- [first lines]
- Watcher Prime: Behold, the universe. Incredibly complex, yet wonderfully simple. It encompasses all of creation, while racing towards its ultimate end. Within this maelstrom of growth and destruction lies millions of galaxies, billions of stars and planets.
- Watcher Prime: I am the Watcher. It is my task to note all events of significance in this part of the cosmos. Only to note them, never to interfere. This task brings me great joy, and great sorrow.
- Watcher Prime: Galactus comes with a single purpose: to feed on your world. He himself is neither good nor evil. Whether or not your survive is of no significance to him. You on Zenn-La have the power to reach into the hearts and minds of others. Your ways have changed the destinies of whole galaxies. Now, you must change your own.
- Master of Zen-La: Mighty Galactus, hear my words. For countless centuries Zenn-La has taught the civilizations of the galaxy harmony, balance, and peace. We ask nothing for ourselves. But you must know that if you destroy us you condemn the entire universe as well.
- Norrin Radd: Great Galactus, do you not desire to survive?
- Galactus: [laughs] The tiny mite grows even bolder! Tell me, what is it Galactus needs to survive?
- Norrin Radd: Planets! An endless supply of planets to consume! Your constant search depletes you. And that date is coming when you will not find your next meal in time. It need not be so. Spare Zenn-La and I will serve you as a net serves a fisherman. Cast me out into the sea of space, and I will find the worlds you need!
- Galactus: I am Galactus. My powers are limitless. In all the universe there is nothing I cannot do. Ah, yet I grow so weary of the endless search...
- Watcher Prime: Behold the universe: incredibly complex, yet wonderfully simple. Tragedy becomes triumph. And triumph turns tragic once more.
- [last lines]
- Watcher Prime: Once, on a planet of wisdom known as Zenn-La, there lived a man of nobility and courage. Now a new being lives in his stead. Behold, the Silver Surfer!
- Master of Zen-La: Allow me to present our newest students, Captain Kalek of the Kree Empire and Commander Husserl of the Skrull Confederation.
- Kalek: My crew and I are honored to be accepted into your academy, Master.
- Husserl: My crew and I are more honored. Especially since we were accepted first!
- Norrin Radd: If these are the peaceful ones I would hate to see the warlike members of their kind.
- Shalla-Bal: You have saved us, Norrin Radd. But the price...
- Norrin Radd: It must be paid. And only I, of all those people on this world, can pay it.
- Shalla-Bal: But how can anyone of Zenn-La serve Galactus? It is against all we stand for.
- Norrin Radd: I know what we stand for.
- Shalla-Bal: Then how can you help him destroy thousands of worlds?
- Norrin Radd: You do not understand. I will guide him only to planets whose cores burst with energy yet which have no intelligent life. I will save countless civilizations. This is the true philosophy of Zenn-La.
- Shalla-Bal: This is what you have longed for all your life. It truly is your chance to explore the stars. Use it well, my love. Use it wisely.
- Norrin Radd: I love you.
- Shalla-Bal: Galactus, take me with him. Take me with him!
- Norrin Radd: I will never forget you, Shalla-Bal.
- Shalla-Bal: NORRIN!
- Norrin Radd: Watcher! If this world means so much to you, show yourself! I know you are there!
- Watcher Prime: I feel great pity and sorrow for you all.
- Norrin Radd: Pity? Sorrow? You dare! What kind of monster are you to... to claim sorrow but refuse to help those in need? You have already broken your vow. Now you, who have witnessed the depredations of Galactus for eons, must tell us more! You WILL tell us more!
- Watcher Prime: For what purpose? Galactus cannot be swayed.
- Norrin Radd: You must know something that can save our world. Tell me his secret. NOW!
- Norrin Radd: Galactus, I am Norrin Radd of the planet Zenn-La. I am not here to beg nor ask you for your mercy. Instead I've come to make you an offer. I can help you. I can give you the one thing that even the great Galactus needs.
