What was this 90’s cartoon from Marvel Entertainment and Saban Entertainment? What is Silver Surfer about? Who stars in Silver Surfer Season 1, Episode 12?
This is a review and recap for “Silver Surfer” – Season 1 Episode 12, “Return to Zenn-La.”
If you missed the other Silver Surfer episodes then head here:
- Silver Surfer Season 1, Episode 9: Recap and Review
- Silver Surfer Season 1, Episode 10: Recap and Review
- Silver Surfer Season 1, Episode 11: Recap and Review
Viewer beware – Spoilers below!
Silver Surfer Season 1, Episode 12: Recap
It seems they really like opening big on these last couple of episodes (curious if the finale will as well) as we open on a large space battle between the Kree and the Skrull. Surfer is refilling his energy as he laments the violence that follows both sides wherever they go, though it seems weird that he questions why they fight given the series has repeatedly noted that they are locked in constant conflict.
A communication beam sends a distress signal of a male voice asking for help to both sides as well as Surfer, though it’s an odd choice of technology since standard communication signals would cast a wider net. The beam originates from a planet at the edge of the solar system, under attack by some unknown foe. Surfer laments that help from the Kree or Skrull could be worse for the planet than what they face, yet then immediately is annoyed that neither side actually does try to help.
Surfer finds the planet coated in crystals apparently called ‘fractites’, that drain any energy they come in contact with. Surfer underestimates the fractites and finds himself being drained, though still determined to help the originator of the distress call.
Elsewhere Infinity is struck by pain as she and Eternity feel the end of the universe nearing, which would include their deaths. Their only hope is the Silver Surfer, who is currently otherwise engaged.
Surfer breaks free and somehow destroys all fractites on the planet, overwhelming them with Power Cosmic. From the distress beam he then hears the voice of Shalla-Bal, at which point he starts to think the planet looks familiar. At this point I feel Surfer doesn’t know what Zenn-La looks like very well, given how he mistook Skrullos for it earlier and now doesn’t think this planet looks anything like it a first. He then travels down and realises that it actually is, and as he lands he is greeted by Shalla-Bal.
Surfer is confused how Zenn-La got there, even though he learnt what happened a few episodes ago, and Shalla-Bal drops some exposition of how an angry Galactus caused Zenn-La to travel between the stars. Surfer is then greeted by the people, particularly his never before seen friends Borad, a tentacle centipede with segments that apparently ‘tremble with joy’, and Darwekk, a human-looking alien with blonde hair and pale skin because of course he is.
We then get some celebration scenes involving a bunch of interesting alien designs, including a couple who are living instruments and feel like that made them get pigeon-holed into being the musicians. He shares some flirty banter with Shalla-Bal and then drops the news that the Master is dead, really putting a damper on the event.
Darwekk declares that Norrin Radd should be the new Master, but he isn’t so cool with having his fate chosen like that. Darwekk then takes a sharp turn and declares Radd isn’t fit to lead them and throws a punch that is easily stopped yet confuses Surfer. Darwekk then actually does punch him, and falls straight down into a bunch of fruit. Borad says that they must end the bad blood between them (the 30 seconds of bad blood) and Darwekk demands trial by combat. Surfer points out that those traditions are long in Zenn-La’s past, but everyone suddenly seems for bringing them back
Surfer points out that trial by combat isn’t fair while he has the Power Cosmic, so Shalla-Bal leads him away and gives us an interesting shot of them walking away from his board. Shalla-Bal leads him to a rock and he realises she wants him to give up his power, which causes her sound a little villainous as she persuades him that he no longer needs it.
He sits on the rock and the Power Cosmic is gone in a flash. Darwekk wastes no time and charges in to fight, and the two wrestle about before the ground starts to fall apart and they fall off a cliff into an underground river.
Radd becomes suddenly concerned about the shift in the people of Zenn-La towards violence, then saves Darwekk and apparently proves himself worthy. Radd points out that they are still in danger so calls for his board, even as Darwekk demands he not. Strangely the board responds and flies to them, even without the Power Cosmic.
Everyone then tries really hard to suggest that it’s just another way for him to help out on what is most definitely Zenn-La. As Surfer explains his concerns we are shown down into the core of the world filled with angry magma. Surfer then points out he felt now Power Cosmic on the world. The planet then declares he has failed and that Surfer knows as Surfer regains his form. Then a big hole opens and they all fall in.
Surfer calls for his board again and saves ‘Shalla-Bal’ even as everyone else vanishes into green light. He points out that Zenn-La and Shalla-Bal aren’t real, and she tries to convince him that she could be. It almost works as he goes to kiss her, but rejects it at the last second.
The ground closes above him so he tries to blast his way out as he laments the loss of the fake Shalla-Bal. Surfer calls out Ego as the planet itself, and is confused why Ego would do it after saving him. Ego claims it was all for giving Surfer happiness, and explains how he is the only one of his kind and has always been alone.
Then the fractities captured him and when his calls caught Surfer he realised Surfer was his best chance of survival (thought I’m not sure how if the plan involved making Surfer convinced he had no power, or the weird trial by combat thing at all). He also negates my earlier concern of Surfer not recognising Zenn-La, since he didn’t make himself look that way until Surfer was leaving.
Surfer tries to leave, but Ego doesn’t like that. Surfer turns Ego’s power against him and accidentally kills him, so then uses his power to resuscitate the living planet. Ego says he may be there when Surfer needs him and wishes him luck on finding Zenn-La.
As Surfer flies off we turn to Eternity and Infinity, the latter of whom is in pain due to the twisting of space and time. Eternity declares that they will survive the coming Chaos, and then we turn to Thanos calling out to Lady Chaos. Seems Thanos is upset with being ignored by her and so found a way to reverse time and create an ultimate weapon that will destroy all creation, simply so she will love him.
Silver Surfer Season 1, Episode 12: Review
Another episode of mixed feelings for me, which is a bit disappointing given it is the second last of the season/series. I did kind of like seeing Surfer contend with a Zenn-La that was not completely the same as he left it, even if it did mean a lot of his thought narration that, as always, constantly led into angst and questions that seemed to have rather self evident answers. Watching I did initially have issues with the sudden changes in characters, though thankfully most are answered by the Ego reveal.
The episode does seem to imply that Ego is messing with his head at times, Ego certainly made him think he was no longer the Surfer and that would surely take more than simple visual illusion, but then at other points seems to disregard that and imply that it was more Surfer’s longing to be home with Shalla-Bal overriding his sense. This whole story does allow me to accept the strange flow of the pace though since I can see it as the same disorientation that Surfer is experiencing.
I do feel that if you moved the side plot with Infinity and Eternity elsewhere this episode would have been better suited to earlier in the season. Personally I feel that Surfer’s trial would have been better suited here, having this episode be his condemnation for his crimes and then the next inevitably proving his heroic nature for the entirety of reality. As it is, it feels like the only real purpose this episode serves is to set-up Ego as a later ally (next episode, I’d assume, unless they weren’t able to plan for cancellation), and it feels like a bit of a waste.
Who are the Silver Surfer Voice Actors?
The voice actors who appear in this episode of Silver Surfer include:
- Paul Essiembre as Norrin Radd /Silver Surfer
- Camilla Scott as Shalla-Bal
- Roy Lewis as Ego the Living Planet
- John Neville as Eternity
- Elizabeth Shepherd as Infinity
- Gary Krawford as Thanos
What did you think of this Episode?
Did you enjoy this episode? What did you think of Ego’s manipulation?
Let us know on social media.
