Why Galactus Should Fear Silver Surfer The Most

Whether you're a Marvel fan or hater, both sides agree the franchise has entered some murky territory in terms of quality. The first reactions to "Captain America: Brave New World" didn't exactly fly high, but hopefully, things turn around soon. "Daredevil: Born Again" on Disney+ should be a return to form, while Marvel's Sentry in "Thunderbolts*" could make for one of the most terrifying villains yet. Then there's the matter of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," featuring a superhero team that has a spotty record on the big screen. But things could turn around with this outing, especially with the main villain being Galactus.

This cosmic villain is one of the most formidable foes in Marvel Comics, and there are many reasons why Galactus is even more terrifying than Thanos. He has virtually limitless energy so long as he consumes planets, and judging from the trailer for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," he has his eyes set on Earth. Notably, the Fantastic Four will battle Galactus in an alternate version of Earth from the mainline Marvel Cinematic Universe. Without knowing what other heroes could be around, the Fantastic Four are seemingly on their own, but they may have a little help from an unexpected source.

While the likes of Dazzler and Squirrel Girl have defeated Galactus before, it's unlikely either of them will appear in "First Steps." Of course, the Fantastic Four themselves will play a pivotal role in the fight to save Earth, but will the titular heroes be able to beat the main villain unaided? We predict that Marvel's first family will stop this version of Galactus with a little help from the Silver Surfer, aka Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner), whom Galactus should fear the most. Here's why. 

When most people think of the Silver Surfer, it's usually the Norrin Radd version. He's the original from Marvel Comics who took on the designation of Galactus' herald to prevent him from consuming his home planet, Zenn-La. In doing so, he was able to stop Galactus from destroying everything and everyone he loves, including his beloved Shalla-Bal. It's Silver Surfer's mission to travel the universe to find planets fit for Galactus to eat: By saving his planet, he dooms countless others, and he often symbolizes the struggle between good and evil, as he's a reluctant shepherd for the apocalypse. 

In the mainline Earth-616 continuity, Mephisto takes Shalla-Bal to Earth as a way of tempting the Silver Surfer to come after Galactus has annihilated Zenn-La. Shalla-Bal then gets sent back to Zenn-La after Norrin Radd gives her some of his Power Cosmic. For those not in the know, the Power Cosmic is the source of unlimited cosmic energy that Galactus imbues Norrin Radd with, and he can do the same to others (more on that in a bit). However, we have a feeling this isn't the storyline they'll use for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps."

On Earth-9997, Shalla-Bal and Norrin Radd become twin heralds, with her becoming a Silver Surfer and getting all the powers that come with that responsibility. Given that "First Steps" doesn't seem to feature Norrin Radd, it's possible that he exists but is elsewhere, which would allow the Marvel Cinematic Universe to have Radd (or even a different Surfer) pop up later if they want. 

For the sake of simplicity, let's just assume that Shalla-Bal is the sole herald of Galactus in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," effectively taking the role traditionally inhabited by Norrin Radd. You might be thinking that it would still make sense for Galactus to fear the Fantastic Four above all else, since they're the heroes and probably the ones who will defeat him by the end of the movie. The Fantastic Four will certainly have a role to play, but Silver Surfer/Shalla-Bal may be the key to them taking down Galactus. 

Silver Surfer often grapples with the moral ramifications of his divine destiny. He saved his own planet, but at what cost? In the so-called Galactus Trilogy, consisting of 1996's "Fantastic Four" #48 through #50, Silver Surfer turns against his master, deciding that humanity is worth saving. Assuming "First Steps" follows a similar pattern, Shalla-Bal could arrive on Earth and reach a similar conclusion. In that comic arc, the Fantastic Four halt Galactus' path by Reed threatening him with the Ultimate Nullifier, an ancient device created by the Watcher Enmu that can destroy anything. Reed and Galactus wind up with a contingency of mutually assured destruction, with Galactus living but sparing Earth.

Perhaps "First Steps" could see Shalla-Bal having a change of heart and guiding the Fantastic Four to where the Ultimate Nullifier is located. In the "Galactus Trilogy," it's found on Galactus' home world, so Shalla-Bal could guide them there, as she would likely be privy to such information. Even if the Ultimate Nullifier doesn't factor into "First Steps," Shalla-Bal can provide the necessary information for Earth's heroes to save the day. 

