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(Episode 18) Written by Larry Brody |
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It begins on the planet of Birj, which is desolate save for one heavily industrial community. Smoke stacks, power lines and factories dot the skyline.
Three well-armed freedom fighters chase the despot of this land, Terrax. The three mount an impressive offense but our overmatched by Terrax's axe. The weapon can drain the energy from whatever it strikes. The three seem to make headway until they are joined by Nova—the benevolent herald of the less benevolent Galactus.
“Naughty, naughty,” she warns. “Didn't your mothers ever tell you that three against one isn't fair?” The assailants flee after a few fireballs tossed by the aptly named pyrokinetic. (Of course, Nova has no idea of Terrax's nature. She merely knows she prefers a fair fight to a mugging.)
Nova: “No need to thank me, pal. Just 'cause I saved your hide.”
Terrax: “Who are you? What're you doing here?”
Nova: “Name's Nova, and I'm just passing through. ‘Til I saw this “great society” here, I thought I had the perfect planet for Galactus to nosh on. Now I gotta go dig up another banquet before I ring the ol' dinner bell.”
Nova begins to fly away, but Terrax is intrigued.
Terrax: “Wait! Are you telling me you're the herald of Galactus?”
Nova: “In the—uh—flame.”
Terrax smiles charmingly. (Unfortunately, it charming smiles are still horrifying.)
Terrax: “You know, young lady, this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship…”
Nova smiles sweetly. (Unlike Terrax, her sweet smiles are genuinely sweet.) Suddenly she is surprised by a stroke from Terrax's axe. (In addition to being beautiful and nearly omnipowerful, Nova is unspeakably naïve.) The axe begins to drain Nova's cosmic energy. Terrax hacks again… and a third time.
“Hey! I thought you said you wanted to be friends,” Nova said.
“Here on Birj we have a saying: Love hurts,” Terrax replies.
Nova flees at the absolute top speed her galactic power can muster. Terrax follows close on heels.
Still on the surface of Birj, the freedom fighters celebrate the departure of Terrax the Tyrant.
ACT ONE
Elsewhere, the Surfer flies through the cosmos mulling his fate, as he is prone to do. He chastises himself for trying to violently force the Kree and Skrulls to declare peace. His intents were good, he decides, but his methods were barbarous and abandoned all he had learned in Zenn-La.
Out of fatigue from his failed attempt to make peace and the loss of Shalla Bal, he has decided to visit Morovus—the home of the trolls Kili, Pip and the toddler queen of the Skrull empire.
Upon his descent, he sees the young queen, named Precious, changing shape and form, as young Skrulls are prone to do. She spits fire, accidentally frightening most of the trolls. (Note: the trolls, by nature being diminutive, are not much taller than the Skrull queen.
One of the braver trolls, Kili, reprimands Precious.
“Precious! Is this any way for a queen to behave?” she says.
The queen responds with a startled “Neep.” Obviously, the young ruler is afraid of angering her caretaker, even though Precious is infinitely more dangerous and powerful.
Kili's lecture continues: “Someday, you'll be back home, ruling with kindness and not the terror your people are used to. How're you going to have the strength and courage to do your job wisely -- if you don't get your sleep?”
The child curls in Kili's arm and purrs as the chastising troll pets her. The child is about to nap as the Surfer lands loudly.
“I know I made the proper choice when I brought you the egg of the Skrull Mother,” Surfer notes.
e celestial hero's landing incites Precious. The baby girl spouts a fireball that passes harmlessly around the nigh-invulnerable nomad. As Kili begins another lecture, Surfer decides positive reinforcement would be the best approach. In what has to be considered an egregious waste of cosmic power, Surfer uses his transmutation beam and creates a ragdoll for Precious.
Precious neeps joyfully and licks the Surfer's face. Not used to affection or children, the Surfer backs away while Kili laughs.
The merriment ceases when Nova's flaming, falling form appears on the horizon. Recognizing his close friend, he catches her in midair.
Surfer coaxes her conscious. “Nova can you hear me?”
Her eyes open. “Silverado. You gotta help me,” she says and sags in his arms again.
Suddenly Terrax arrives in the atmosphere. His axe is flaming with Nova's power.
Terrax: “Now this is a bonus. I'm honored to meet a man of your reputation, Silver Surfer. In fact, I've often wondered if you were all your victims say!”
Terrax strikes but Surfer evades him and fires an energy bolt. Terrax's axe absorbs the Surfer's energy, much how it absorbed Nova's fire. Realizing the axe will suck his power out of him, Surfer attempts to flee. Unfortunately, in the melee, Nova's body is dropped. But Surfer protects her by creating a force field around her before she splatters on the surface of the planet.
