Summary

Julia Garner's Silver Surfer will have a mysterious, ambiguous role in The Fantastic Four.
Garner teases the Silver Surfer may end up being a hero, adding complexity to the character.
Marvel excels at depicting complex heroes, paving the way for Silver Surfer's potential transformation from villain to hero.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is one of the most exciting projects Marvel Studios has had for some time. Fans have wanted these iconic characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for years, not just because of what the core four can bring but also because of the supporting characters and villains from that world.

The Silver Surfer is one of those, and Julia Garner will be taking on that role in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Everything about her has been kept very quiet, as she wasn't even used in the first trailer. However, fans have now had a glimpse of what she's going to look like, and the Ozark star has dropped some interesting details about what people should expect from the character within the MCU movie.

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By Matthew Wilkinson

What Has Julia Garner Teased For The Silver Surfer?

Her Role Is Going To Be 'Mysterious'

Julia Garner as Shalla-Bal The Fantastic Four

It is known that the Silver Surfer often works for Galactus in the comic books, and given that he is the main villain of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, audiences have anticipated seeing that progress onto the big screen. It has been confirmed that this is the case, which means Garner is going to take on a villainous role for her MCU debut. However, there could be more than meets the eye with the Silver Surfer in this movie, which is something Garner teased when talking to Entertainment Weekly about landing the role.

She said, "It's going to be really interesting — I have to be so cryptic about everything, otherwise I'm going to have Marvel come after me. But it was described as there's this mystery about her, and there's this sense of this ambiguous energy going on of whether she's good or not. She is the herald of Galactus, so she works for Galactus, but you're not sure where she stands. Does she stand with her boss, or is she just doing what she's told? She has this mysterious energy about her, and slowly that mystery will get solved with the audience throughout watching it."

What Will This Mean For The Silver Surfer's Future?

There's A Possibility She Will Be A Hero

Garner's comments have had a lot of people talking because it's clear that the Silver Surfer isn't going to align with Galactus completely. That's an interesting reveal, as most people were presuming that she would be his right-hand woman throughout the movie, doing a lot of his evil on the ground level while allowing him to appear for grander moments. That still could be the case throughout the film, but it's evident that there will be at least some tension between the characters at some point. There's now a distinct possibility that the Silver Surfer ends this movie as a hero, opting to side with the Fantastic Four to try and destroy the evil threat. If done right, it would provide a huge swerve and is the type of decision that can have people talking. Having her switch sides would help the Fantastic Four defeat Galactus, who is a huge threat, while it also means that Garner would be more likely to stay in the MCU moving forward, which people want.

While there's a chance that she remains a villain or ends up being killed off, simply having the idea throughout the movie that she can't quite be trusted, and that the Silver Surfer could go rogue, will be a fun dynamic. It should have given the writing team and Garner a lot to play with, and having the Silver Surfer be a mysterious figure in the Marvel world suits the character to the ground. If it's done right, then this role could end up stealing the entire movie, and that's an exciting prospect within itself.

Marvel Has A History Of Complicated Heroes

This Is An Area Marvel Typically Does Well At

Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier in Thunderbolts

The Silver Surfer starting out as a villain in The Fantastic Four: First Steps and ending the film as a hero, or someone who sides with them, wouldn't be the first time that Marvel has dipped its toes into complex heroes. While certain roles like Captain America are overtly good and very rarely step foot out of line, it's often the more complex characters that have the biggest storyline impact. Someone like Bucky Barnes is an example, as the Winter Soldier has operated in a shade of grey throughout his time in the MCU, working as both a villain and a hero. Scarlett Witch is another complex personality that the audience never truly understands, but that's where the magic lies. These aren't just simple, one-dimensional characters fighting each other. They have emotions and often dictate how those journeys are taken, which can lead to change. Having Silver Surfer be the latest complex hero wouldn't be a bad decision at all, as it would simply give people someone to talk about heading into a potential sequel.

The main benefit of keeping the Silver Surfer alive is that the character will be able to appear in future Fantastic Four movies. Much like Marvel did with the Guardians of the Galaxy, there is no reason not to grow teams out, and having Silver Surfer align with the Fantastic Four would only add another personality and set of powers to be considered throughout future movies. Having a complex character who will keep people guessing will benefit The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and if done right, it could give Garner a positive future in the franchise.

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