The neat thing about the Multiverse and decades of comic continuity is that there are plenty of storylines for movies to pull from, though some actually contradict what's come before. Look at the six-issue miniseries "Galactus the Devourer" from writer Louise Simonson and artist John Buscema. It's widely accepted that Galactus is a necessary evil; he's a representation of how everything in the universe must die eventually, and he maintains a twisted balance. However, in "Galactus the Devourer," his hunger becomes too much, and he begins consuming more planets than he should. The miniseries reveals that he specifically chose Norrin Radd as the Silver Surfer because he knew he was noble enough to stop him when this day came, and that's exactly what he does. 

Silver Surfer works with the Fantastic Four and some other superheroes, like Captain America and Scarlet Witch, to basically turn Galactus into a star, ending his reign of terror. It's only as he's dying that Galactus reveals to Silver Surfer that he always intended him to take him out when the time called for it. Silver Surfer's actually sad to see Galactus go despite everyone else celebrating, because there are, in fact, worse things out there than Galactus: The death of just one Galactus in one universe is enough to unleash Abraxas, the embodiment of destruction who seeks to end the Multiverse.

Perhaps the Marvel Cinematic Universe wants to follow a similar path, with Silver Surfer and the Fantastic Four killing Galactus in "First Steps" only for the stage to be set for the whole Multiverse to be in peril in "Avengers: Doomsday," which is coming out on May 1, 2026. Maybe Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom will have an Abraxas up his sleeve.

Something that's made Silver Surfer such an engaging character over the decades is that there are many layers to his existence. As Galactus' herald, he's doomed numerous planets, but it's all been an effort to save his own. He carries the weight of his actions, becoming a tragic figure roaming the universe on a silver surfboard. That doesn't mean he's granted forgiveness for all his actions, and he can be downright evil like in Marvel's "Timeslip" storyline from Jeff Smith.

In Universe-97214, Galactus dies, and Silver Surfer is left with the burden of knowing that the destruction of worlds must continue for balance to exist. Silver Surfer takes it upon himself to continue destroying planets, eventually losing his soul and mind as he succumbs to the Power Cosmic. He becomes a truly emotionless monster, and it's a showcase of how dangerous the Surfer can become. 

With Shalla-Bal being the Silver Surfer in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," one would imagine she's also been imbued with the Power Cosmic. "Timeslip" might showcase the Silver Surfer at his most powerful, and if Shalla-Bal is capable of similar atrocities, then Galactus would have very good reason to fear her. It's also a good reason for the Fantastic Four to fear her, because even if they manage to beat Galactus on their own, Shalla-Bal may want to prevent multiversal destruction by assuming Galactus' place, which will create even more catastrophe.

Norrin Radd and Shalla-Bal are far from the only ones who have donned the mantle of Galactus' herald in the comics. Heck, even Peter Parker's Aunt May was a herald in a "What If...?" storyline. Heralds are effectively time-savers for Galactus as they scout out potential worlds for him to eat and report back. But not everyone is so keen on doing the job according to Galactus' whim, as Norrin Radd demonstrates. 

One could imagine Shalla-Bal having a similar crisis of faith during "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," and if she bails, Galactus may find that Earth has plenty of suitable heralds. One possible ending for "First Steps" if the Fantastic Four and Shalla-Bal can't figure out a way to kill Galactus would be for one of them to assume the herald's responsibilities. Johnny Storm, to be played by Joseph Quinn in "First Steps," once assumed that mantle in "Fantastic Four" #522 from writer Mark Waid and artist Mike Wieringo. In this storyline, Johnny has Sue's powers, and Galactus needs his mastery of invisibility to help him detect planets that have turned invisible (which alien races have started doing to avoid becoming Galactus' lunch).

Johnny isn't as melancholic a figure as Norrin Radd, though, and he bides his time until he gets assistance from the rest of the Fantastic Four. Johnny then uses his Power Cosmic to return Galactus to his original form of Galan, a figure from the previous universe who now must consume planets in the current one. Seeing as the Power Cosmic provides limitless cosmic potential, it's fairly ill-defined, but any Silver Surfer possessing it can pretty much do whatever they want, even eliminating Galactus as a threat.

One often overlooked truth about the Silver Surfer is that he's among the most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. It's no joke that the Power Cosmic allows him to perform some incredible feats. He can augment his own strength to rival Thor, and he can manipulate matter. In one instance, he drained Hulk of gamma radiation, turning him back into a powerless Bruce Banner. He's even traveled through time. Even though Galactus may believe Silver Surfer is on his side, you never know when the tides could turn.

