Marvel’s Saddest Story Belongs to None Other Than the Silver Surfer

Marvel Comics has no shortage of tragic characters, most of whom make up the greatest heroes in the entire universe, and the Silver Surfer is no exception. In fact, it’s fair to say that Norrin Radd might have the saddest story in Marvel history. Not only is his origin tragic, but the Surfer also experienced a heart-wrenching story of cosmic proportions – one few other characters could even fathom.

Norrin Radd aka the Silver Surfer made his debut in Fantastic Four #48 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby during the iconic “Coming of Galactus” story arc. While that was his first appearance, this issue was far from his origin story. Norrin Radd became the Silver Surfer when Galactus came to his home planet of Zenn-La and threatened to consume it. Galactus agrees to leave Radd’s planet alone if Norrin agrees to be Galactus’ Herald. And with that, Norrin Radd became the Silver Surfer, leaving his home and his people behind to help Galactus lay waste to countless others.

Silver Surfer’s origin story is truly tragic, but that’s fairly common with superheroes. Spider-Man lost his Uncle Ben (and his parents), Captain America lost his entire time period, and Hulk suffered abuse all his life by the hand of his father, just to name a few. Silver Surfer having a sad backstory doesn’t exactly make him stand out as the saddest Marvel Comics hero. Indeed, he wouldn’t earn that title until some time later, after Norrin Radd met the love of his life, Dawn Greenwood.

The Tragic Love Story of Dawn Greenwood & the Silver Surfer, Explained

Silver Surfer Vol. 8 by Dan Slott and Michael Allred

Dawn Greenwood was just a regular woman from Massachusetts who had a run-in with hostile extraterrestrials with no qualms about abducting humans. That’s how Dawn and the Silver Surfer met, as Norrin rushed to the rescue of everyone who was taken by these aliens – and they hit it off immediately. Norrin and Dawn’s romance spanned the whole of the cosmos, as the Silver Surfer imbued her with just enough Power Cosmic to travel the universe with him, and together they went on no shortage of adventures for many years. The two couldn’t have been happier.

One day, after a lot of time had passed, Dawn wanted to visit her family, as she had been away from them (and Earth) for so long. So, Silver Surfer literally turns back time to give his love what she wants, but something goes wrong, and Norrin transports them both to the universe that existed before the Marvel Universe. While saddened, the two make the most of their situation by living out their lives in this new world. Unfortunately, the Power Cosmic that surges through the Surfer’s veins prevents him from growing older, while Dawn ages at a relatively normal rate.

Norrin had to watch the woman he loved grow old and die right in front of him. He then waits until the moment of universal renewal to stowaway on Galan’s ship and hitch a ride to the newly created Marvel Universe (his and Dawn’s original universe). Mere moments before the Big Bang, the Silver Surfer converts Dawn’s body into pure energy, and shoots it into the vast nothingness of their reality, making hers the first light to ever shine in the Marvel Universe.

The Silver Surfer’s Story is Filled with Immense Happiness, Making It Even More Sad

Norrin Radd Wouldn’t Have Traded His Time with Dawn for the World

Unlike other tragedies in Marvel Comics, this one isn’t all bad – far from it. The Silver Surfer got the chance to live a long and full life with the person he loved the most before honoring that person with a tribute fit for a god. The tragedy occurred once Dawn was dead, and the Silver Surfer had to keep living, as the love and happiness he experienced was truly once in a lifetime – even one as impossibly long as his own. The Silver Surfer is the saddest Marvel Comics hero because, for a brief yet shining moment, he was the happiest.