Shalla-Bal

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Shalla-Bal
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceSilver Surfer #1 (August 1968)
Created byStan Lee and John Buscema
In-story information
SpeciesZenn-Lavian
Notable aliasesHelena

Shalla-Bal is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, the immortal Empress of Zenn-La and the lover of Norrin Radd, the Silver Surfer, who becomes the Herald of Galactus in exchange for his planet being spared, separating the lovers for eternity.

Shalla-Bal was voiced by Camilla Scott in the animated series Silver Surfer (1998), while Shalla-Bal / Silver Surfer will be portrayed by Julia Garner in the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film The Fantastic Four (2025).

Publication history

The character first appeared in Silver Surfer #1 (August 1968).[1]

Shalla-Bal is depicted as the love interest of Norrin Radd.[2]

In a 1975 storyline in Fantastic Four, Shalla-Bal was trapped in the form of a Latverian peasant girl named Helena by Mephisto, and marrying Doctor Doom, until a 1982 Silver Surfer one-shot he discovers this deception and frees her from Mephisto's trap.[3]

In the 2016 Silver Surfer series, Shalla-Bal begins a campaign to spread the culture of Zenn La across the universe as the Keeper of the Great Truth, and in the conclusion of the series Silver Surfer is forced to erase their culture from existence so that even they could not remember it.[4]

Fictional character biography

Shalla-Bal is the Empress of her utopian planet, Zenn-La (in the Deneb System, Milky Way Galaxy), and was the lover of Norrin Radd. When the planet-eating Galactus came to their planet, Norrin Radd volunteered to become the herald of Galactus in exchange for sparing Zenn-La. Norrin Radd was given the Power Cosmic and became the Silver Surfer, thus separating him from Shalla-Bal for a long time.[a]

Eventually, the Silver Surfer rebelled against Galactus, who trapped him on the planet Earth as punishment by putting up an energy barrier that the Silver Surfer can't get through. The demon Mephisto who desires to defeat the Surfer and steal his noble soul, sensed the anguish of this separation within him, and used Shalla-Bal as a pawn in his conflict with the Surfer.[5] As part of a conspiracy, Mephisto replaced the consciousness of Shalla-Bal so that she believed herself to be a regular citizen of Latveria named Helena, and Doctor Doom organized a false marriage celebration with her to make the Surfer fight the Fantastic Four.[6]

Meanwhile, Galactus consumed the life energies and ecosphere of Zenn-La because of Silver Surfer's betrayal, but spared the lives of its people by warning them of his coming beforehand, allowing them to return to the lifeless husk afterwards. When Mister Fantastic freed the Surfer from his imprisonment, he returned to Zenn-La to find it in this state and learned that Shalla-Bal had been abducted by Mephisto. Finally understanding the conspiracy, Surfer returned to Latveria to find Shalla-Bal meanwhile imprisoning himself once again on the Earth. The Surfer bestowed a portion of his Power Cosmic to Shalla-Bal while Mephisto was sending her back to her planet and she was able to use this power to restore the life on Zenn-La.[7] Shalla-Bal was thus accepted as an Empress by her people.[8] However the responsibilities of her office made Shalla-Bal refuse marriage with the Surfer when he eventually broke free from Earth for good, and he told her that their romance was over.[9] She was later held hostage by the Elders, but was rescued by the Silver Surfer.[10]

Shalla-Bal later met the Kree leader Nenora.[11] Shalla asked the Surfer to protect Zenn-La from the Obliterator.[12] Shalla allied with the Skrull Empress S'byll against the Kree, after which the Cotati informed her that Nenora was a disguised Skrull. Shalla was captured by Nenora's Kree Sentry, but freed by the Cotati. She told S'byll and the Surfer about Nenora's true nature, and was returned to Zenn-La by the Silver Surfer.[13]

Shalla-Bal was later taken captive by the Enslavers, and was then reunited with the Surfer.[14] Shalla was seen in flashback telling Norrin Radd about his father's suicide.[15] She was seen in flashback again at her first meeting with Norrin when they were children.[16] Shalla-Bal was later abducted with the planet Zenn-La by the Great One. Shalla was briefly reunited with the Silver Surfer, but disintegrated along with the Great One's pocket universe.[17] The Silver Surfer later returned her to life after her soul had been imprisoned by Mephisto.[18]

After years of rejection, Shalla-Bal once became romantically involved with Fennan Radd, a man who claimed to be the Silver Surfer's half-brother by his father. Fennan claimed to have been born after Norrin's mother Elmar committed suicide.[19]

Powers and abilities

As a member of the race of aliens known as Zenn-Lavians, Shalla-Bal has an extraordinarily long life span. Hence, Shalla-Bal has lived for centuries although she is still physically a young woman.

