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Nebula (character)

Marvel Comics fictional character From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nebula (character)
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For the Marvel character who met the Fantastic Four disguised as Nebula, see Ravonna.

Nebula is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Roger Stern and John Buscema, the character first appeared in The Avengers #257 (July 1985).[1] Originally depicted as a supervillain, Nebula was later depicted as an antihero and member of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

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Nebula has appeared in various adaptations of the character in other media, including animated television series and video games. Karen Gillan portrayed the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) in addition to voicing alternate timeline versions in the Disney+ animated series What If...? (2021).

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Publication history

Nebula was created by writer Roger Stern and artist John Buscema, and first appeared in The Avengers #257 (July 1985).[2]

Fictional character biography

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Nebula on the cover of The Avengers #318 (June 1990). Art by Paul Ryan and Tom Palmer.

A brutal space pirate and mercenary, Nebula seizes control of Sanctuary II, a massive spaceship previously under the command of Thanos.[3] Thanos is believed to be dead at this point, and Nebula claims to be his granddaughter.

Nebula schemes to gain absolute power by using an atomic compressor to release vast amounts of energy. This nearly causes a second Big Bang and threatens to destroy the universe before Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Spider-Man and Sersi shut down the equipment in time to prevent the destruction of the universe.[4]

After Thanos is resurrected, he becomes offended by Nebula's claims of kinship. He reclaims his ship and uses the Infinity Gems to nearly kill Nebula, leaving her in a disfigured, zombie-like state.[5]

When he claims the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos boasts that Nebula is his greatest creation, being in a state between life and death. When Thanos defeats Eternity and takes his place, he expands his consciousness into the universe, leaving his body comatose. Nebula takes the Gauntlet from Thanos and uses it to heal herself and banish Thanos. Thanos agrees to help the heroes of Earth defeat Nebula.[6]

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Nebula in interior artwork from Nova: The Human Rocket #1 (May 1999). Art by Joe Bennett.

The group confronts and defeats Nebula, with the Silver Surfer and Adam Warlock taking the Infinity Gauntlet. Nebula is captured by Starfox and taken to Titan for trial, while Warlock retains the Gauntlet.[7]

Nebula is later confronted by Firelord in the Titanian prison, where the murder of her abusive father was depicted in a flashback, which left her in a catatonic state.[8] Nebula is freed from prison by her lieutenant Geatar and converted into a cyborg by Doctor Mandibus.[9]

In Gamora's self-titled miniseries (2016), it is revealed that Nebula was raised alongside Gamora by Thanos, in a retcon inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe.[10][11]

Thanos vol. 2

Having been incensed that the Collector chose a second ring crew of transporters to ferry sensitive goods over her, Nebula drops out of hyperspace to steal their cargo with a new artificially intelligent ship to aid her thievery. In the middle of the heist, she was found by her grand uncle Eros, aided by another Elder: Tryco Slatterus, the Champion. To her surprise, she finds that this group meeting was set up by Thanos's son Thane, who had arranged it for the purpose of killing his father.[12] Nebula is skeptical until she hears Thane's argument, in which he states they need a special kind of contraband to do the deed. Their goal is to steal precious intel by releasing a special prisoner in Terrax's gulag, a mercenary who knows a special backdoor entrance into Thanos's old fortress, The Black Quadrant.[13]

While Starfox worked to distract their unsuspecting host Nebula, Tryco and Thane made their way to the ship's brig to ascertain their prize. Much to Tryco and Nebula's horror, however, there was no prisoner within the ship. What was there was a Phoenix Egg. In her shortsighted anger at such deceptions, Nebula shoots Thane dead. Soon afterward, Thane is resurrected and possessed by the Phoenix Force.[14]

Tryco and Nebula are dragged into the realm of the Stygian Witches and reawaken in the God Quarry. The two battle Thane, who is trapped in the quarry. Thanos turns his attention to his compatriots, only to rebuke them and leave them stranded in the witches' domain with no way out.[15]

