Spoilers ahead for Guardians 3.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always growing and expanding, but there are a few franchises that truly stand out as fan favorites. Guardians of the Galaxy is definitely in that category, especially for those who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order. The release of James Gunn’s threequel brought an emotional end to the current team’s story, and also inspired plenty of discourse online. It turns out Gunn knows that fans are shipping Nebula and Quill, and Karen Gillan has her own Vol. 3 theory.
The beloved cosmic heroes grew and changed a great deal throughout James Gunn’s trilogy. The ending of Guardians 3 saw happy endings for the characters, although Star-Lord and Gamora never quite reconciled. But it seemed like he and Nebula had a deepening connection, and some fans want to see Peter and the Blue Meanie as a couple. Gunn has heard the chatter, and revealed to the New York Times that actress Karen Gillan’s thoughts, saying:
I never thought about fully going there, but do I think that Nebula, emotionally, is sort of that mean schoolgirl who's not going to show her feelings to anybody. Karen thinks that Nebula has a little bit of a crush on Quill that she doesn't quite know how to put together, and it makes sense because as we come to them in Vol. 3, we realize that they are the two leaders of the Guardians. I think it's very normal in any close friendship to have some sort of occasional romantic or crush-like feelings.
Well, he certainly didn’t deny it. And as such, those fans hoping to see Peter Quill and Nebula have a romantic connection in an upcoming Marvel movie will likely keep hope alive for that pairing. But the question is: what will their couple name be? Nill? Quibula? Nar-Lord? The possibilities are truly endless.
Gillan’s feelings about Nebula make a great deal of sense, and she obviously knows the character extremely well at this point. While we saw the softer side of Nebula over the years, she’s not known for wearing her heart on her sleeve. So even if she has a crush on Peter, it doesn’t seem likely that she’d tell him.
Narratively, this was hinted at a few times throughout the runtime of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. One is a funny moment, when Gamora says it sounds like Peter is looking for someone more like Nebula. They have a funny exchange about her eyes, in a clip that even made it to the trailers. But the bigger moment happened when Peter is drunk early in the movie, mistakes Nebula for her sister, and says “I love you, Gamora.” Nebula’s face is heartbreaking in that moment, and seems to hint at bigger feelings.
We’ll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out. Since all the Guardians surprisingly lived through the threequel, it seems like anything could happen. Guardians 3 is still in theaters now and making money at the box office. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