Surfer, by force of will, stops the axe from draining more of his power. He takes the brief respite to parley with his unknown foe.
“Who are you to dare attack both the herald of Galactus and the Silver Surfer?” he demands.
“Why, I'm Terrax, of course. Now come attack me again. Your power and Nova's will definitely be a worthy addition to my own,” Terrax retorts smugly. He is supremely confident, nearly charming in a way that makes you want to clean his clock.
“How weary do I grow of arrogant beings such as yours—with your arrogance so undeserved,” the Surfer spits. He proceeds to loose a deluge of cosmic energy. Blast after blast is absorbed by Terrax's axe. The Surfer begins to shake with weakness and frustration.
“Now who's the arrogant one? Your pride'll be your downfall, Surfer. Happens every time,” Terrax taunts.
Fortunately, Nova selects this moment to regain consciousness; and seeing Surfer suffering, releases a veritable inferno against Terrax. With his axe overloaded, it seemingly supernovas.
Both Surfer and Terrax plummet to the ground. Nova saves Surfer as Precious darts toward Terrax. Precious expectorates a polarized fireball and atomizes Terrax. Surfer, Nova and the Trolls stare on stunned.
“Surfer, you look like something the cat wouldn't drag in,” Nova flirts innocuously. “I owe you. Big time.”
Surfer quietly defers to the toddler who without effort atomized the assailant that nearly bested them both. However, Surfer notes that it is odd he is still weak. His power should have returned by now, he reasons.
Nova apologizes for involving Surfer until she realizes that her boss is probably famished. “Big G!” she exclaims. “He's probably bouncing off the walls.” She moves to flame away until she realizes something is wrong. “Surfer, I can't sense where Galactus is! My ability to always get what I'm looking for—it's gone.”
In another part of space, the “Big G” himself is disconcerted.
“Nova! Have you forgotten your master?” he asks rhetorically. “Where is my herald? Where?!”
Unexpectedly, it is his former herald that replies.
“We are here, mighty Galactus,” the Silver Surfer says.
Galactus: “Nova, you have brought the Silver Surfer here?”
Nova (to the Surfer): “I told you this wasn't a good idea.”
Silver Surfer: “Nova is not to blame for my presence. She had no choice.”
Nova tries to explain passed events frantically. “It was this guy Terrax. He took away my power to find you – and left the Surfer without enough strength to go into warp by himself!”
Galactus' eyes crackle with power. “Terrax, I have heard that name,” he muses.
Silver Surfer: “You know this being?”
Galactus: “I am no mindless animal, Silver Surfer, relentlessly searching for sustenance with thoughts of naught else.”
Nova (to the Surfer): “Now you've insulted him.”
Galactus: “I know power; and Birj, Terrax's home planet is a veritable fountain of might. With a science so advanced the Birjians would have rivaled the Kree were they not so consumed by internal ambition and strife. When last did I cast my attention toward their constant civil war, Terrax ruled Birj with an axe that transfers all energy it touches directly to its holder.”
Nova informed Galactus of Terrax's seeming demise.
“Mighty Galactus! You must help Nova! Restore her strength, that can resume her duties for you,” Surfer says.
Galactus, infuriated by Surfer's impertinence, incapacitates the Surfer with a thought. Nova pleads on his behalf.
“Galactus! Don't! I've caused the guy enough trouble already,” she begs.
“As you have caused me! I reject the Silver Surfer's demand Nova, and I reject you as well,” Galactus retorts. “For eons did I transverse the universe with no herald, no guide! And so I will do once more!”
With another thought Surfer and Nova are expelled from Galactus' ship.
ACT TWO
Surfer and Nova are expelled into the abyss. They reach for one another but are separated by a final blast from Galactus. Surfer is knocked from his board, and both former heralds land hard on a rogue asteroid.
The moon shatters from the impact. Surfer summons his board back; and he grabs Nova in the crook of his arm as they try to evade the rubble.
Nova assesses the situation: “Looks to me like if we're gonna survive, we're going to have to hang real close.
Silver Surfer: “If not for Terrax, neither of us would need the support.”
As if on cue, Terrax rematerializes wearing his same, ingratiating smile.
“My friends, good to see you again,” he says. “Thanks, Silver Surfer. My new power to travel at warp speed is positively invigorating. And, of course, I owe Nova for the way I was able to hone right in.”
The Surfer and Nova wearily circle around Terrax. “I will not allow your weapon to touch either of us, Terrax!” Surfer warns.
Terrax shrugs off the idle threat and is prepared to strike when he sees Galactus' ship. He is hypnotized by the vessel.
