high level operatives, The QTP is built into each of their suits. When given specific coordinates where to teleport the user, a square opens up above the user, descending to envelop the traveler and will materialize them in the same fashion in their desired location.
Negative Zone Projector
One of the most well-guarded items in Planetary, the Negative Zone Projector does exactly what it says; the device can create a portal into the treacherous dimension. How it came into their possession is simple: Susan stole the schematics and made a copy. With the fear of her ex-husband potentially using the dimension in his own experiments, she found it necessary to have a window into that world as well and occasionally monitor it. It is perhaps one of the only things Planetary does not share willingly. Accessing it requires Susan's explicit approval, along with numerous other processes, before anyone can even look at the device.
“As always in life, people want a simple answer... and it’s always wrong.”
- Susan Greenfield
Appearance
Physical Appearance:
By general observation, Susan Storm isn't particularly physically intimidating. However, it's her stance and posture (and reputation) that make most heads turn towards her when she enters a room. Standing at 5'9" and still maintaining the build from her hero days, Susan is a fairly impressive woman. Those who can look past her professional posture will see someone with kind features and someone who has also experienced a lot throughout her lifetime. Sue's soft blue eyes (bordering on almost hazel) make her rightfully seem like someone anyone can come to for advice or to simply strike up a conversation.
Susan's hairstyles tend to vary fairly often, though she has decided on a few favourites. Most typically, her hair simply hangs loose, stylized in waves. When in her work mode, she puts her hair in a tidy ponytail. A slightly messier version of her ponytail, or a bun, is seen when attending formal events ant the like.
Clothing And Armor:
Susan's primary piece of attire for field operations and general work is a modified version of her original Fantastic Four suit. Dark blue, almost bordering on black, as its base colour, the suit is accented by a lighter blue neckline, a mid part and a pair of gloves and knee-high boots. The suit is comprised of unstable molecules, the creation of Reed, which are a sophisticated configuration of atomic nuclei and electrons. They are responsive to certain energized matter around it and thus they can mimic its wearer's physical properties. In Susan's case, they turn invisible with her, although she has since mastered the ability to turn herself invisible in whatever she's wearing. In addition, unstable molecules are extremely resistant to drastic changes in temperature, pressure, density, and other forces, making their use for metahuman operatives a logical step forward. The uniform also serves as lightweight armor, able to absorb most small arms fire and various forms of elemental and energy attacks, provided that they are not an outright weakness of the subject. The suit is designed to protect the user in even the most inhospitable environments, allowing Susan to survive in the vacuum of space with miniaturized pressurization technology and a nanoseal weave, acting as an illusory helmet, protecting her head from the elements and providing a virtually limitless supply of oxygen converted from her body heat.
After joining Planetary, Susan made some necessary changes to her suit. First and foremost, Sue altered the network of transceivers and sensors within the suit, to cut her off from the rest of the Four. She then added additional preventive software to prevent anyone from trying to hack her suit and gain the information from its built-in computer. The suit still tracks her location, condition and other similar data, though is now transferred to other Planetary operatives with similar suits and interfaces like hers. A keypad and screen can be brought up from the suit's right glove, allowing Susan to view the same information about other operatives and also gives access to her personal database on the go. The computer acts as a scanner, able to scan, detect and identify almost anything and anyone, as long as Planetary's own (and those of its allies) databases can do so. It can also be used as means of communication, which is paired with an earpiece for convenience. Finally, Susan replaced the 4 logo with a minimalist version of Planetary's, though keeping its function the same. The emblem is connected to the suit's computer and acts as a storage drive for any information discovered and acquired. It is additionally a camera, able to record whatever the wearer sees and is able to immediately send it back to HQ, if necessary.
When not in her standard work clothes, Susan is no stranger to fashion. Her standard suit provides her with the most practicality and easy access to what she needs, but she does also employ pantsuits, should she be in more meetings than in the lab on any given day. Otherwise, Sue enjoys dressing up for events and almost never disappoints with her selection of dresses and other formal clothing. Casually, she's a plaid and jeans type of woman and emphasizes comfort where she can.
"Courage is like — it’s a habitus, a habit, a virtue: you get it by courageous acts. It’s like you learn to swim by swimming. You learn courage by couraging."
