Marvel Cinematic Universe after Thanos: Who should be the next big bad?
By Jon Hawley
2. Galactus
Galactus until recently was known as “The Devourer of Worlds” – I could rest my case right there.
To elaborate, though, Galactus is the sole survivor of the universe that preceded ours. In surviving that cycle of rebirth, he inherited immense cosmic powers that make him one of the most powerful beings in the universe. Before his rebirth as “Lifebringer,” sustaining that power required him to consume planets capable of supporting life. More than a villain, Galactus is a force of nature.
You probably know him best as an enemy of Earth and specifically the Fantastic Four – Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer teased his appearance – but he’s destroyed countless worlds while also being integral to preventing even greater threats than himself, such as the Annihilation Wave and Abraxas. Galactus’s various heralds over the years are also popular characters in their own right, among them not only the Silver Surfer but Nova, Firelord and Morg the Executioner. Galactus would open many new doors for cosmic Marvel.
But will he work as an overarching villain in multiple movies? Yes. Galactus as devourer is the ultimate natural disaster. As he consumes worlds, he would send chaos rippling through the galaxy, spurring crises and wars whose aftershocks would be felt on Earth sooner or later.
Case in point, Galactus eventually consumed the Skrulls’ home world. Imagine how interesting a Skrull invasion story, such as will appear in Captain Marvel, would become if Skrulls invaded Earth as refugees, not conquerors?
Galactus is also interesting because, while he is destructive like Thanos, he is not evil. He’s ultimately a balancing force between life and death.
That said, Galactus’s godlike nature is a double-edged sword for storytelling purposes. He’s beyond comprehension, making him fascinating but hard to humanize. I rank Galactus second because, while he’s an awesome character, he may function more as an instigating force than a direct antagonist.