Gamora

Biography

Warrior Assassin

Gamora was a little girl when Thanos and his army invaded her home world, wiping out half the population. Gamora was separated from her mother in the attack, but Thanos himself took a liking to the young girl, giving her a blade as a present and shielding her from seeing the massacre of her people. Taking her in as his adoptive daughter, Thanos would go on to turn her into a living weapon with cybernetic enhancements. As she grew up, Thanos would force Gamora and her adoptive sister Nebula to fight one another, but referred to Gamora—who won every fight—as his favorite daughter.

Gamora served under Thanos for 20 years, until he agreed to destroy home-world planet of the Xandarians for Ronan the Accuser of the Kree Empire, in exchange for a valuable Orb that contained an Infinity Stone. Thanos loaned the services of Gamora and Nebula to Ronan to aid him in the task. Realizing the mass casualties that would result should Ronan or Thanos gain control of the Orb, Gamora decided to betray them, accepting a high-priced offer from the Collector to retrieve the Orb for him.

She discovered that Peter Quill, a Ravager calling himself Star-Lord, had stolen the Orb and intended to sell it on Xandar. Gamora intervened, only to be captured by Xandar’s armed forces, the Nova Corps, and sent to prison alongside Quill and the duo Rocket and Groot, who had been seeking a bounty on Quill’s head. In prison, they met Drax, with all five outlaws forming an unlikely bond after they escaped together, and Gamora forging a new path as a hero.

Deadliest Woman in the Galaxy

Gamora is a master assassin, combatant, and swordswoman trained as a living weapon under Thanos which gives her the reputation as the “Deadliest Woman in the Galaxy.”

Her alien physiology and surgical modifications give her superhuman strength and agility and she is able to lift others with ease and leap at incredible heights. Her enhancements include a cybernetic skeleton, ocular and respiratory implants, an improved neurological system and regeneration implant. These augmentations give her augmented durability, vision, and stamina.

Her favored weapon is a retractable sword, but she is also known to use a retractable bejeweled knife that she was gifted by Thanos as a child. When she is without her typical weaponry, she uses whatever is around her, from turning a ship’s gun turret into a handheld weapon, to seizing knives that are trained against her.

No Love For Father

As an instrument of Thanos for many years, his enemies were once hers as well. But, as she works to redeem her life under the Mad Titan, her foes align with those of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the galaxy itself.

When the Kree zealot, Ronan the Accuser, breaks a peace treaty with the Kree and Xandarians and intends to commit genocide on Xandar, Gamora is moved into taking action against both him and Thanos. She works with the Guardians to put a stop to his plans for massacre.

Gamora faces off against The Sovereign and their High Priestess, after they target all the Guardians of the Galaxy because Rocket steals from them. She is also one of the first to learn the true nature and dark intentions of Peter Quill’s father, the Celestial named Ego, and opposes him with the rest of her teammates to save Quill and the universe.

Perhaps Gamora’s most notable enemy is Thanos. Although he is Gamora’s adoptive father, his cold and cruel nature—and memories of what he did to her people—ensures Gamora grew up hating him. She also deeply resents what he put her through and forced her to do over the years. A final confrontation with him costs her everything.

An Assassin’s Friends

Gamora fights alongside her fellow outlaws turned Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter Quill AKA Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Rocket, Groot, and later, Mantis, developing true friendships with her teammates over time.

One of her most important relationships is her bond with Peter Quill, who is romantically interested in her. Initially resistant to Quill’s flirtations, Gamora begins to return his feelings over time, eventually telling Quill that she loves him more than anything. They also tend to act as surrogate parents to the young Groot.

Yondu Udontu straddles the ally and enemy roles depending on his mood, but ultimately sides with the Guardians to stop Ego, as does another Ravager, Kraglin Obfonteri.

Gamora has a complicated relationship with her adoptive sister, Nebula, as the duo were pushed to the limits of competitiveness by Thanos’ cruelty and manipulation, although Nebula receives much more harsh treatment. While both break free of Thanos, they consider each other enemies for a time, until realizing the bond they truly share. Gamora genuinely cares for her, as it is Nebula’s torment that breaks Gamora’s resolve when Thanos questions her about the Soul Stone.