Spoilers ahead for Avengers: Infinity War.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has changed the world of filmmaking forever. Shared universes have become commonplace, with audiences accustomed to serialized, detail-oriented storytelling. But considering the MCU has been alive for ten years, there's bound to be a few continuity errors. Fans recently noted an inconsistency with Guardians of the Galaxy and Infinity War, specifically related to Gamora's backstory and home planet. Because although Thanos reveals massacring half the population of Zen-Whoberi ultimately saved the planet, her mugshot in Guardians claims she was its sole survivor. Check it out below.
As the above image reveals, Guardians of the Galaxy actually sets quite a different background for Gamora. While still the kidnapped and deadly adoptive daughter of Thanos, Zen-Whoberi's denizens were completely extinct according to James Gunn's original blockbuster. But The Russo Brothers had their hands full crafting Infinity War and Avengers 4, and they needed to make some changes to give the story an emotional punch.
James Gunn had a ton of set up to do with Guardians of the Galaxy, introducing each member of the motley crew and eventually uniting the group against a common enemy. The Guardians first clash on Xandar, before being sent to an intergalactic prison. There, the characters' backstories were quickly exposed, along with Star-Lord's middle finger.
A renewed focus on Gamora's home planet came with Avengers: Infinity War, as her history with Thanos was expanded. Gamora has known about Thanos' quest to destroy half the galaxy since she was a young girl, and Thanos invaded Zen-Whoberi. The Mad Titan wiped out half of the population, including killing Gamora's parents in front of her. Thanos maintained the planet was now thriving because of it, revealing there are still plenty of inhabitants on Gamora's home planet.
While the hardcore fans might take umbrage with this change in the canon, it's not earth shattering in the grand scheme of things. The MCU has done great with keeping its story streamlined, but The Russo Brothers had a lot on their plate for their two Avengers movies. In addition to juggling the myriad characters and all-star cast, the brothers made special note to make Infinity War an emotional journey. Thanos' conquering of Zen-Whoberi helped flesh out his personal relationship with his daughter, as well as his logic in attempting to destroy half the galaxy.
With the news that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will definitely be set after the events of Infinity War, it's unclear how Gamora and the Guardians might be brought back to life. We'll just have to wait and see when Avengers 4 arrives in theaters on May 3rd, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
