2×01: The End of Eternity (Part 2)

The Silver Surfer animated series had such plans. Some would have been pure fun — the X-Men were slated for a crossover. Others promised to redefine the saga: a return to Zenn-La, a new Herald of Galactus. And a few were poised to bring closure — Nova, Kili, the Egg, and that unforgettable cliffhanger…

But alas, with Marvel in turmoil in 1999, the Surfer’s brief shimmer on Saturday mornings was snuffed out prematurely, leaving fans with a devastating — if underappreciated — finale where, quite literally, everything died.

Yet even as the axe fell at Marvel Animation, plans were already in motion. Series writer Larry Brody had completed scripts, and over time, fragments of those lost episodes surfaced online. Having read through them, there’s so much to admire — it would feel negligent not to share what moved me.

So, without further ado… let’s resolve that cliffhanger.

The universe is gone.

Thanos, in his pursuit of Lady Chaos, has reversed time itself, collapsing creation into a singularity of pre-existence. All that remains is his ship, drifting in a grey void, and the Universe Ball – a writhing sphere of primal energy, holding the last vestiges of reality. Within it, the Silver Surfer fights to survive, his body stretched and battered by the chaotic maelstrom. Yet he endures, untouched by Thanos’ temporal undoing, his essence still tethered to the soul of Zenn-La.

Thanos, triumphant, offers his conquest to Lady Chaos, but she remains silent. Enraged and desperate for validation, he conjures replicas of his father Alars, his brother Mentor, and the Titan Science Council – phantoms meant to praise him. They resist, and he destroys them, proving his power but deepening his isolation.

Within the Universe Ball, the Surfer discovers a storm of colour and energy, a place where all things are one – except for him and his board. He escapes the chaos, soaring toward a glowing barrier that marks the edge of this realm. Beyond it lies Thanos’ ship, and the reckoning.

The Surfer confronts Thanos, who responds with mockery and blasts of purple energy. Their clash is fierce, but the Surfer’s power wanes. With no cosmos to draw from, his silver begins to fade. Thanos offers a twisted gratitude, claiming he gave the Surfer his soul by revealing the truth of Zenn-La. He conjures illusions of his past – his childhood on Saturn, his rejection, his battle with the Skrull, and his first encounter with Lady Chaos.

The Surfer, horrified by Thanos’ descent into madness, retaliates with a transmutation beam, projecting the soul of Zenn-La – its peace, its unity, its light. The golden energy overwhelms Thanos, who cries out for Lady Chaos. The statue shatters, and the goddess emerges, vast and wild, her laughter shaking the void.

Thanos, believing she has come to embrace him, is instead crushed to dust in her palm.

Lady Chaos offers the Surfer a place beside her, to forge a new universe of disorder. He refuses. Instead, he hurls the Universe Ball into her form, triggering a cataclysmic explosion. From the chaos, the Big Bang is reborn.

Galactus emerges. Stars form. Planets spin. Life returns – Kree, Skrull, Earth, Zenn-La.

The Surfer awakens on an asteroid, greeted by Eternity and Infinity. They confirm his triumph, though none shall remember it. As his reward, Zenn-La is restored. He calls his board and flies home, whispering one word:

“Shalla Bal.”