Redemption, from the Latin word redimere, means to buy back or win back something that was lost, taken, or given up voluntarily or out of necessity. It’s also the concept of restoring someone to a previous condition as in they are saved after repenting and believing in Jesus Christ and being redeemed by Him in Heaven. So why am I talking about this? Redeemed Nebula
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Background
Nebula is an adopted daughter of Thanos who was raised with Gamora as siblings. After being previously featured as an antagonist or an anti-hero in previous MCU films, Nebula undergoes a redemption arc in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.
Motivations Redeemed Nebula
Nebula’s characterization in The Avengers is that of a cold-blooded warrior and an assassin. She also seems to hold resentment towards Gamora for being selected by Thanos to replace her as his favorite child and he was reluctant to have her replace Gamora as a result. It is revealed through dialogue between Rocket Raccoon and Quill in Guardians of The Galaxy that she even killed Gamora’s pet, destroying her surrogate sister’s only connection to love.
Prior to the events of Guardians
Infinity War, Nebula is a ferocious soldier who works alongside Thanos and Gamora to retrieve all six Infinity Stones. At first, she had a hatred towards her sister for killing their father as well as her mistress, Ronan The Accuser for being her handler and enforcing Thanos’ orders on her.
The fight against Ronan Redeemed Nebula
In an interview with Screen Rant, Karen Gillan explained that she never had a confrontation with Ronan and that Nebula doesn’t understand his motives: He’s a fanatic. She doesn’t understand how anybody can be so brainwashed and why anybody would believe that they know what’s best for all these people.
Aftermath Redeemed Nebula
After a long run as an antagonist in various Marvel Cinematic Universe films, Nebula shifts her character to one of redemption in Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2. In it, she comes face-to-face with family members Gamora and Thanos—as well as father issues that drive much of her actions throughout the film.
Nebula’s Redemption Arc in the MCU
In the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, Nebula appears as an antagonist who attempts to track down and kill her sister, Gamora, because of the abuse she suffered at her hands. In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, however, she switches sides and fights alongside the Guardians in order to defeat Ego (her father). It’s in this film that Nebula’s redemption arc takes place, starting with her confrontations with Gamora, continuing through her fight against Ego’s multiple bodies and culminating with her ultimately saving Peter Quill by sacrificing herself.
A quick review of Guardians Of The Galaxy Redeemed Nebula
Although Nebula was shown to be evil in previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films, she was given a redemption arc where she made amends for her past crimes. Here’s a quick review of what makes Nebula such an amazing character.
Re-introducing characters for Avengers Infinity War
Following her debut in Guardians of the Galaxy, Nebula became a major character of Avengers: Infinity War. The film reunites Nebula with her adoptive sister Gamora following their estrangement from Thanos and after Thanos’ defeat, Nebula joins their fellow Guardians to defeat Ronan once again when he tries to use his power-enhancing weapon for evil purposes. This arc represents Nebula’s redemption since she sides with good over evil. But does it make up for her villainous actions? Does it matter?
The importance of motivation and goals in storytelling
The hero’s journey is often one of self-discovery and self-actualization. The actions of a hero are typically motivated by a call to adventure, which compels that character to leave their ordinary world for an extraordinary one where they undergo trials and tribulations that ultimately result in their spiritual enlightenment. As such, it’s absolutely crucial for writers to understand what motivates their characters and drives them to action.
What you need to do to keep audiences engaged Redeemed Nebula
One of my favorite things about watching sci-fi is seeing how reality mirrors it. So I’m always intrigued by stories that are inspired by technology, space, and emerging science. Nebula is one of those characters in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 who had a much deeper arc than what we were shown in her early role as an antagonist.
