Long before selecting the Silver Surfer as herald, Galactus' first herald was the Fallen One; recruited or created under unknown circumstances, his true name was forgotten over the millennia. Eventually, the Fallen One was cast out by Galactus, possibly for his naturally corrupt, power hungry, and violent nature. The Fallen One was imprisoned many times over many centuries, upon each escape he immediately targeted Galactus, who always defeated him. Eventually the Fallen One was brought down by the Star-Lord. However, the energy required caused massive collateral damage, leaving 350,000 dead. The Fallen One was kept in a créche in the Kyln's Omega Core, a massive intergalactic maximum security prison.

During a battle between the Maker and Thanos of Titan on the prison planet of Kyln, the power was shut down to many portions of the Kyln. Without power flowing into his containment unit, the Fallen One escaped the Kyln and again sought vengeance on Galactus. As the Fallen One confronted Galactus, Thanos mentally tried to reason with him, reminding him of Galactus' special purpose in the universe. The Fallen One justified himself, saying that Galactus knew his true nature when he made him into what he had become, and still he was casted out. Galactus decides to simultaneously alleviate his own problems and spite Thanos, teleporting the Fallen One to Thanos' ship. The Fallen One's powerful energy attack devastated Thanos' giant ship, sending him plummeting to the surface of the planet below. Surviving unscathed, Thanos and his new ally Skreet overpowered the Fallen One, sending him into the core of the gas giant and ignited it. Thanos mentally enslaved the Fallen One's unconscious form, so that when he awoke he would serve as Thanos' own herald, as well as provide him with information as to a source of unlimited energy.

When the Annihilation Wave struck and the Kyln was destroyed, Thanos dispatched the Fallen One to investigate the status of the Maker. The Fallen One was captured and drained of his energy by Tenebrous and Aegis, two ancient enemies of Galactus who hoped to use him to find their opponent.