Gamora is a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy in the new movie of the same name. In the comics she is billed as “The Deadliest Woman in the Whole Galaxy,” and the way she beats people up in the movie, that is a believable claim. Played by Zoe Saldana, the movie version of Gamora is a close physical and personality match with the comic-book version of Gamora.
Gamora
In the Marvel Comics Universe, Gamora is the sole survivor of a genocide, when her peaceful and religious race, called the Zen Whoberis, were exterminated for refusing to worship a villainous would-be god named the Magus. The child Gamora was saved from death by Thanos, who raised her as his daughter in order to fashion her into the ultimate killing machine.
Thanos Tells the Origin of Gamora
Gamora’s first appearance in the comic books came in 1975’s Strange Tales #180 and #181. These two books were part of a very complex and well-written story arc involving a character named Adam Warlock (who may have been seen in cameo in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie; see this excellent article on GOTG Easter Eggs for more detail), who is battling the same Magus who killed off Gamora’s people. Gamora is present during the battle between Warlock (also aided by Pip the Troll) and Magus as a plant by her ‘Master,’ who is eventually revealed to be the evil and powerful Thanos. Yes, the same Thanos who appeared at the end of the Avengers movie and in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Gamora: Deadliest Woman in the Galaxy
This storyline continued on into the new Warlock series, and Gamora’s origin is revealed in a story told by Thanos in Warlock #10. He tells how he saved her (but not the rest of her people), specifically in order to harness the hatred she felt toward the Magus, who Thanos wanted to destroy. Thanos trained her and modified her body with implants and genetic engineering to mold Gamora into the perfect weapon.
Eventually, Gamora broke free of Thanos’ powerful grip, and she would work with Adam Warlock, Drax the Destroyer, and others in a group called the Infinity Watch. Later, Gamora joined the Guardians of the Galaxy, and the rest, as they say, is cinematic history.
Interestingly enough, in Warlock and the Infinity Watch #9 (1992), more detail on Gamora’s childhood was revealed. In this story, it was shown that Thanos and Gamora did have a father-daughter relationship, to the point that Thanos used an Earth holiday (Christmas), to provide his adopted daughter with some positive childhood memories. That, and training her to be a killer. Father of the Year material? I think not!
Thanos and Gamora Celebrate Christmas
If you have not yet seen Guardians of the Galaxy in your local theater, we highly recommend that you go see it. It is a fun movie, and Zoe Saldana does an excellent job of bringing Gamora, with all of her fighting ability as well as her unique and conflicted feelings about Thanos, to life.
Zoe Saldana as Gamora