Asgardians of the Galaxy

While trapped in the witches' domain, Nebula partakes in the witches' challenge and sets foot within the Quarry herself. Coming out of her own desired fulfillment, she would emerge from the petrification effect now capable of surviving the airless environment of the elderly watchers abode. Eager to vacate the premise, Nebula is dismayed to find that Gamora has killed Thanos in her absence. The Cosmic Coven informs her that there is another way for her acquire that which she truly desires, assuming she follows in the footsteps of her rival in getting it.[16] Following the Three-as-One's advice, Nebula sets out to capture a dwarven enclave to coerce one of their master blacksmiths into both making for her a mighty cleaver through which she can shorten distances across the universe and refurbish an artifact of biblical proportions through which she can regain her title as deadliest woman in the galaxy.[17]

Nebula attempts to claim the Naglefar Beacon, a device with which to call forth the divine cadavers boarding an armada of Norse ferries catered to the apocalyptic horns blow. After a brief skirmish with the Asgardians of the Galaxy, Nebula is finally bested when the beacon is taken off her hands and she is trapped in an illusion of losing out to Gamora. After her Dwarf thrall fixes her war hatchet, Nebula teleports away, not realizing its warp capabilities have been tampered with.[18]

Working with the Dark Guardians

In the aftermath of the "Infinity Wars" storyline, Nebula attends Thanos' funeral. Starfox shows all the guests a recording of Thanos stating that he uploaded his consciousness into a new body before his death. The funeral is attacked by the Black Order, who steal Thanos's body. Everyone is saved by the arrival of Gladiator and the Shi'ar, with Nebula joining Starfox's Dark Guardians.[19]

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Powers and abilities

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Nebula is an athletic woman, and an excellent armed and unarmed combatant. She possesses a gifted intellect and is a brilliant battle strategist.[20]

Nebula uses blasters worn on her wrists that fire concussive blasts of unknown energy or heat blasts that can incinerate a human being almost instantly.[21]

Nebula briefly possessed the Infinity Union, a combination of three devices that together could channel all forms of ambient energy into her, infusing her with vast power. This enabled her to manipulate her size, teleport, manipulate matter, and project her consciousness as pure energy.[4] She also briefly possessed the Infinity Gauntlet and the Infinity Gems, which enabled her to manipulate the fundamental forces of the universe.[7]

Nebula was later converted by Doctor Mandibus into a cyborg.[9] Her bionic left arm can stretch to nearly twice its length and has a potent energy cannon in the palm. Nebula's optic receiver had been augmented with the addition of an accelerated probability generator implanted into her systems, giving her detailed understanding and analyzing of variables.[22]

In Asgardians of the Galaxy, Nebula gains the ability to survive in the vacuum of space after completing the God Quarry's trial. Additionally, she obtains an axe created by the dwarf Urzuul that enables her to teleport and the Naglefar Beacon, a horn that controls the ships of the dead.[23]

Reception

Accolades

  • In 2020, Scary Mommy included Nebula in their "Looking For A Role Model? These 195+ Marvel Female Characters Are Truly Heroic" list.[24]
  • In 2022, Comic Book Resources (CBR) ranked Nebula 4th in their "Thanos' Most Powerful Children" list.[25]

In other media

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Television

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Main article: Nebula (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Karen Gillan portrays Nebula in media set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.[30] This version is one of several adopted children raised by Thanos alongside her adopted sister Gamora, with whom she developed a rivalry. Over time, Nebula developed an obsessive need to best Gamora in combat, but every time she lost, Thanos subjected her to torturous mutilation, replacing parts of her body with cybernetic enhancements. This imbued Nebula with a deep hatred toward Thanos as well as resentment towards Gamora for not treating her like a sister. Throughout the films Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Nebula reconciles with Gamora, becomes a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy,[31] and from the Blip becomes a member of the Avengers, eventually defeating Thanos after 5 years. She then rejoins the Guardians.[32]

Additionally, Gillan voices alternate timeline versions of Nebula in series What If...?,[33][27] and reprises her role in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.[34][35][36]

Video games

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References

External links

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