The 10 Best Galactus Heralds in Marvel Comics, Ranked

Galactus is known as the Devourer of Worlds. In Marvel Comics, Galactus is a cosmic being who has been around since the start of the universe, one of the few survivors of the previous multiversal cycle, known as the Sixth Cosmos. His role in the Marvel Universe is to consume the life energy found in planets for sustenance, and he is considered necessary for the survival of the universe, destined to one day give back to the universe infinitely more than he ever took from it. To complete his job, he uses Heralds that he chooses from around the universe, and they set out to find the worlds that Galactus will consume.

From Silver Surfer to Thor, there have been several notable Heralds who have served Galactus in Marvel Comics, and here are the best of the best.

10) Fallen One

Fallen One was the first time that Galactus tried to create his own Herald rather than giving the Power Cosmic to someone from a planet he was terrorizing. Instead of using cosmic radiation, Galactus used Dark Energy, which proved to be the biggest problem. Because of the Dark Energy, the Fallen One became very cruel and imprisoned Galactus. Throughout their time as enemies, Galactus usually defeated the Fallen One, and Star-Lord finally captured the Herald and imprisoned him on Klyn. He appeared between 2004 and 2006, and served as a Herald for Thanos during this time, but the Proemial Gods Tenebrous and Aegis killed him during the Annihilation event.

9) Thor

When it comes to the most powerful or popular Galactus Heralds, Thor would rank near the top of every ranking. However, when it comes to doing his job, Thor ranks near the bottom. Galactus’s Herald is supposed to find suitable planets and take the Devourer of Worlds to them to appease his sustenance. There is one problem. Galactus didn’t choose Thor to be his Herald to find planets, but to help protect him from another cosmic entity called the Black Winter. Thor did his job of defeating the Black Winter, but then he did the unthinkable. Thor murdered Galactus using the Power Cosmic and then used the Devourer of Worlds’ helmet as a gateway to Asgard.

8) The Praeter

The Praeter ranks low because he wasn’t seen doing too much. However, his story remains interesting. The Praeter was an Earthling and was never a hero until Galactus chose him to become his new Herald. He was a small-town minister from Oklahoma who was worried about the dangers that had come since Asgard set up base next to his town. When the Asgardians began to battle with Galactus for the Galactus Seed in Yggdrasil, he stood up to Galactus and the Asgardians. When this ended, the Silver Surfer sought a compromise and suggested that the minister, whose only known name is Mike, could replace him as Galactus’s Herald, knowing the man would always find the best planets that cost the least lives. He became known as Praeter, but was only seen in seven issues, so his contributions remain questionable.

7) Morg the Executioner

Morg the Executioner first appeared in Silver Surfer Vol. 3 #69 in 1992. He replaced Frankie Raye (Nova) because Galactus fired her for not taking him to suitable planets to eat, as she had seen they had too many living beings she was unwilling to sacrifice. Wanting to find a Herald with no conscience, he chose Morg, who was a court executioner who did not fear the Devourer of Worlds. Both Silver Surfer and Firelord questioned his hiring since he had no morals, but Galactus didn’t seem to care, and Morg proved his power by defeating both former Heralds. When the two Heralds brought in Nova, Trrrax, and Air-Walker to help fight him, Morg murdered Nova, and Galactus stripped him of his power for this act.

6) Destroyer

The Destroyer that served as Galactus’s Herald was the Asgardian Enchanted Armor that MCU fans saw in the first Thor movie. In Thor #228, Galactus helped defeat and drive off Ego the Living Planet, helping the Asgardians. However, when the battle ended, his Herald Firelord asked to be relieved of his duties since he had served loyally for so long. Galactus agreed, provided they found him a suitable replacement. Thor came up with the idea and offered the Destroyer armor, which Galactus gave the Power Cosmic, and it became his new Herald. As his Herald, Destroyer found Counter-Earth, nearly prompting Galactus to destroy it. Destroyer returned years later during the Reckoning War and helped reanimate Galacatus’s corpse by merging with him to become Destruction. When this ended, they separated, and the Destroyer was whole once again.

5) Nova (Frankie Raye)

Frankie Raye was an Earth woman who agreed to become Galactus’s new Herald in Fantastic Four #244. She was Johnny Storm’s girlfriend, as well as another person with the power to burst into flames and control the fire. She was there when Galactus was starving to death after Terrax the Tamer betrayed him. Reed Richards saved Galactus’s life, but he still needed to feed. Since he had no Herald and needed to find a planet to consume fast, Frankie agreed to become his new Herald, and he gave her the Power Cosmic to help him find new worlds. However, as a hero, she actively avoided worlds that would work because of the people living on them. Galactus finally realized her compassion was a weakness and replaced her with Morg.

4) Terrax The Tamer

Terrax the Tamer was Galactus’s Herald between Destroyer and Nova. After three loyal, yet heroic Heralds in Silver Surfer, Air-Walker, and Firelord, Galactus realized he needed someone who would fulfill his duties without worrying about life on the planets he led his master to. What Galactus didn’t consider was that Terrax’s lack of morality would eventually lead to him betraying the Devourer of Worlds. However, before his betrayal, he led Galactus to more worlds than any other Herald in history, often slaughtering the people on the planet before his master arrived to consume it. Finally, Terrax betrayed his master by threatening Earth if the Fantastic Four didn’t attack and defeat him. Galactus responded by stripping Terrax of his powers and leaving him in a coma on Earth.

3) Gabriel the Air-Walker

Gabriel the Air-Walker is Gabriel Lan, a Nova Centurion who became Galactus’s Herald after the Silver Surfer quit his position. Like Surfer, Galactus was also very fond of Gabriel and actually sought out the Nova Centaurian to offer him the position. He worked for Galactus for many years, faithfully finding new worlds and spending a lot of time with the Devourer of Worlds, listening to his tales of journeys throughout his life. However, the end came hard for Gabriel, who had found a new world for Galactus, only to see an oncoming war fleet heading to attack the World Eater. Gabriel sacrificed himself to save his master, and Galactus tried to recreate a robotic replica to replace him, but it didn’t match up to the deceased Herald.

2) Firelord

While Gabriel was Galactus’s favorite Herald for many years, his replacement not only matched his loyalty but also his morality. Pyreus Kril was another Nova Centurian, and he was actually a close friend of Gabriel. Pyreus was out looking for his friend when he finally found Galactus and learned the story about how Gabriel had volunteered to become a Herald and served Galactus well for years. Hearing the story, Pyreus agreed to replace his now deceased friend as a Herald and served Galactus as Firelord. However, to ensure Firelord served with no qualms, he removed all memories of Gabriel. Firelord served Galactus loyally until Thor helped free him of his duties by offering up the Destroyer to replace him as Herald.

1) Silver Surfer

The first Galactus appearance in Marvel Comics came in the pages of Fantastic Four with the Galactus Trilogy. At the start of these stories, the first-ever known Herald in Marvel Comics arrived on Earth with the Silver Surfer. Since that iconic moment, there has been no Herald of Galactus more worthy or as popular as the Silver Surfer. He is arguably the most powerful Herald Galactus has ever had, possibly even on the same level as Thor. He is also the best person ever to serve Galactus. He returned to the World Eater more than once, helped resurrect him, and even killed him once, which was always Galactus’s plan because he knew that Surfer was always the best of the best.

Every Version of Thor Ranked by Power Level