Marvel Just Teased a Major Thanos vs. Silver Surfer Battle

Marvel Comics just set up a major showdown between two of its cosmic heavyweights, Thanos and the Silver Surfer.

SPOILERS for Thanos #15 follow.

If you haven’t been following Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw’s run on Thanos, the series has been an interesting one. The story finds Thanos summoned to the future by none other than himself. The future Thanos finds himself in is one where he has already proven victorious over the heroes of the galaxy.

So if that’s the case, why did Thanos summon his past self to the future? Apparently, Thanos may rule the universe but he still has a way to go to woo Mistress Death, who he has obsessively devoted himself to time and time again. He’s come a long way, but he still has one challenge left: defeating the Fallen One.

The Fallen One was the first herald of Galactus. He was created using dark energy instead of cosmic energy like the other heralds who followed him. The Fallen One proved to be a cruel servant and so Galactus imprisoned him, after which he became vengeful. He repeatedly escaped and attacked his creator only to be defeated time and time again.

Star-Lord eventually imprisoned the Fallen One in a cosmic jail called the Kyln. The Fallen One was freed when the Kyln was destroyed during a battle between Thanos and an entity known as the Maker. The Fallen One again tried to kill Galactus, but the devourer of worlds took a “you break it, you buy it” approach and decided the Fallen One was Thanos’s problem. He teleported the Fallen One to Thanos’ location. Thanos battled the former herald, defeated him, and turned him into his own herald. The Fallen One served Thanos until he was killed by two cosmic gods.

So if Thanos once turned the Fallen One into his own herald, why has the triumphant Thanos decided to call in backup by summoning his past self? The elder Thanos reveals that the Fallen One is a title, not a name and that a different former herald of Galactus has since fallen. That herald is the Silver Surfer.

The Silver Surfer is looking decidedly darker than his usual shade of Silver. Perhaps he’s become infused with that same dark energy that created the first Fallen One. Either way, he’s leading quite the horde and is aiming straight for Thanos. Both of them.

Thanos #15 is on sale now.