The Silver Surfer is hit, but surprised, as the Soul Hunter’s own energy beam rebounds off the Surfer and strikes him, causing the Great One to shrink and vanish. The Zenn-Lavians, including Shalla-Bal and Thanos, misinterpret the event and blame the Surfer for the Soul Hunter’s apparent death. Their grief is compounded when a Skrull armada arrives, mentally linked to the Soul Hunter and enraged by his loss. They accuse the Surfer of destroying their source of peace and launch a devastating attack on Zenn-La.

To protect the planet, the Surfer transmutes the Skrulls’ destructive energy into harmless birds and leads the fleet away. Meanwhile, Shalla-Bal and Thanos consult the Life Crystal, which reveals the truth: the Soul Hunter was deceived by the Nebula Viral, a corrupted entity who falsely claimed the Surfer was a threat. The Soul Hunter, still alive but diminishing, warns that everything he brought into the dimension will vanish with him, including Zenn-La and the Skrull fleet.

The Surfer confronts the Nebula Viral, who admits to orchestrating the crisis to compel his help in restoring her original form. A plan is devised: the Surfer, Virals, and Shalla-Bal will open a rift to evacuate all worlds from the collapsing dimension. But the task requires Shalla-Bal to remain behind, focusing Zenn-La’s harmonic energy to guide the transfer—a sacrifice that could cost her existence. The Surfer is devastated but accepts her decision, recognising the echo of his own past sacrifices.

The evacuation begins. Stars, planets, and ships pass through the rift into a new star system. The Surfer watches as entire civilizations are saved, but his thoughts remain fixed on Shalla-Bal. As he attempts to retrieve her, she and the Life Crystal begin to shrink. Despite his desperate efforts, she vanishes before he can save her. The Surfer is pulled from the collapsing dimension, left with only the memory of her final act of courage.

Outside the barrier, the Surfer beholds the formation of a new star system – saved worlds orbiting a central sun, the Skrull ships moving among them. It is a moment of cosmic triumph, yet the Surfer is inconsolable. His voice, hollow with grief, whispers the cost of salvation: “Shalla Bal is gone… she is gone…” The grandeur of the universe offers no comfort for the loss of the one soul who mattered most.

The Soul Hunter (Part 1) | Rebirth