Spoilers for Fantastic Four #32 ahead!
In Fantastic Four #32, the Thing’s lover, Alicia Masters, defeats a Skrull in the creepiest way possible, and in a way that would make her father, the Puppet Master, proud.
Alicia Masters is the wife of Benjamin Grimm, AKA the Thing. She is a sculptor, and her works are exhibited in galleries around the world in the Marvel Universe. Her father is the villain the Puppet Master, a sinister figure who creates tiny replicas of his victims and has the power to control them. Alicia has renounced her father and now lives with the Thing. Recently, the pair adopted two alien children, Jo and Nicki. Meanwhile, Johnny Storm, AKA the Human Torch, has begun a new romantic affair with Sky, who is new to Earth; he has also had to deal with the return of Lyja, his ex-Skrull lover, who can shape-shift like other members of her species. These tangled threads come together in Fantastic Four #32.
The issue opens with the Human Torch and Thing attending a gala exhibition celebrating Latverian artifacts with their lovers. Alicia even has sculptures in the exhibition. Human Torch meets with Sky, but it turns out to be his ex-girlfriend Lyja in disguise, and when the real Sky shows up, sparks fly. The Thing is ready to fight, but Alicia holds him back. When an anti-Latverian terrorist cell attacks, the Human Torch, Sky, Victorious, and Lyja jump into action and are able to quickly get the upper hand. As the dust settles, Sky has grown frustrated with Lyja’s meddling, and leaves, saying she “needs space.” Lyja approaches him, but he pushes her away and she finally concludes their relationship was built on deception and they are better off apart. She tells him she is returning to her people and leaving Earth “forever.” Readers then learn that Lyja’s words about leaving Earth were not her own. Instead, Alicia took a page out of her father’s playbook and created a duplicate of Lyja and then manipulated her, putting words into Lyja’s mouth and controlling her thoughts. It was payback for ruining their evening, and potentially Human Torch’s life. And the kicker is: the Thing is none the wiser she did it!
The Puppet Master is a frightening villain, with the ability to control people without them ever knowing it. For the longest time, his daughter had renounced her father and his evil ways, but it looks as if this is about to change. Was this a one-off? Or will Alicia succumb to the power and temptation, and go down the same path as her father? What is truly horrifying is that Alicia did not seem anguished she was doing it; in fact, she almost seems to enjoy it and is able to pull the wool over the Thing’s eyes about it so convincingly.
Whether or not Alicia continues to use these powers remains to be seen, but if she does, it will most certainly impact her relationship with the Thing and the rest of the Fantastic Four. Fantastic Four #32, is written by Dan Slott, with art by R.B. Silva, colors by Jesus Aburtov, and letters by Joe Caramanga; it is on sale now in print and digital.