To a degree, this means Shalla-Bal's Silver Surfer in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" could be a tad overpowered. It would be a bit of a let down if she used time travel to help the Fantastic Four beat Galactus (at this point, the whole time travel thing has been done to death in superhero films). However, there's little doubt that Shalla-Bal will be a useful ally, and one who adds something different to the mix: Sure, the Fantastic Four have a stretchy guy, an invisible woman, a rock person, and a man who can ignite himself, but nothing like the Silver Surfer.

The crucial thing is that the Surfer can imbue others with the Power Cosmic, which is what Norrin Radd did to Shalla-Bal, allowing her to restore their home world of Zenn-La. It's possible that Shalla-Bal could imbue her Power Cosmic into the Fantastic Four in "First Steps" to enhance their abilities. Essentially, anything Norrin Radd has done in the comics is definitely on the table for Shalla-Bal.

"The Fantastic Four: First Steps" trailer gave us Galactus' menacing presence, with the cosmic villain looming large over the Statue of Liberty. Those who attended 2024's D23 got to see his face peering ominously into windows. Notably, Julia Garner's Shalla-Bal was not in the trailer. The reason for this could be as simple as Silver Surfer undoubtedly requires a lot of visual effects that may not be presentable at this time. Another explanation could be that Marvel wants to downplay the significance of the character and how she could be the key to beating Galactus. 

Garner also hasn't given us much on what to expect with Shalla-Bal, keeping her cards close to her chest when asked about her character during interviews. For example, she told Who What Wear: "With the Silver Surfer, there's still something very mysterious about it. That mystery is very important to me as an actor. It's such an iconic character, and it felt very different for me. I've never played a character like that."

Referring to Silver Surfer as "mysterious" could be a good omen that she won't be a straight-up minion to Galactus and could offer some necessary gravitas to the film. She's played far more antagonistic figures in "Ozark" and "Inventing Anna," but here, she could defy expectations by being a force for malice initially and then realizing she needs to stop Galactus before it's too late. 

We've gone over the various ways Silver Surfer could be a massive threat to Galactus in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." Even though much of the precedent in the comics came from the Norrin Radd version of the Surfer, there's no reason why Shalla-Bal couldn't have similar powers and story arcs. However, Shalla-Bal is the main threat against Galactus because we definitely know she's going to be in the movie. If you'll allow us to speculate a bit, there could also be some surprise additions to the "First Steps" cast that could threaten Galactus.

Molecule Man, with his powers of matter manipulation, could alter the fabric of reality against Galactus. One fan theory suggests that John Malkovich's character could be Owen Reece, aka Molecule Man, and the character's inclusion would make sense to a degree. At one point in the comics, he becomes so powerful that he merges different universes together to create Battleworld, overseen by God Emperor Doom. Knowing "Avengers: Secret Wars" and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom are on the horizon could mean his addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is imminent. 

There's also Uatu the Watcher (Jeffrey Wright), who so far has only appeared in animated form across Marvel's "What If...?" Getting an actor of Wright's caliber makes his jump to live-action a slam-dunk idea. Uatu even directs Johnny Storm to retrieve the Ultimate Nullifier to take on Galactus in the comics, so he could take on a more active role here, too. With cosmic beings in the mix, some really weird (and awesome) stuff could unfold in "First Steps."

One popular "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" fan theory is that Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) will be pregnant in the film. She walks in a manner that may suggest she's carrying a child in the trailer, and at one point, her powers phase in and out while Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) comforts her, almost as though she's giving birth. If she does wind up giving birth in "First Steps," it would likely be to Franklin Richards, who's one of the most powerful figures in Marvel canon and has defeated Galactus on multiple occasions. 

You might think there's no way a newborn baby could take on the devourer of worlds, but Franklin may not stay a child for long. In "Fantastic Four" #604 from Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting, Franklin from the future travels back in time to help his parents battle the Mad Celestials. This version of Franklin has actually turned Galactus into his herald and has him fight the Celestials. There's also "Fantastic Four: Life Story" #5 from Mark Russell, Sean Izaakse, and Carlos Magno, in which Franklin uses a psionic headband to fry Galactus' brain after Reed connects cosmically with him.

In the event that Franklin Richards shows up in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," he could be the deus ex machina the team needs. That's assuming Galactus can be killed in any manner in "First Steps." The Fantastic Four could lose, which forces them to seek out a new home, leading them to the mainline MCU and priming them for the battle of a lifetime in "Avengers: Doomsday" and "Avengers: Secret Wars."