Sue Richards has come a long way. Introduced in the 1960s as the Invisible Girl – a passive figure often side-lined by the men around her – she was emblematic of the era’s limited view of female superheroes. But as society evolved, so did Sue. She became a mother, a scientist, and a strategist. Her powers grew, her voice sharpened, and her leadership solidified. Today, she’s not just the emotional core of the Fantastic Four – she’s its spine. Her journey mirrors the cultural shift from tokenism to agency, from background presence to commanding force.

This episode puts that evolution under pressure. When Sue is manipulated by the Psycho-Man’s emotion-warping technology, she becomes Malice, Mistress of Hate – a cruel, calculating version of herself, stripped of empathy and driven by rage. It’s a terrifying transformation, not because she’s powerful, but because she’s unrecognisable. Malice isn’t just a villain – she’s a distortion of everything Sue has fought to become. And yet, it’s Sue who breaks the spell. Not through brute force, but through clarity, memory, and love.

Her arc in this story isn’t just about rescue – it’s about reclamation. She confronts the darkest version of herself and chooses to return. That choice is what makes her heroic. Not the force fields. Not the invisibility. But the refusal to be defined by someone else’s vision of who she should be.

Sue Richards is no longer invisible. She’s the woman who holds the team together, who leads with compassion and fights with conviction. And in a world of cosmic threats and psychic warfare, she remains one of Marvel’s most quietly powerful icons.

This is her story. And it’s long overdue.

Johnny Storm is still reeling from his separation from Crystal, so Reed and Sue take him out for the evening, hoping to lift his spirits. Ben Grimm is left behind to monitor a strange new element Reed has discovered – one originating from another dimension. But Ben’s quiet night of popcorn and comic books turns into a nightmare when he’s confronted by a monstrous version of himself. The creature is an illusion, conjured by the Psycho-Man and his psycho-weapons – devices that project amplified hate, fear, and despair into their targets. It’s only when Alicia is caught in the blast that Ben breaks free, conquering his fear and striking the villain, who vanishes – leaving only his armour behind.

Once the team reunites, Reed deduces that the Psycho-Man hails from the same dimension as the compound. But as he begins to analyse it, tempers flare. The element is radioactive and affects the human brain, amplifying its darkest impulses. The Fantastic Four begin to turn on each other, their emotions manipulated by the compound’s influence.

While out with Alicia, Sue is captured by the Psycho-Man – disguised as Reed. When she contacts Ben and asks him to bring the element to Avengers Mansion, he complies, only to be ambushed by a villainess calling herself Malice, Mistress of Hate. She defeats Ben and steals the compound.

Back at Four Freedoms Plaza, Reed confirms his suspicions: Malice is Sue, twisted by the Psycho-Man’s weapons. Using the Reducto-Craft, Reed, Johnny, and Ben shrink into the Microverse to rescue her – but they only have thirty minutes before the craft returns automatically. Inside, they’re captured and subjected to their worst fears. Reed escapes and frees the others, but they’re stopped again by Malice, who incapacitates Johnny and Ben and traps Reed with a force field bubble inside his chest.

Reed loses his temper and lashes out at Sue. But when the Psycho-Man prepares to fire his fear ray at the innocent populace of the Microverse, Sue offers to test it on the Four first – then turns the weapon on him instead. The argument with Reed has broken the spell. Psycho-Man is consumed by his own hate ray, and the Four escape just in time. Back aboard the craft, Reed admits he finds Sue’s costume appealing – and asks Ben to take the pilot seat.

This episode truly is a mash-up from different sources: some of the action comes from Psycho-Man’s first appearance in Fantastic Four Annual #5, whilst others come from his next appearance in Fantastic Four #76-77. Sue’s Malice arc, and the rest of the episode, comes from Fantastic Four #280-283.

Ben’s comic book reading includes a Marvel adaption of animated series Biker Mice from Mars.

The restaurant that Sue and Alicia visit is named ‘Houston’s’ – presumably after producer and director Larry Houston.

Avengers Mansion is mentioned in this continuity for the first time. The Avengers themselves will turn up in the next episode.

FEAR MADE FLESH: PSYCHO-MAN AND THE MICROVERSE

Psycho-Man first appeared in Fantastic Four Annual #5 (1967), a villain from the Microverse – a subatomic dimension ruled by technocracy and fear. Armed with a Control Box that amplifies hate, doubt, and terror, he doesn’t throw punches. He weaponizes emotion. For the Fantastic Four, that made him more than a threat – it made him personal.

The Microverse itself is Marvel’s quantum realm. Entire civilizations exist beyond sight, including the Micronauts and Sub-Atomica. Psycho-Man rules his corner with precision, but his ambitions reach outward. Earth is vulnerable. Its heroes are emotional. And he knows how to twist that.

His most infamous act came in Fantastic Four #280–283, when he turned Sue Richards into Malice. It wasn’t just a villainous plot – it was a character crisis. Sue, the team’s emotional anchor, became its greatest threat. And when she broke free, she didn’t just reclaim her identity – she redefined it.

Psycho-Man has clashed with the FF, Silver Surfer, and the Micronauts. He’s tried to harness cosmic power, shrink worlds, and manipulate minds. But he always returns – because fear always does. His Control Box remains one of Marvel’s most insidious weapons.

He’s not just a villain. He’s a concept. A reminder that the worst battles aren’t always physical. And the Microverse? It’s not just small – it’s mythic. A place where fear becomes flesh, and where the Fantastic Four are forced to fight themselves…

The Inhumans Saga (Part 3): Beware the Hidden Land | To Battle the Living Planet