The Surfer misinterprets Terrax's reverence. “If you are so foolish as to think to absorb the power of the Devourer of Worlds…” he begins.
Terrax: “Give me some credit, will you, Surfer? My limits may keep changing, but at least I know them.”
Terrax speeds toward the ship. He implores its captain, “Mighty Galactus! I, Terrax of Birj, beg an audience.”
Nova and the Surfer are in disbelief. They do not think Galactus would ever condescend to confer with Terrax. But the Birjian continues: “Your herald, Nova, can no longer do the job of guiding you to planets with the energy you need. I, however, am a different story—a man of power, and pride, and ambition. This I swear, with Terrax as your herald never would the mighty one go hungry again.”
Galactus' eyes widen. He is impressed by the newcomer's hubris if nothing else.
“Mighty Galactus, would you really want a herald shackled by scruples and morality?” Terrax continues over the Surfer's protests.
Shocked, Nova says, “The big guy's falling for it.”
Indeed, Galactus does seem convinced. In desperation, the Surfer commands Galactus not to empower Terrax.
Galactus replies, “Silver Surfer, well do I remember how once your presumption amused me. It seems so long ago.” For a moment, Galactus' voice speaks with regret. He pauses. When he speaks again, he is not sad. He is angry—livid.
“Now, however, is my reaction merely one of disdain. You have tried my patience for the last time, Silver Surfer -- and I will be pestered by you no more!” he announces.
Galactus loosens an energy wave that Nova and Surfer narrowly evade. They flee to the fringe of the scene.
Galactus addresses Terrax: “You are correct, Terrax, when you say my other heralds have failed me. But if you would replace them, first must you prove yourself.” Galactus strikes Terrax with a beam of power. “Take this "gift," of the beam that will summon me -- and satisfy my growing Hunger.”
Terrax leaves on his morbid task.
At a slightly later time, Surfer and Nova return to Morovus. Out of what can only be described as boredom, Silver Surfer uses his transmutation beams to create architecture similar to that on Zenn-La.
The Surfer quietly explains to Nova that he feels helpless. Nova is less distraught.
“What's the big deal? It's not like this is the first time I got aced out of a job,” she jokes. As she absentmindedly plays with Precious, Nova summates the situation. “So Terrax is out there using our power to lead you-know-who to who-knows-what.”
“Whatever he is doing, it is not for the benefit of the universe or even Galactus. It is for his own evil purpose,” Surfer says.
In a terrifying moment, the Surfer loses his temper. Even Precious is disturbed by the anger from the once placid nomad.
“Silverado, you scared the poor kid,” Nova chastises.
“The loss of Shalla Bal has changed you, Surfer. No longer do you follow the ways of Zenn-La,” Kili says.
“They took my beloved away from me,” the Surfer retorts. “How foolish I was to think I could find comfort here -- or anywhere! I must seek out Terrax and prove to him that justice can prevail!”
The Surfer warps away in a blind rage. Nova follows at his heels, trying to calm him.
“I'm afraid for the Surfer,” Kili confides in Precious. “His biggest enemy isn't Terrax. It is himself.”
Elsewhere, Surfer and Nova have tracked Terrax to his homeworld Birj. He is using the threat of Galactus as leverage for his claim of supremacy. To put it plainly, he is blackmailing a planet.
Still angry Surfer fires a blast. Fortunately, Nova redirects it so Terrax cannot absorb it into his axe.
Now aware of the interlopers, Terrax spouts a soliloquy before attacking. “Birj is just the beginning,” he promises. “With Galactus as my ultimate weapon, the world shall lay at my feet.”
Nova begs Silver Surfer to retreat but he refuses. “No! Never could I live with myself if this mad man succeeds.”
In a moment of clarity, Surfer recalls how Terrax was bested before—a negative beam. Surfer uses his transmutation ray to recreate Precious' fireball. It strikes Terrax as he is gloating, but before the axe is also dissolved, Nova swoops in and whisks it away.
Nova brings the Surfer the axe. It explodes, restoring Nova and the Surfer's powers.
“Again, we are ourselves,” he says.
Nova, for a brief moment is pensive. “But all the time I've been Nova, I've been with Galactus. Without him what'll I do? Where'll I go?”
“Anything you want Nova. Anywhere,” Surfer replies.
“And what about Big G?”
“He will survive,” Surfer assesses.
The two warp away, not knowing they are being watched by the omnipowerful Galactus. His eyes seem darker, perhaps even wet.
“My heralds,” he murmurs.
This page is a part of DRG4's Marvel Cartoon Pages:
Featuring Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Incredible Hulk, and the Silver Surfer.