Thanos’ Greatest Challenge Is A Mjolnir-Wielding Silver Surfer

Warning! Spoilers for Thanos (2018) below.

At the end of times in the Marvel Universe, Thanos‘ biggest challenge after defeating nearly every living being in existence came from an unlikely source: A Mjolnir-wielding Silver Surfer known as the Fallen One. While the Mad Titan might have conquered every challenge in his efforts to impress Death, the Fallen One was his biggest threat in Marvel’s dark future, as he specifically trained to become worthy for a final showdown with Thanos.

In the ‘Thanos Wins‘ (2018) arc from Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, and Antonio Fabela, the present version of Thanos is transported to the future, where he encounters a version of himself who has slain all of Marvel’s great heroes. The future version’s effort to impress Death has led to his rule, as the only remaining Avenger is the Hulk, who Thanos uses as his own pet and feeds him his former allies. However, the Mad Titan has one last challenge before truly ruling all in the Fallen One – as killing him would likely get Death’s attention.

In Thanos #17, it’s revealed the Silver Surfer (now shining black) became worthy in an effort to stop Thanos. The backstory is intentionally left up in the air (perhaps, it will be explored in a future story). The Fallen One makes his mark early, knocking both versions of Thanos back with Mjolnir while summoning a lightning strike that frees the Hulk from his prison. The Cosmic Ghost Rider attempts to stop the Surfer but is destroyed by Mjolnir.

The Fallen One actually wins the early fight against both versions of Thanos, but after inadvertently unleashing the Hulk and helping him turn back into Bruce Banner, Thanos gets his revenge – as both heroes are impaled by his blade. As the Surfer starts to bleed out, the past version of Thanos cuts his arm off, leading Mjolnir to fall to the ground. The future Thanos smashes the Fallen One’s head in, killing him.

Thanos would not have been able to defeat the Fallen One without assistance from the past version of himself – which was the reason Cosmic Ghost Rider pulled him to the timeline to begin with. The Fallen One, even after becoming worthy and having the Power Cosmic, couldn’t defeat the Mad Titans by himself – although, how was he to know that he would be fighting two versions of the villain?. Thanos would win his greatest challenge, but once Death called for the Thanos to battle to the death, the past version used the Time Stone to go back in time and prevent the dark future from ever happening. The future Thanos might have conquered all – including the Silver Surfer – but even still, it wasn’t enough to win Death’s hand at last.

About The Author

Liam McGuire
(2565 Articles Published)

Lead writer for Screen Rant’s comic team. [email protected]. Find me on Twitter @LiamRMcGuire for comic news and reporting.

More From Liam McGuire

See also  10 Boruto Characters That Saved The Show (And 10 That Need To Go)