Galactus has always been one of the biggest threats to the Universe, and also one of the most powerful. Finding his way into Earth-616 at the beginning of its creation, he has been the ‘Devourer of Worlds’ ever since.
Traveling in space and searching for his next feast, Galactus has shared his Power Cosmic with many over time, hoping they would aid him in his quest to find planets to gorge on, but they’ve not always been as reliable as he’d hoped, or as willing. We rank the 10 most powerful Heralds of Galactus to see who served him best.
10 10. The Fallen One
When it dawned on Galactus that it would be beneficial to appoint Heralds to look for new worlds for him to devourer, the Fallen One would be his first. Unfortunately, he was too unpredictable, leading to his imprisonment at the hands of Galactus.
Although powerful, he was never able to defeat his former master, failing countless times and ending up in various prisons across the galaxy, including Kyln, where he was sent there by Star-Lord. He did go on to become a Herald for Thanos, although like before, he failed him, dying at the hands of Gods Tenebrous and Aegis.
9 9. Invisible Boy
When an alliance of aliens developed technology to hide planets from Galactus, he headed to Earth to use Sue Storm to combat them, however, Reed Richards had swapped her powers with Johnny Storm to protect her from the alien threat. Once Galactus had uncovered the truth, he used Johnny to help him find worlds to consume.
Full of Power Cosmic, the newly-named Invisible Boy helped Galactus for a while, but it wasn’t long before he managed to remove the cosmic energy from the world-devourer with a little help from his friends, and turn him back into the original being he once was – Galan of Taa-an.
8 8. Air-Walker
When Galactus gave up trying to recruit The Silver Surfer, he began searching for a new replacement. The new Herald came in the form of Gabriel Lan – a member of the Nova Corps. They struck up a friendship – something that had never happened before – and the two scoured the galaxy together.
Lan – now known as Air-Walker – was enamored by the cosmic power he felt surge through his body, grateful for the gifts his new ally had given him. After dying at the hands of an Ovoid fleet, Galactus managed to recover his consciousness and put it into a robot replica of him, but he wasn’t the same.
7 7. Red Shift
There was a time when Galactus’ hunger almost drove him to the brink of insanity, and his lust for power drove him back to Earth with the goal of consuming all sentient life there. Red Shift was an alien life form who became a Herald, ready to accompany his master to Earth.
Once there, he encountered the Silver Surfer, and after a fight with Galactus’ former Herald, Red Shift ended up becoming trapped in a black hole. Perhaps Red Shift’s greatest power was the ability to open portals to other dimensions with his two swords, but it was this that got him trapped after his swords were lost.
6 6. Firelord
Pyreus Kril was on board Gabriel Lan’s exploration vessel the day he became Galactus’ Herald. Unsure of what had happened to him, Kril spent years searching for his best friend, unaware of the events that had transpired after his disappearance. When he finally located Galactus, the planet-killer offered to reveal the fate of Kril’s friend in exchange for him to become the new Herald.
Kril excepted, becoming Firelord and being told all about Air-Walker before messing with his memories. During a mission to Earth, he encountered Thor, who managed to free him from Galactus. Still, in ownership of the power cosmic, Firelord was freed, but it took years before the memory once suppressed by Galactus returned.
5 5. Terrax the Tamer
Before becoming Terrax the Tamer, Tyros was a despot, ruling over the city of Lanlak. Born with the ability to control stone however he pleased, Tyros had to be defeated by Galactus before falling under his control.
Evil and cruel, Terrax the Tamer could use his immense power to move entire planets, but his arrogance and disregard for Galactus ended with him being stripped of his cosmic gifts after Terrax tried to get the Fantastic Four to help him kill the devourer by threatening them with the destruction of Manhattan. He was transformed back into Tyros, losing all the power cosmic, eventually being destroyed by the world-devourer.
4 4. Nova
Frankie Raye was a woman who shared similar powers with Johnny Storm, and the two even became romantically involved. Raye would help the Fantastic Four for a while, but she began searching for something more, sure there was something special beyond the stars and out there in the cosmos.
When Galactus threatened Earth once again, he offered Nova an olive branch, blessing her with the power of a miniature sun and giving her the title of Nova. She would travel the universe with him, even growing close to her new master, but after growing tired of his demands, Nova was cast aside.
3 3. Stardust
Stardust was one of the Etherals, known as Lamada-Zero before she became Galactus’ Herald. Not only did she help Galactus in his quest to find new planets, she would murder any and all survivors she came across, showing no mercy whatsoever.
One of the first worlds she aided Galactus with was New Korbin, and after hunting down the remaining Korbinites, she came face to face with their protector, Beta Ray Bill. She opened a powerful gateway, allowing a cosmic demon known as Asteroth to pass through. With the help of Beta Ray and Billy Ray, they defeated it, but she nearly lost her life in the process.
2 2. Morg
Once Nova had been dismissed by Galactus, he went in search of a new Herald, one that didn’t have a problem with his modus operandi. One such alien was Morg, a former executioner with a huge double-ended axe as a weapon. When the two first encountered each other, Morg threatened Galactus with violence, showing no fear at all and impressing him greatly.
Morg’s power was improved drastically by finding the Well of Life on a planet that the two located, and after countless battles with former Heralds, Morg defeated them all, even killing Nova in the process. Her death upset Galactus, and his cosmic power was stripped away.
1 1. The Silver Surfer
Perhaps the most famous of Heralds is the Silver Surfer, and what a tragedy his life has been. Raised on the peaceful utopia of Zenn-La, Norrin Radd sacrificed himself to stop Galactus from devouring his homeworld. After countless years doing his dirty work, the Silver Surfer had a chance to escape captivity, and with the help of Uatu the Watcher and the Fantastic Four, the Surfer was free from his tyranny.
Galactus has tried to regain his services over the years, but he’s done whatever he could to escape his grasp. Few have managed to defeat Galactus, but the Surfer has, and that’s why he’s top of the list of most powerful Heralds.