Thanos' Cruelest Trick On Nebula Was Gamora's Best "Improvement"

When Nebula and Gamora were introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Guardians of the Galaxy, it became quickly clear just how much their adoptive father, Thanos, favored Gamora. The first Guardians of the Galaxy movie sets up the strained relationship between the two sisters, which becomes increasingly more hostile as Gamora begins to stray from Thanos' wishes, and Nebula maintains a blind desire to please him. The movie also contains a hidden detail that showcases just how cruel Thanos can be.

Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 reveal much of Nebula and Gamora's history. While Thanos raised them as sisters, he repeatedly made them fight each other to test their strength. Every time they sparred, Gamora would win, and Thanos would "upgrade" one of Nebula's body parts, claiming that he was attempting to make Nebula Gamora's equal, so she could win next time. This cycle created tension between the two sisters, but it was particularly traumatic for Nebula, who changed across the Guardians movies as she began to understand and confront the physical torture and psychological toll that came from this traumatic cycle.

During one comedic scene of Guardians of the Galaxy, most notable for Star-Lord's jack-in-the-box middle finger joke, there's a hidden, tragic detail. When Gamora is arrested alongside Star-Lord, Rocket, and Groot, her high-tech mugshot contains many details about her biological traits and enhancements. In addition to two arms, two legs, and various implants to make her stronger and smarter, Gamora is equipped with an Enhanced Regeneration Implant. This is a small detail, never discussed explicitly, but it adds a new layer to Thanos' horrific treatment of Nebula, because this enhancement, which Thanos gave Gamora, made it impossible for Nebula to ever beat her.

How Nebula's Augments Impacted Her MCU Story

Nebula and Gamora's fight during the Battle of Xandar proves that it is Gamora's ability to regenerate quickly that gives her an edge over Nebula. During the fight, Nebula seemingly has Gamora beat when she uses her electroshock batons to severely electrocute Gamora, who screams in pain as electricity courses through her body. However, when Gamora is able to get the batons away from Nebula, she recovers from the electrocution immediately, kicks Nebula over the side of the ship they're on, and wins the fight. If Gamora weren't enhanced to be able to recuperate that quickly, Nebula could have won that fight.

This enhancement was a tool with which Thanos inflicted physical and psychological torture, ultimately turning Nebula into a villain in Guardians of the Galaxy alongside Ronan. Not only did he make Nebula fight an opponent who would undoubtedly hurt her, but he then put her through the pain of replacing her body parts with machinery. All the while, he damaged Nebula's psyche by setting impossible expectations, punishing her for failing to meet them, and telling her that those failures were her fault — despite him being intentionally responsible for her inability to succeed. Through this cruel cycle, Thanos also conditioned Nebula to remain loyal to him, giving him control over her. By making her believe that beating her sister and pleasing Thanos were the keys to avoiding physical and psychological pain, Thanos manipulated Nebula into choosing him over her sister. This psychological conditioning is why, even though Gamora begs Nebula to join her in the fight against Thanos, Nebula maintains the desire to please Thanos throughout Guardians of the Galaxy - and why Nebula still has conflicting feelings about Thanos and his death in Avengers: Endgame.

Gamora’s Enhanced Regeneration Implant makes clear Thanos’ intentions for Nebula. Despite his claims that he wanted to make Nebula Gamora's equal, Thanos never wanted Nebula to win a fight. From the very beginning of the sisters' childhood with him, Thanos never meant for Nebula to be anything more than a plaything to torture or a lapdog to control. Before any of the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, this one Easter egg in Guardians of the Galaxy foreshadows just how cruel Thanos can be.