SHALLA-BAL

Real name: Shalla-Bal Occupation: Empress of Zenn-La Identity: Shalla-Bal's existence is unknown to the general population of Earth Height: 5' 9" Eyes: Blue Weight: 125 lbs. Hair: Black Legal status: Citizen of Zenn-La Other Aliases: Helena Place of birth: Zenn-La Marital status: Single Known relatives: Anddar Bal (Father) Group affiliation: None Base of opperations: Zenn-La, Deneb System, Milky Way Galaxy First appearance: Silver Surfer #1 vol.1 Most recent appearance: ?

History: Shalla-Bal is a member of an extremely long lived race of humanoid aliens called the Zenn-Lans, who generations ago had achieved virtual utopia, having eradicated disease, poverty and all social ills. For centuries, the Zenn-Lans lived in idle hedonism among them Shalla-Bal and her lover Norrin Radd. This peace was shattered by the coming of the dreaded devourer of worlds known as Galactus, who intended to consume the planet of Zenn-La. Only because of the heroism of Norrin Radd was the planet spared, as he volunteered to become Galactus's herald in exchange for sparing Zenn-La. Thus, Norrin Radd became the Silver Surfer, and the price of Zenn-La's salvation was that Shalla-Bal and Norrin Radd would be separated for all eternity. (Silver Surfer v1 #1)

The demon lord Mephisto, knowing that separation from his beloved was a constant source of mental anguish for the Surfer, attempted to capitalize on this, and as a result Shalla-Bal was repeatedly used as a pawn by Mephisto in his conflicts with the Surfer. Each time Mephisto's schemes were thwarted, Shalla-Bal would be returned to Zenn-La, while the Surfer, due to the barrier erected by Galactus as punishment for the Surfer's rebellion, remained trapped on Earth. At one point, however, Mephisto transported Shalla-Bal to Latveria, causing her to believe she was an Earth-born peasant named Helena.

Meanwhile, Galactus, having decided that the Surfer's rebellion freed him from his vow to spare Zenn-La, returned and consumed that planets life energy. For reasons unknown, he allowed the Zen-Lans to leave their world safely beforehand, and while he devoured virtually all life on the planet, he left it intact and allowed the Zenn-Lans to return to what had become a lifeless dead world. Some time after this event, Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four discovered a one-time-only means by which the Surfer could escape the barrier that imprisoned him on Earth. This attempt was successful, and the Surfer quickly returned to Zenn-La, only to be horrified by the devastation he found there. At this point, Mephisto seeing an unparalleled opportunity to strike at the Surfer, abducted Shalla-Bal and transported her to Earth, knowing the Surfer would have to follow and become a prisoner once again. When the Surfer had done this, Mephisto then transported Shalla-Bal back to Zenn-La, seperating the two lovers once more. However, at the last possible second the Surfer bestowed a portion of his own Power Cosmic upon Shalla-Bal. This power manifested itself by restoring the fertility of the soil of Zenn-La wherever Shalla-Bal walked on that world.(Silver Surfer v2 #1) In gratitude for this, the citizens of Zenn-La declared Shalla-Bal their empress.

Tragically, when the Surfer escaped from Earth once again, this responsibility drove an apparently irrevocable wedge between the lovers, as Shalla-Bal, feeling her greatest duty was directing the Zenn-Lans efforts to rebuild their civilization left her no room in her life to resume her relationship with the Surfer. In turn, the Surfer recently freed from captivity, having no desire to confine himself to one world again while awaiting a time when Shalla-Bal felt she could lay down her duties, chose instead to indulge his desire to wander the stars. (Silver Surfer v3 #2)

Although the Silver Surfer has vowed to return to Zenn-La should his people ever have need of him. and has done so several times recently, the prospects for a permanent reunion between he and Shalla-Bal seem dim at best, and Shalla-Bal remains an uneasy Empress.

Stength Level: Shalla-Bal posses the strength of a Zenn-Lan woman of her age, height, and build who engages in moderate regular exercise. The average strength of Zenn-Lans is presently unknown, but is presumably roughly equivalent to that of an average Earth human being.

Powers: Shalla-Bal's power to restore life to Zenn-La's ecosphere was the result of the fragment of the Power Cosmic that the Silver Surfer placed within her. Now that that goal has been achieved, it is unknown whether or not her body retains any portion of that cosmic energy.