- Marie Daly
Personality
Sexual Orientation:
Heterosexual
General Personality:
Susan Storm is often described as a capital H hero. Selfless, kind, and constantly fighting for forces of good. During the days of the Fantastic Four, she was unequivocally considered to be the glue that held the team together through thick and thin, so it was of little surprise to some when the team dissolved after her departure. Susan is and still strives to be empathetic and a person who tries to see the best in most. Her compassion only increased after giving birth to her children and especially after having to raise them alone. Despite being a world-class scientist, Susan still views motherhood as her most important job. After each of the kids began manifesting their own unique abilities, that perspective increased a thousandfold. Bringing her children into a world of constant change and ever-present danger is something that terrifies Susan to her core. She doesn't hide it from them either, having experienced all that herself before. They need all the tools they can and Sue will stop at nothing to prepare them for their eventual journey. Her family is indeed most important to her and only a fool would dare stand in the way of Susan and the safety of her children.
Balancing motherhood and her job has always been a daunting task, though one at which Susan excels. As a scientist, she is an excellent multitasker, inquisitive and few can stop her when she has her mind set on a particular goal. Her intelligence remains a significant boon, able to find the most efficient ways of getting things done and finding new methods and angles to look at and solve various issues. She is a natural born explorer and enjoys the sense of wonder she still has when discoveries are made. Sue also can't turn away a good mystery and can spend hours on end trying to decipher or understand a foreign lifeform or technology. Susan values her work greatly and values sharing it even more, finding that sharing these amazing discoveries shouldn't be taboo. Knowledge is what will strive mankind forward, which is why Planetary is her home. Yet Susan never credits only herself on these various accomplishments. A team player through and through, she will constantly take the opportunity to acknowledge and raise up the other minds that worked with her.
Surprising nobody, Susan is also an effortlessly sociable and wickedly funny. Her social skills were perhaps the most prominent part of her person before everything else. This also helps with handling such situations with class and effectiveness, not getting lost in meaningless arguments or saying things that are only going to make things worse. In that sense, Susan is exquisitely calm and patient and rarely likes raising her voice. It's also much more effective when she does, because her fury is almost always for good reason. Most typically, however, she instead lowers her tone and reaches a particular booming and calculated pitch that makes her much more intimidating than expected. Her kids call it "the mom voice," which amuses Susan enough, though it is a bit different. Needless to say, Susan has her voice as a very potent weapon and tends to use it more than any other.
Susan's softer demeanor is contrasted by how her life developments changed her. She became a more determined person, more willing to state what she wanted and much more willing to put her foot down when needed. It also made her fully step into a leader role both in her life and eventually at Planetary. Her leadership skills flourished, though she was also more willing to take risks. Some paid off, others didn't, but she learned from those mistakes because she felt like she could actually make them without scorn. She carries all that with her to the present day. Her resolve is twice as strong and woe betide those who step into Susan Storm's way as foe and not friend.
Face/Voice:
Elizabeth Mitchell
Anything Else
Susan has kept some of the memorabilia from her Fantastic Four days.
The Mary Storm Fund For Women In Science was launched by Susan shortly after she completed her second doctorate.
"The work of today is the history of tomorrow and we are its makers."
- Juliette Gordon Low
Character's History
Siblings:
Jonathan "Johnny" Storm (Brother)
Mother:
Mary Storm (Deceased)
Father:
Franklin Storm
Other Family:
Valeria Storm-Richards (Daughter)
Franklin Storm-Richards (Son)
Ben Grimm (Close Friend)
Reed Richards (Ex-Husband)
History:
The Family Who Had It All
Mary's sudden death was a life defining event for the Storm family. Car crash. Franklin couldn't get Mary to the hospital in time. It was as if darkness swept over them all in one fell swoop, without blinking an eye. The guilt washed over Franklin, seemingly unable to snap out of it. Susan and Johnny were there for their father as best they could, which was ultimately the reason why Franklin didn't go off the deep end. He still had something to live for, a legacy to uphold and a memory to cherish, to make sure that Mary wasn't forgotten. It was during that period of grief that Susan made the conscious decision of fully committing herself to science and to look towards the stars, in her mother's name.
In Pursuit of Greatness
As her studies progressed, so did Susan's reputation. Empire State was a prestigious establishment, with a plethora of exceptional talent flowing through constantly, so her standing out was fairly significant. She herself was perhaps most surprised, but took it in stride and humility. To walk in the footsteps of the greats who came before her was invigorating, but she never let herself forget who got her that far and what she was doing it all for. She also befriended Ben Grimm during this time, still remaining in only the periphery of Reed. That would change soon enough, however not before the news of Doom's experimental machine exploded due to neglected errors and left him permanently scarred, along with being expelled from the university proper. The news spread like wildfire, with the arrogant scientist's reputation destroyed. She didn't learn of the true reason of the event until years later.
