Susan Storm, Agency, And Fictional Motherhood

The second Susan announced she was pregnant in the Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer, I rolled my eyes.
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See, here’s the thing. I hate pregnancy tropes. Hate them with a passion. It might be my least favorite trope in all fiction-dom. Too many series take a beloved heroine, announce she’s pregnant, and then strip her of all character and personality.

So when Susan Storm announced she was pregnant, in the very first trailer no less, I lost all hope that our girl Susan got to do much of anything in the movie.

Maybe that’s why I didn’t make a huge effort to see the movie. It’d pop up on Disney+, and I’d page past. I’d watch it sometime before the next Avengers movie came out. Maybe.

Well, I finally watched it, and I am blown away by how wrong I was. Not only is Susan an excellent heroine, she’s an excellent example of motherhood.

Today, I’m analyzing Susan and all the things that make her fantastic. But first, let’s clear the water on my deep-seated hatred for pregnancy tropes.

Why I Hate Pregnancy Tropes

My hatred of fictional pregnancies doesn’t translate to real life, I assure you. I’ve celebrated with others over pregnancy announcements and baby showers and new additions.

So why all the hatred for it in fiction?

My first reason is practical. I read mainly young adult fiction. So unless you’re tackling a topic like teen pregnancy, this trope is just a weird choice.

My second reason is the more important one. Most authors who write pregnancy tropes sacrifice their heroines in order to do so. Her only personality trait becomes “pregnant.” Any values she held before disappear--especially if she’s stated before that she wasn’t interested in having babies.

At best, it’s a cheap way to write off a character.

At worst, it cements the idea that a woman’s only worth lies in how many babies she has. And that idea doesn’t need any more cementing.

I’ve mentioned before that I grew up with an abuser who held some cult-like beliefs, and this was a huge one. As young as eight years old, I was taught that the only destiny a woman has it to get married and have as many babies as possible, even if it’s more than she or her body can handle.

And as young as eight years old, I remember panicking, because what if I grew up and I didn’t want that?

When I say I hate pregnancy tropes, it’s not because I think moms don’t need representation. It’s not because I think all women should stay single.

It’s because these tropes are often used to demean women, whether that’s a woman who chooses to have children or a woman who chooses to not have children.

But no one does that to Susan Storm. And Susan Storm gave me hope for this very controversial trope, and a group of women who don’t see themselves represented well very often.

Susan keeps her agency.

Within the movie’s first few minutes, we find out this is Susan’s choice. She’s wanted a baby for a long time.
Her pregnancy isn’t because a negligent writer needed something Susan could do. She’s not having a baby because she’s a woman and everyone knows that’s the only thing women are good for.

She’s having a baby because she decided for herself that she wanted this in her life. And the people around her that love her—her husband, her brother, and her friends—respected and supported her.

Female characters—moms or otherwise—often lack agency. They’re often there just so things can happen to them, things that will spur on other characters’ development. They’ll get kidnapped. They’ll get tortured. They’ll get pregnant. They’re not often given the opportunity to make meaningful choices, both good and bad, choices that impact the story.

So watching Susan choose this path for herself, not because anyone else thought she should, is refreshing. And it honors all the real-life women who make that choice for themselves, too.

Susan has a full personality, and her personality doesn’t vanish or change just because she’s having a baby. Rather, she brings her character and her values into motherhood. She has meaningful relationships with other characters and has her own thoughts and opinions on different issues.

She is a fully developed person who happens to also be a mom.

Not only that, but no one forces Susan to surrender her role as a superhero when she gets pregnant and has a baby. She continues fighting to save the world through it all. At times, her role may look different than it did before, but her contribution does not decrease or disappear.

She has worth and value as a person, not just as a potential mom. I’d argue that she may be the most powerful member of the Fantastic Four.

Okay, well, except one character who I won’t divulge here in case anyone out there (like me) hasn’t seen the film. Because spoilers.

Susan Storm made me confront all the preconceived notions I had about fictional motherhood. My problem with these tropes and depictions wasn’t that they exist. It was how they were used to take agency away from women.

Susan changed my mind. Because she proves that, when done with intentional thought, a pregnancy trope or motherhood arc can enhance a heroine’s story. It can strengthen her agency rather than tear it away. It can lift up the real-life women who made that choice and walk that journey every single day.

And she can send the message to all women that they have value and worth, whether or not they choose to have children.

Dare I say that’s fantastic? 

Your turn! Have you seen The Fantastic Four: First Steps? What did you think of Susan--and any of the other characters? 

Hi, I’m Rachel! I write young adult fantasy. I write the novels I needed growing up—the novels I still need. Novels for the weird little girls and the women they’re becoming.

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