The Marvel Cinematic Universe has grown into a behemoth franchise over the last few years, but a few properties stand out as fan favorites. Guardians of the Galaxy is definitely in that category, which is why the threequel was one of the most hotly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies ahead of its release. And Gamora actress Zoe Saldaña recently responded to her character’s bittersweet ending in Guardians 3.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ended the story of the beloved cosmic team, and packed plenty of emotional moments for fans who had watched the Marvel movies in order. Gamora didn’t end up getting back with Peter or the Guardians, instead going back to her life with the Ravagers after their mission to save Rocket. Saldaña recently spoke to THR about this narrative choice, saying:
It was a bittersweet decision, obviously. I wanted to know that in the final chapter, Gamora stays on and finds a way to become a Guardian again. But this felt like the right way to end things for her, because of what she had been through. At the end of the day, any multiverse that she would've come from, she was still going to have the same experience with Thanos, and she was still gonna have the same guilt and the same trauma. So she finally found solace with the Ravagers, and she felt more open than she had ever been.
Points were made. Gamora had a horrible life growing up with Thanos. And after she was killed by Thanos to procure the Soul Stone, the green girl was “resurrected” when the 2014 version of her was brought into the present via the Time Heist. At the end of that battle she was stranded alone in an alternate reality, which no doubt had a major impact on her psyche.
Throughout their mission in Guardians 3, Gamora was able to connect with various members of the cosmic team. She eventually understood what Groot was saying, and was able to see the good in Peter Quill. But she ultimately didn’t have any love for her fellow heroes (beside Nebula), and returned to her chosen family: The Ravagers.
Later in that same conversation, Zoe Saldaña spoke about where Gamora and Star-Lord’s relationships might have moved forward following the events of Guardians 3. While it doesn’t seem like Saldaña will be back in the role, she’s got ideas about what came next for the Guardian. As she put it,
I think the whole thing with Peter bothered her, because even though she had no recollection of who he was, she had a sense that it must have been special. And I appreciated that takeaway because it kind of gave us the hope that if the Guardians seek help again from the Ravagers, maybe Gamora and Peter will find a way back into each other's lives, even if it's just as friends.
Friends is something! The title card at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 confirmed that Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord was going to return to the MCU sometime in the future. It’s unclear when that’ll happen, but perhaps we’ll get a Gamora-related update when it does.
Zoe Saldaña’s new show Special Ops: Lioness airs on Paramount+. Guardians 3 is still in theaters now. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