Sue's years of study, internships, and research culminated in her nearing the end of her second doctorate in genetics. At that point, she had been a guest lecturer and a fully fledged professor as well. Her youth remained an impressive factor, though still relatively overshadowed by the man, who could seemingly do the impossible if he wanted: Reed Richards. Their eventual, proper meeting resulted in instant sparks. It was as if the threads of fate had finally decided to let them cross paths. The two quickly became smitten with one another, sharing ideas for methods, solutions, and inventions that could better the world. Before either one realized, they had been dating for several months. A blissful time of fresh love, innovation and a shared love for everything science. Above all, however, was Reed's dream of space travel, which faced obstacles ranging from funding to the state of the political climate. A seemingly impossible task, even for a man known for such possibilities. It was Susan, who had the key to achieving the unfeasible. Franklin had significant leeway at NASA and after hearing Susan's proposal, managed to secure the necessary funding. He had only one condition: that the mission be dedicated to Mary Storm. A no-brainer for all parties involved, the journey into the unknown was fully underway. Little did Susan know that it was one that would irrevocably change her life.
Where No Man Had Gone Before
Reed, however, was not one to surrender. He urged his team to launch the mission before they could prevented from doing so. Ben was the first to contest this suggestion. His main point of contention: a looming cosmic storm, which would, at the very least, scramble every sensor on the ship. Reed had come too far in his goals to give up now. At his behest, the rest of the team followed suit. Susan had her own reservations, but be it insatiable scientific curiosity, love or naivete, she went along. Surprising everyone except Reed, the launch went perfectly, though that moment of victory would be short lived. Before anyone properly realized, the vessel was enveloped in a furious cosmic storm. Chaos didn't even have a chance to take root within the ship before it was plummeting towards Earth and crashing in fiery havoc. The event was considered a miracle, as everyone on board survived. Though what happened after was deemed nothing less than extraordinary. Each of the crew began displaying signs of unusual abilities as they were healing and being monitored. Susan could turn invisible at will and produce powerful psionic force fields. Reed became a living rubber band, capable of stretching to impossible lengths and morphing it. Johnny could become engulfed in flames at will, using it for a plethora of applications. But it was Ben, who suffered the most. Orange, stone skin covered his entire body, turning him into a garish figure of incredible size, strength, and durability. He did not care what his abilities allowed him to do, it was his appearance of a self-proclaimed monster that effectively ruined his life. A mistake Reed had to live with and something he tried to constantly remedy one way or another. Susan could only be there for support, as her expertise wasn't enough to try and reverse something like that. But she tried, more than the others were aware of.
The World's Greatest Explorers
As the Four got used to their superhero statuses, they went through sizable government cover-up and oversight even after much of the details of the mission had leaked to the public. There were still ramifications to handle, as their unauthorized flight set a precedent for the future. They were all lucky it went as well as it did. The team then settled into the penthouse facilities of the Baxter Building in the greater New York City and worked as bona fide "super spies" for a time, conducting covert operations around the world fit for their unique capabilities. Most of these missions were scientific in nature, involving anomalies that were beyond the scope of the likes of S.H.I.E.L.D., A.R.G.U.S. and the like. Mole creatures from below the surface of the Earth, alleged alien invaders, and entities from other dimensions made up the majority of the cases the Fantastic Four handled. One significant figure they encountered was King Namor of Atlantis. The man fancied Susan as soon as he laid eyes on her and tried several times to make her his queen. Needless to say, his efforts failed, often ensuing in violent retort. Reed Richards was a notorious man to many, it seemed, and Susan was the opposite, much to her chagrin. The team built their reputation and gradually became more public, opting to omit any secret identities, as they wanted to become more transparent to the average citizen. Like Spider-Man, but without the mask. They also had the financial stability and two supergeniuses at hand to prevent any too sensitive information from leaking.
The Fantastic Four had indeed many strange encounters and perilous threats to the planet they protected, though none perhaps so sinister or personal to the Four as the return of Victor von Doom, now proclaiming himself as Doctor Doom. His ego still knowing no bounds, the man had his grasp on the small nation of Latveria, though he made numerous attempts to subvert other nations and political entities to his will. World domination was but one of his goals, but besting Reed was at the top of the list. The Four managed to thwart him almost every time, however, cementing his rivalry with the entire team, despite his admiration of Susan and general apathy towards The Thing and The Human Torch. A few scuffles between Doom and the team became public, though operations regarding him were buried better than others. Needless to say, the Fantastic Four had their work cut out for them, as they balanced their regular lives with stardom and superheroics.
