How Thanos' Endgame Death Has Changed Nebula Teased By Karen Gillan

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 star Karen Gillan has teased how Thanos' death in Avengers: Endgame changed Nebula in the upcoming film. The third chapter in the Guardians of the Galaxy series was intended to have been released shortly after Avengers: Endgame but, due to controversy surrounding writer-director James Gunn's firing and rehiring, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the film's production and release was pushed back by years. The film is now slated to hit theaters on May 5, 2023.

Karen Gillan joined the MCU in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film in 2014. She played the blue-skinned cyborg alien Nebula, the adoptive daughter of the mad Titan Thanos (Josh Brolin), and adoptive sister to Gamora (Zoe Saldaña). After her defeat on Xandar at the hands of Gamora, who wanted nothing more than a sister in her, Nebula returned with a vengeance in the sequel, "besting" Gamora in combat and finally reconciling with her. They teamed up to destroy the Celestial Ego (Kurt Russell) and save Peter Quill (Chris Pratt). Nebula then sets her sights on Thanos and attempts to kill him in Avengers: Infinity War, but fails and is used as a pawn to have Gamora deliver the Titan the location of the Soul Stone. Following the snap, Nebula mourns the loss of her sister and joins the Avengers in a quest to restore the universe.

In a recent interview with Gizmodo, Gillan teased how Thanos' death changed Nebula leading into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The actor shared how the familial dynamics between both her sister Gamora and cruel father Thanos interested her most about her role and how losing both of them affected Nebula in the upcoming film. Read more of what Gillan had to say below.

"One of the most interesting things about Nebula for me was her relationship with her father and sister. And now that her father, Thanos, has been eliminated, he was the source of all of her torment and abuse. It’s really interesting to explore how this character starts to heal and who this character starts to become now that the threat that was always looming over her is gone. So I’ve been having a lot of fun with that."

Gamora and Nebula discover something in a cave

Due to the strict NDAs the cast and crew of the MCU must adhere to, the actor was unable to reveal anything specific, but when asked about what to expect from the third film, Gillan carefully explained that Nebula will not be the same as she was before, adding, "we’re definitely going to see a new version of the character. Maybe a looser version of the character? Maybe a little more levity? But we’ll see because I haven’t actually seen the movie yet." Gillan is excited to explore Nebula's healing process following the loss of two of the most influential beings in her life. Although Gamora is still alive at the end of Avengers: Endgame, she is not the original Gamora who was sacrificed for the Soul Stone, but a variant taken from the past when her timeline diverged due to the actions of the Avengers.

Nebula began her story in the first Guardians of the Galaxy film in almost a basic henchman role. She was Ronan the Accuser's (Lee Pace) heavy who was called upon to take out the good guys when the moment called for it. As her role in the MCU has progressed, her character's depth and nuance have increased, making her one of the most fascinating players in the franchise. Surprisingly to many fans, Nebula became instrumental in taking down Thanos and saving the universe in Avengers: Endgame. Although Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's story is unknown, if Gillan's excitement is any indication of what to expect, then fans would undoubtedly be pleased with Nebula's future in the MCU. Gillan is set to next appear as Nebula in the fourth Thor film, Thor: Love and Thunder.

Next: Guardians Of The Galaxy 3's Best Surprise Cameos Were Setup In Vol. 1

Source: Gizmodo