The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduced the Silver Surfer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and revealed her spectacular powers that appear to be shared with her cosmic surfboard. Of course, First Steps is a film focused on Marvel’s First Family, but the inclusion of cosmically powerful beings like the Silver Surfer raises the stakes considerably.

As the herald of Galactus, Shalla-Bal arrives on Earth to warn the inhabitants of the planet of their imminent destruction, and follow Galactus’ instructions. While it seems like she takes no pleasure in these tasks, she does them with ᴅᴇᴀᴅly efficiency and swiftness.

In addition, she uses an unconventional method of travel to navigate the universe, riding on a silver surfboard which appears to work in perfect unison with her every thought. However, this device is not a part of her body, and it possesses some powers of its own.

MCU Silver Surfer’s Powers Explained

When the Silver Surfer first arrives on the Earth, it’s perfectly clear that this being is on another level in terms of power. She displays the ability to move at incredible speed, and to manipulate technology and signals around the planet to share the message that Galactus has marked the world and its inhabitants for death.

After delivering her message, Johnny Storm, aka The Human Torch, chases Shalla-Bal into the upper atmosphere, barely keeping pace before he grabs her board. However, Shalla-Bal is then able to quickly twist her board, knocking Johnny back to the surface of the Earth, and take flight into the depths of space.

As the story progresses, Shalla-Bal’s powers of intangibility, faster-than-light travel, energy manipulation, durability, strength, and agility all come to the fore. All of these abilities appear to come from Shalla-Bal’s portion of the Power Cosmic, the force which powers Galactus.

While she may not be as strong as her master, this power source gives Shalla-Bal near-limitless abilities, and she may have only scratched the surface in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. On top of this, she is rarely seen without her board in the film, which raises questions about how its powers correspond to hers.

How The Surfboard Affects Silver Surfer’s Powers

The surfboard that Shalla-Bal uses to navigate space seems to be less of a necessity for wielding her powers, and more of a vessel to help channel that energy. If this is the case, this is largely faithful to the comics, as the board is a tool more than a source of additional power.

This hasn’t always been the case in live action, as the 2007 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer film suggested that Norrin Radd, the original Silver Surfer, needed his board to use many of his abilities. As a result, when Doctor Doom gets a hold of the board, he is able to wield powers similar to Norrin Radd.

The MCU has yet to confirm how much the board possesses powers of its own, but it has confirmed that Shalla-Bal and the board are not physically connected as one enтιтy. Despite this, the pair can move in perfect harmony, and Shalla-Bal uses the board as an extension of her own body.

However, it’s not clear if Shalla-Bal relies on the board as a mode of transportation, or if she can propel herself without the aid of the board. As far as the comics are concerned, there have been much more in-depth explorations of how these powers work.

MCU Silver Surfer Marvel Comics Changes Explained

For much of Marvel Comics’ history, Norrin Radd is the original Silver Surfer. He hails from the planet Zenn-La, and he offered himself as an eternal servant of Galactus as a means to protect his home, and his beloved Shalla-Bal.

Evidently, the MCU has opted to change this slightly, leaning instead into the comic story wherein Shalla-Bal becomes the Silver Surfer for the MCU Earth-828’s reality. However, the pair appear to have similar powers.

In the comics, the Silver Surfer can actually fly through space without the aid of his surfboard, but using the board means he does not expend additional energy to travel. The board also acts as a receptacle for energy, and it can absorb and project energy as Norrin Radd wills it.

Beyond this, many of the powers and abilities of the Silver Surfer are mirrored in both the comics and the MCU, including intangibility, faster-than-light speed, super-strength, and much more. However, the Silver Surfer of the comics has also enhanced these powers at times to do remarkable things.

In the comics, Norrin Radd has proven capable of destroying entire planets that are far larger than Earth in terms of size and mᴀss. And with enhancements, this has scaled up to include solar systems, galaxies, and even whole realities.

However, this is not typical for the character, especially since the Silver Surfer tends to have a very different moral core to Galactus himself, be they Shalla-Bal or Norrin Radd. The MCU explored the Silver Surfer’s desire to preserve life, and Shalla-Bal’s compᴀssion towards the victims of Galactus, which is key to The Fantastic Four: First Steps‘ ending.