For Better, For Worse
Reed started to collaborate with a handful of morally questionable contemporaries. Susan's skepticism towards the people he affiliated himself with was valid. Reed thought little of it, seeing them as being much like himself. Niles Caulder was the one most clearly influencing Reed, her husband too blinded by scientific excellence to see the obvious. Susan's dislike of Caulder was instant. He was one of those people who simply had that aura around him. Caulder shared Reed's approach to science and viewed their sacrifices for the greater good as the right path to take. Dismissing Susan's protests, Reed and Niles founded the Argo Initiative, it becoming a new outlet for the Fantastic Four, as they reached out to individuals having experienced similar twists and mutations of science as the Four had. While seemingly noble in its cause, Susan noted its overwhelming importance to Reed. They became Reed's second family, though to her, they had become his first.
It was no more evident than in both taking care of Franklin and being with the team. Susan clearly noticed Reed becoming more and more obsessed with his scientific pursuits and its goals. He became more reserved, isolated and neglectful of the family he already had. The rest of the Four did their best to try and bring Reed back into the fold, but Niles Caulder's indoctrination ran deep. Reed's mission to better humanity was something he deemed more important than the family he had made. Reed's growing ignorance of family and obsession over the unknown became increasingly worse, even when the couple had time together. Everything reached a fever pitch when Susan was pregnant with their second child. When her water broke, she called Reed in a panic. Her husband, however, was in the middle of perhaps his most groundbreaking discovery. Each call she made, went to voicemail. The work came first. With Ben and Johnny away on special assignment, Susan was out of options. She needed someone who knew what they were doing and could get to her in short notice. Aid came in the unlikely form of Victor on Doom. Though, as always, he had his own ulterior motive. He gets to name the child.
Overcome by the physical stress and emotion, Sue agreed.
After a stressful labor, Valeria was born. Grateful, but also disdainful of both her decision and his involvement, Susan held her child in her hands, trying to comprehend what had just transpired. The next few days were the worst of Susan's life. When Reed was looped in, his reaction expected and unseemly at the same time. In his eyes, she had crossed a line, betrayed his trust, and everything the Fantastic Four stood for. She reminded him of his recent near constant absence. When she was in need, when they both should have been experiencing an important moment in their lives, he was nowhere to be found. An argument ensued as they were on their own. Buried tension and feelings finally had an outlet, one that ended in Reed snapping and striking Susan across the face. The silence after could be cut with a knife. The pair stood there for a minute and then Susan said the expected. The divorce papers were signed that night.
How Does She Do It?
In that following period, Susan's life was in a constant state of flux. She lived with her father for a time, wanting to just return home and give her children a modicum of normalcy as they all went through a time of complex emotions and unanswered questions. Susan also became noticeably more silent and frequently in thought. There was seemingly no way to shut it off. It was as if she was utterly lost, unable to distinguish up and down, left and right. But her kids and her father occasionally managed to snap her out of it. Yet still, she was in a place she wasn't going to get out of for a while. It was a time that irrevocably changed Susan, its effects felt in the present day.
To Susan's genuine surprise and relief, the family was soon joined by Johnny. When he was at the doorstep, she immediately burst into tears and gave her brother the longest embrace either of them had experienced. He apologized for not going with her right off the bat. He had to figure out what he wanted and couldn't leave Ben alone. But his sister was going through the worst period of her life. He couldn't consider himself a Storm if he wasn't with her. Uncle Johnny had always been good with the kiddos and his presence was especially felt when both Franklin and Valeria began to exhibit their own unique skills. The Storm family patriarch couldn't have been more proud of what his children had become. Even in the midst of chaos, they prevailed.
Soon, Susan had recovered enough to put the focus partially back on herself. She returned to her alma mater as a guest lecturer and got back into research. Despite living relatively low-key, Susan's return was still noticed by plenty of her peers. Her renewed love and focus on science allowed her to truly spread her wings and gradually become a powerhouse in the area. Susan also briefly worked for S.H.I.E.L.D., before it was liquidated into A.R.G.U.S., embarking on a few covert missions and witnessing the birth of their Life Model Decoy (LMD) program. She continued to carve her own path, all the while raising her children, who were growing up far too quickly. Sue's life finally began to take shape again, in a way where she could perhaps feel truly content again.