- [Galactus laughs]
- Norrin Radd: Galactus, are you listening to me?
- Galactus: Your presumptuousness amuses me, Norrin Radd of Zenn-La. You have set yourself a lofty goal. How can one such as you help one such as I? I, who needs nothing, who desires nothing!
- The Silver Surfer: Master, I am ready to serve.
- Galactus: Then go, my Silver Surfer. The space waves beckon. And the great hunger is upon me once more.
- The Silver Surfer: To me, my board!
- The Silver Surfer: [regards Zenn-La] What of this planet, Master?
- Galactus: I gave a promise once to an honorable man. That planet is not for such as we.
- Watcher Prime: Master of Zenn-La, I am breaking my most sacred vow. For millennia, the teachings of Zenn-La have been a beacon of light and sanity in a universe darkened by chaos and strife. Now, in the hope that this light not be extinguished I bring you the most dire of warnings. Know, all of you, that the being called Galactus is approaching!
- Watcher Prime: This sector alone holds countless civilizations. Sentient life, so varied that no one race would have been able to imagine the others. Throughout the ages these civilizations have encountered each other time and time again, and demeaned their cultures and beliefs. Two societies, however - the Kree, a race so old that is is the basic stock which evolved all others, and the Skrull, avaricious upstart that live only to serve their hive mother - have dedicated themselves to the subjugation of all others. For countless eons they have battled each other for supremacy, with neither side able to gain a discernible advantage. Now a new power has entered the sector. A power so great it makes everything else pale... Galactus, an immutable force as old as time. Galactus possesses an incalculable knowledge and strength like a shark gliding through an intergalactic sea. Galactus uses his knowledge for only one thing: to find planets whose cores contain the nutrients that will enable him to survive. So great are his needs that he cares not for any consequence save his own nourishment. And after he is fed, the shark that he is, all Galactus can do is move on.
- Galactus: To perform your task as my herald, Norrin Radd, you must become far more than merely a man. I bestow upon you a part of my own Power Cosmic. You shall absorb boundless strength from the cosmos itself. Needing no food to eat. Nor water to drink. Nor air to breathe. You shall be able to transmute the elements. And to heal others as well as yourself. Cosmic bolts of awesome power shall be yours to hurl. And neither the frigid cold of the deepest space or the blazing heat of the brightest star shall harm your shielded body. Most importantly, I shall give you the means to travel faster than the fastest starship. So you may soar to the ends of the universe and beyond. Norrin Radd exists no more. You are newborn my herald. Even your mind is a new page on which I shall write. ARISE!
- [Norrin examines a spacecraft]
- Shalla-Bal: Norrin Radd, I knew I would find you here.
- Norrin Radd: Think of the courage our ancestors must have had, Shalla-Bal, to leave Zenn-La and soar out into the unknown.
- Shalla-Bal: We have had no need for space travel since the enlightenment. We know that the path to peace and harmony lies within our own souls. Beings from all over the universe come here to learn our ways.
- Norrin Radd: And yet I have neither felt peace or harmony within me. Instead, I am driven by dreams of other places.
- Shalla-Bal: But your place is here. There are even those who say that you will become the next Master.
- Norrin Radd: How can I be Master of Zenn-La when I cannot even be master over myself?
- Shalla-Bal: I believe in you, my love. Whatever happens, I will be at your side.
- Kalek: It seems it is our destiny to fight after all. We will blast Galactus right out of the sky.
- Husserl: My crew and I will strike the fateful blow.
- Norrin Radd: Unbelievable. The Kree and the Skrull side by side.
- Shalla-Bal: I pray that it will not always take the destruction of a planet to bring them together.
- Master of Zen-La: Flee, while you still have your ships. Take my disciples with you.
- Norrin Radd: Master, we cannot leave you!
- Master of Zen-La: We all belong to Zenn-La. If I fail, it will be your task to spread our message. Norrin Radd, I know you have always wanted to go.
- Norrin Radd: But not like this, Master. Not like this!