With over 20 films released over the course of the past decade, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is full of plenty of fan-favorite characters, each with their own distinct personal arcs as they develop and grow across multiple films. One of the most fascinating character arcs within the MCU is Nebula, portrayed by Karen Gillan.
Initially, Thanos' adopted daughter was introduced as a seemingly unrepentant villain in the original Guardians of the Galaxy. Since then, however, she underwent her own heroic redemption in subsequent films and played a pivotal role in helping the superheroes throughout Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Now, we're taking a closer look at Nebula's evolution ahead of her expected return in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3.
Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy
In 2014, Guardians of the Galaxy established Nebula as the adopted daughter of Thanos, who was resentful after growing up in the shadow of her adopted sister Gamora. Allied with Ronan the Accuser, Nebula was complicit in the Kree fanatic's betrayal of her father and helped him collect the Infinity Stone of Power. Battling Gamora over the planet Xandar, the defeated Nebula cut off her own hand to make her escape.
Nebula reappeared in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 under the custody of the Sovereign, before being released back to the Guardians after they successfully defended powerful batteries from an extra-dimensional monster. Nebula assists the Ravagers in capturing Rocket and Groot before leaving for a rematch against Gamora on the surface of Ego, the Living Planet. After an explosive skirmish, Nebula reveals that she hated her sister, having to endure being fitted with a new cybernetic enhancement each time Gamora bested her. The heart-to-heart is interrupted when the two discover Ego's plot, teaming up to destroy the planet before the reconciled sisters part once more.
Nebula Breaks Good
Sometime between Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2 and Infinity War, Nebula was revealed to have been captured by Thanos. After kidnapping Gamora in an effort to get her to rejoin him at his side, Thanos tortures Nebula until Gamora reveals the Infinity Stone of Soul is hidden away on the planet Vormir. As Thanos kills Gamora on the planet to obtain the Soul Stone, Nebula escapes custody by killing her captors.
After alerting the surviving Guardians to Thanos' whereabouts on his home planet Titan, Nebula joins the battle against her adoptive father, attempting to crush him under her spaceship. The battle ultimately proves unsuccessful, with Nebula revealing Gamora's final fate to Star-Lord, causing him to become emotional and turning the tide of battle in Thanos' favor. After obtaining the Time Stone, Thanos transports himself to Earth where he obtains the final Infinity Stone and uses the Infinity Gauntlet to wipe out half of all life in the universe, with only Nebula and Iron Man left alive amongst the heroes assembled on Titan.
Nebula in Avengers: Endgame
Nebula and Tony Stark travel back to Earth in the Guardians' ship, with Nebula keeping Tony company as he prepares to succumb to the ship's growing lack of food, water and oxygen before they're rescued by Captain Marvel. On Earth, Nebula alerts the team to Thanos' hidden location after he uses the Infinity Gauntlet a second time and watches Thor behead her father after he reveals he used the Gauntlet to atomize the Infinity Stones. In the five-year time jump following Thanos' death in the prime timeline, Nebula and Rocket help keep the cosmos safe along with Captain Marvel, occasionally checking in with Black Widow on Earth.
As the Avengers develop their plan to use time travel to obtain the Infinity Stones from the past, Nebula informs the team of the Power and Soul Stones' locations, accompanying War Machine to obtain the Power Stone in 2014. Nebula's cybernetic implants interface with those of her past self, alerting her villainous counterpart and Thanos of their plan. After the evil Nebula and Thanos arrive in the relative present through Pym Particles in the prime Nebula's possession, Nebula literally battles and kills her past self; completing her redemption after coaxing the 2014 Gamora to follow in her prime timeline counterpart's heroic footsteps.