Galactus is easily one of the most iconic villains in the entire Marvel Comics Universe, but interestingly enough, he’s not always that villainous. Sure, Galactus’ entire cosmic purpose is to consume planets, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s a bad guy. He must devour worlds, not because he chooses to, but because he is quite literally tasked by the universe to do so.
Obviously, when someone’s job is to annihilate trillions, they’re going to be looked at as a villain, even if they aren’t technically the one to blame. He can’t control the fact that he has to consume worlds, but he can control what he does in between meals, and sometimes the things he chooses to do are actually nice, and even downright heroic. Here are 8 times Galactus proved he’s not the villain Marvel fans think he is!
8
Galactus Became the Lifebringer
Ultimates Vol. 3 #2 by Al Ewing, Kenneth Rocafort, and Dan Brown
Galactus is known as an “ender” of life on a cosmic scale, which is why the fact that he was once the Lifebringer a truly shocking concept. In Ultimates Vol. 3 #2, which takes place following 2015’s Secret Wars, a new team of Ultimates is formed. Rather than being an alternate-universe version of the Avengers, this Ultimates team consisted of cosmic heroes who handled universal threats, and one of them was Galactus.
The Ultimates ultimately force Galactus into the incubator that turned Galan into Galactus in the first place, and when he emerged, Galactus was no longer the devourer of worlds fans knew him as. Instead, Galactus became the Lifebringer, which meant he could quite literally bring life to dead worlds.
That’s a great way for Galactus to make up for the countless lives he’s ended, and proves that he’s really not such a bad guy when given the chance.
7
Galactus Joined the Avengers
Avengers Vol. 8 #66 by Jason Aaron and Javier Garrón
Galactus may be considered an Avengers-level threat, but his reputation didn’t stop him from actually joining the Avengers to save the entire multiverse. During the climactic issue of Avengers Vol. 8 #66, Galactus joined the Avengers to stop the seemingly unstoppable army of multiversal Dooms led by Doom Supreme.
Galactus’ role was to take down a corrupted Ego the Living Planet, and since Galactus is something of an expert in killing entire worlds, he played that role superbly.
Again, Galactus isn’t evil, he simply operates on behalf of the universe for the benefit of the universe. Sometimes that means culling life in the cosmos by eating planets, and other times it means becoming an Avenger.
6
Galactus Allowed a Planetary Evacuation
Fantastic Four #587 by Jonathan Hickman and Steve Epting
Galactus has consumed countless worlds throughout his Marvel Comics career, but he rarely allows one to evacuate. His profound apathy is the only way to stay relatively sane, given his cosmic purpose of extinguishing life on a planetary scale so regularly, which means he generally doesn’t care whether the residents of any given planet live or die.
While that’s put him firmly in the ‘villain’ category for many years, Galactus proved that he isn’t always so indifferent. In Fantastic Four #587, Galactus is consuming Nu-World, which is an artificial planet meant to effectively replace Earth once the planet inevitably becomes uninhabitable.
Before Galactus finishes Nu-World off, however, he gives the Fantastic Four the chance to evacuate the planet, which is a mercy that proves Galactus can’t be all bad.
5
Galactus Defends Reed Richards
Fantastic Four #262 by John Byrne
Marvel fans know that Galactus is famously a villain while the Fantastic Four (including and especially Reed Richards) are heroes. However, there was one point in time when that wasn’t the case. At least, as far as the wider Marvel Universe was concerned.
In fact, after Reed Richards saved the life of Galactus, he was brought before a cosmic council where representatives from civilizations across the universe stood in judgment of Mr. Fantastic.
By saving Galactus, Reed doomed countless worlds, and he was going to pay for that crime. That is, until Galactus himself showed up to Reed’s hearing, where Galactus explained (with the help of Eternity) that he is a necessary universal force, and so, by saving him, Reed saved everything and everyone. Galactus saved Reed’s life when he certainly didn’t have to, and even referred to Reed as his friend.
4
Galactus Still Has His Humanity (Thanks to Silver Surfer)
The Defenders #2 by Al Ewing and Javier Rodriguez
As most Marvel fans know, Galactus originated from the universe before Earth-616, where he was once basically just an ordinary person named Galan. When he was folded into the next universe following the death of his own, Galan became Galactus, and the rest is history. However, that history was altered slightly by none other than the Silver Surfer.
In The Defenders #2, Silver Surfer finds himself in the previous universe, where he tracks down Galan as an infant. While he initially intended to kill Galan, Silver Surfer instead implants a fragment of universal knowledge within Galan’s mind. This act ensured that Galactus would hold onto his former humanity, which is assuredly a big reason why Galactus will occasionally prove himself to be a hero.
3
Galactus Mourns the Death of Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer: Requiem by J. Michael Straczynski and Esad Ribic
Silver Surfer: Requiem is an utterly devastating miniseries for fans of the Silver Surfer, as it is shockingly grounded for a cosmic story that refuses to pull any of its punches. And one of those ‘punches’ is the death of the Silver Surfer. While that alone is shocking enough as it is, perhaps the most shocking part about it is that Galactus himself mourns the death of his former ‘disgraced’ Herald.
One would think that an apathetic cosmic force of nature like Galactus wouldn’t concern himself over a single death when he alone is responsible for the deaths of trillions. Plus, the Silver Surfer turned on Galactus, so it makes even less sense that Galactus would care whether he lived or died.
But, this comic proves Galactus does care (and even wanted to save him), which also proves he’s not that bad of a guy.
2
Galactus Still Has Love for His Homeworld
What If…? Galactus Transformed Gambit? by Josh Trujillo and Manuel Garcia
Despite destroying and devouring countless worlds across the universe for billions of years, there is one world Galactus does care for: his homeworld, Taa. Taa is the Earth-like planet from the previous incarnation of the universe where Galactus (aka Galan) was born and raised.
Galan escaped Taa when his universe was being destroyed, which is how he became Galactus in the first place. However, there’s a piece of Galactus that wishes he had simply stayed on his homeworld.
In What If…? Galactus Transformed Gambit?, Galactus recruits Gambit to find him a reconstruction of Taa that was created by the Collector. While the whole thing was a ruse, this issue did prove that Galactus does still have love for his home, and craves nothing more than the ordinary life he lost.
1
Galactus Sacrifices His Energy to Save His Daughter
Galacta: Daughter of Galactus by Adam Warren and Hector Sevilla Lujan
Even a world-killing cosmic powerhouse like Galactus has some paternal instincts, which is proven true in Galacta: Daughter of Galactus. When Galacta thinks she’s dying, she seeks the Ultimate Nullifier to put herself out of her misery. However, Galactus reveals to Galacta that she’s actually pregnant, and even gives her a bit of his own Power Cosmic to help her regain her strength.
Galactus will do anything to satiate his cosmic hunger (that’s why he eats planets, after all). But even so, he’s willing to give up the very energy that fills him just to make his daughter feel better. And that’s why this is one of the 8 examples of why Galactus isn’t as bad as Marvel Comics fans think.