Shalla-Bal was once able to restore life to Zenn-La's ecosphere due to a fragment of the Silver Surfer's power cosmic that he placed within her. Apparently, she can still cause plant life to grow wherever she walks.

Other versions

Earth X

In the Earth X reality, Franklin Richards as the new Galactus bestowed on Shalla-Bal the same powers as Silver Surfer enabling her to be with Silver Surfer as the second Silver Surfer. She died in battle against the Celestials leaving Silver Surfer devastated.[20]

After Silver Surfer sacrificed his life so that Mar-Vell can wield the Power Cosmic, he was reunited with Shalla-Bal in the Realm of the Dead.[21]

What If

Shalla-Bal was featured in different What If stories:

  • In "What If Silver Surfer Had Not Escaped Earth", Mephisto tormented Silver Surfer with an illusion of Shalla-Bal.[22]
  • In "What If Norrin Radd Had Not Volunteered to Become the Silver Surfer", Shalla-Bal and Norrin Radd escaped in a shuttle from the exploding Zenn-La[23]
  • In "What If Galactus Had Turned the Silver Surfer Back Into Norrin Radd", Shalla-Bal was transformed into Starglow by Galactus after he returned to Zenn-La after he also stripped Silver Surfer of his powers. In addition, he also strips Shalla-Bal of her memories of Norrin Radd.[24]
  • In "What If Silver Surfer Possessed the Infinity Gauntlet", Shalla-Bal stole the Infinity Gauntlet from Thanos. When Silver Surfer gave Shalla-Bal a portion of the Infinity Gauntlet's powers, they fought each other before realizing that the Infinity Gauntlet corrupts minds. While it appeared that Shalla-Bal and Silver Surfer died when the Infinity Gaunlet was destroyed, they actually transported themselves to an uninhabited planet which became their new home.[25]

In other media

Television

Film

Music

Notes

  1. ^ As recounted in Silver Surfer #1.

References

  1. ^ DeFalco, Tom; Sanderson, Peter; Brevoort, Tom; Teitelbaum, Michael; Wallace, Daniel; Darling, Andrew; Forbeck, Matt; Cowsill, Alan; Bray, Adam (2019). The Marvel Encyclopedia. DK Publishing. p. 321. ISBN 978-1-4654-7890-0.
  2. ^ Terror, Jude (August 10, 2019). "Sexy Time with Shalla-Bal in Silver Surfer: Black #3 [Preview]". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved August 10, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ Cronin, Brian (November 29, 2018). "Provide Some Answers: Will the Real Shalla-Bal Please Stand Up?". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved November 29, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ Lealos, Shawn S. (February 1, 2021). "How Silver Surfer's Wife Returned to Become His Worst Enemy". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved February 1, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Silver Surfer #3. Marvel Comics.
  6. ^ Fantastic Four #155-157. Marvel Comics.
  7. ^ Silver Surfer (vol. 2) #1. Marvel Comics.
  8. ^ Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #2. Marvel Comics.
  9. ^ Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #7. Marvel Comics.
  10. ^ Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #8-9. Marvel Comics.
  11. ^ Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #20. Marvel Comics.
  12. ^ Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #21. Marvel Comics.
  13. ^ Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #25-31. Marvel Comics.
  14. ^ Silver Surfer: The Enslavers. Marvel Comics.
  15. ^ Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #50. Marvel Comics.
  16. ^ Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #57. Marvel Comics.
  17. ^ Silver Surfer: Homecoming. Marvel Comics.
  18. ^ Silver Surfer/Warlock: Resurrection #1-4. Marvel Comics.
  19. ^ Silver Surfer (vol. 3) #101. Marvel COmics.
  20. ^ Earth X #12. Marvel Comics.
  21. ^ Universe X #11. Marvel Comics.
  22. ^ What If #22. Marvel Comics.
  23. ^ What If #34. Marvel Comics.
  24. ^ What If #37. Marvel Comics.
  25. ^ What If #49. Marvel Comics.
  26. ^ Kroll, Justin (April 3, 2024). "'The Fantastic Four': Julia Garner Joins Marvel Studios Movie As A Shalla-Bal Version Of Silver Surfer". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  27. ^ O'Neill, Shane (April 3, 2024). "Who Is Shalla-Bal: The Fantastic Four Movie's Silver Surfer Replacement, Explained". Looper. Retrieved April 3, 2024.

External links

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