Archaeologists Of The Impossible
Anxiety enveloped Susan, being cautious throughout the rest of the event, wondering what he was planning and ready to step in if necessary. The moment came during Reed's speech, as Victor usurped the stage and revealed Reed's shady affiliations, what his reckless misuse of his genius would mean for mankind, and most importantly of all, why the Fantastic Four disbanded. In a few minutes that felt like hours, Reed's reputation was given a sizable blow, regardless of whether some believed Doom or not. Susan merely stood in place, unable to move a muscle, in shock. A wave of dozen emotions rushed over her. Gratitude, hate, uncertainty, betrayal, justice. A part of her wanted to thank Victor. A part of her wanted to soothe Reed. She succumbed to neither. As Victor made his exit, he stopped next to Susan, his words clear and concise: her debt had been paid.
A week after the conference, Susan received a call from one Elijah Snow, asking for a meeting. She knew of the man, though much of him was shrouded in mystery, but she knew enough to accept. Susan was taken to Planetary, where Snow met her proper. He had been at the conference himself, as an investor, but more importantly to meet her. Victor's spiel thwarted that possibility, but Elijah was steadfast in meeting the woman. His offer was simple. Susan Storm was to join Planetary as its Chief Scientific Officer. He had watched her career for a while and found that she was exactly the right flavor of miracle worker who could launch Planetary into new unforeseen heights. The thought of asking "why me?" crossed her mind more than once. She subdued it. She had lived long enough and worked her way to where she was now. The offer was meant purely for her and nobody else. She had a few conditions. All of which Snow immediately agreed to. So it was.
Susan has since been with Planetary and has managed to build a fair work-life balance, making the most of her work and her time with her family. She has been able to do what she wanted, on her own terms, for a noble cause. Susan Storm managed to land on her feet after numerous stumbles and continues to walk through the messy business of life in stride. She has come far and intends to go even further as new frontiers await.
Role Play Sample:
Courthouse rooms had always struck Susan Storm as uncomfortable. She wondered how people could work in such environments. It also made her realize that she couldn't last long in such a profession. A place and job, where a lot of people would experience the worst outcomes possible. And a lot of it would be blamed on those tasked with defending these people. Today, she was one of them. It was the day where the custody of her children would be decided. The process had so far been quicker than she had anticipated. It was largely due to her ex-husband's absence.
The excuse? Classified. The cycle continued.
Susan sat in a fairly large room, near the edge of a long, oval-shaped table. It was almost like a defense mechanism. So that she could escape if she needed to. A silly instinct, when she thought about it. She was there for Franklin and Valeria, not herself. The door opened, her lawyer calmly making his way to the chair across hers. Desmond Tobey was a middle-aged man, gray already covering most of his hair, looking like someone who had gone through divorce himself. His eyes lacked a pop of color, making them look almost black from afar, with a soulless stare. Like he was tailor-made for this. When he spoke, his tone was almost rehearsed. Calculated and clear, with an inkling of warmth behind it.
"So, Susan. This should be the last hearing before the judge makes her decision. We've played our cards right so far. Let's go over your final testimony."
Referring to her by her first name was a common tactic, but one that, admittedly, worked. Whether it was his job or not, he at least seemed to be on her side. Before she would go over what she was to say at the witness stand, she had to know if Reed would be there for the final decision. Sue already knew the answer, but she needed to ask still.
"Is he going to be there?"
"No. Classified, they told me. Guess it's really important work. I get it."
Realizing he had just screwed up, Desmond looked up from the notepad he had been scribbling on, his expression a mix of some regret and the hope that she wouldn't say anything. Susan was already looking him dead in the eye, however. Her own expression portraying a myriad of feelings, while looking perpetually exhausted from everything.
"You don't get it. You aren't comparable. He is one of the smartest people on the entire planet. What he is doing is something that will change mankind one way or another. There isn't another man like him. It's why I fell in love with him. It's why I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. And it's also why I was so damn sure that starting our own family would mean as much to him as it did to me. But he is a scientist to his core. The work will always come first. He can't change that. And that... is what tore our family apart. He will continue to do great things for this world, I am sure of that. But I will raise our children and shape them into people who would never do what he did."
A palpable silence ruled the room for a moment. Susan had spoken as if she had been preparing this for a while. Words yearning to breathe for years, finally given their moment. Every inflection and stress was exactly where it should've been. Then, a knowing smile decorated Desmond's face. If he was apologetic, he wasn't going to vocalize it. She had just inadvertently said what he needed to hear, in more ways than one. Swallowing his own pride, the lawyer stood up, grabbed his things and looked at his client once more.
"Yeah, that will work. Let's go."
Susan's reaction to his was unreadable. She appreciated what his words meant, but overall, she was too drained to really take in the moment. She wanted it to be over. She wanted to hug her kids and most of all, she wanted to go home. Standing up and composing herself for a second, Susan followed her lawyer, ready to close that chapter in her life. Whatever the outcome may be.
