Guardians of the Galaxy Prelude

Guardians of the Galaxy Prelude is a two-issue comic mini-series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is set before the events of Guardians of the Galaxy.
==Synopsis==
===Part I===
Who is Nebula? What tragic events forged her unbreakable allegiance to her dark lord? Find out here! - Plus: Gamora! Korath! And more from the Marvel Cinematic Universe!GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY PRELUDE #1
===Part II===
The bizarre bounty hunters may literally be from two different worlds, but when their latest gig takes a deadly turn they'll show everyone why those who underestimate them end up on the wrong end of a blaster!GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY PRELUDE #2
==Plot==
===Part I===
The dark overlord Thanos searches the wide galaxy for the Infinity Stones, patient and thorough in his search. Amidst his quest, he takes in two alien women as his adopted daughters: the Zehoberei Gamora and the Luphomoid Nebula. Under the tutelage of Thanos' ally, Ronan, the women become Galaxy-Class Killers and elite assassins under Thanos' employ.
During a dangerous training scenario on Dervani, Nebula and Gamora engage each other in fierce combat in a competition to retrieve a data ingot for Ronan. The girls are evenly matched and their bout leads them to a cliff side from which Gamora tosses Nebula over. Nebula is severely injured in the fall, and is forced to undergo cybernetic augmentations. As she is repaired, Thanos openly expresses his disappointment over Nebula's actions, lecturing her on the limits of weakness, even going as far as to say "flesh itself is a weakness."
Many years later, Thanos gains a lead on the location of the Orb, and sends a now adult Nebula and Gamora to seek it out. Accompanying a Kree platoon led by Korath, the Galaxy-Class Killers travel to Praxius IX. Infiltrating one of the Cloud Tombs of Praxius, Nebula blindly rushes forward despite Gamora's warnings and ends up getting caught in a Laser Thorn Energy Net.
Gamora initially attempts to free Nebula from the trap, but Thanos stops her, asserting the fact that Nebula failed and is undeserving of help. Though reluctant, Gamora complies, but not before leaving Nebula with a large combat blade to free herself. Just before the natives attempt to capture Nebula, she amputates her own arm with the blade, freeing herself.
Nebula undergoes another procedure, gaining a prosthetic arm in the process. While Nebula chooses to heed Thanos' previous words and grow strong from her failure, a visibly shaken Gamora begins to question her master's ideals.
===Part II===
Intergalactic criminal duo Rocket and Groot arrive at the Hub, with a stolen spaceship. They have used almost all of their cash to get there, and use their last units to pay for docking. Being all out of money, Rocket is forced to sell his Ion Cannon for only 30 units. Overhearing Rocket's complaining about the ripoff, Sqqd'li offers them a job with a payment of 1000 units. They discuss the proposition in a bar, where Sqqd'li explains that his boss Zade Scraggot, a Stygian crime lord, wants an item which is currently located at customs in the uptown district of the hub.
Uptown is heavily guarded, only rich people may enter, but Rocket and Groot are able to get there via a coaxial shaft that runs from downtown all the way to uptown. With Groot's ability to rapidly grow, Rocket is able climb up until he reaches the level of customs, followed by Groot who pulls himself up. The item is guarded but Rocket throws a Gas Grenade while wearing a helmet for himself. He hands Groot the item and then sees a Laser Cannon locked behind glass. He takes the weapon with him but by breaking the glass the alarm goes off and guards storm in. Groot takes the item with him, while Rocket keeps the guards occupied. He then sees a Anti-Matter Turbo Thruster and flies away, blasting the doors to outer space with his weapon. But by doing so he loses the turbo thruster and is now hovering in open space. Using his ability to rapidly grow his arm, Groot saves Rocket but loses his arm in the process.
Back in downtown, Sqqd'li opens the items Rocket and Groot delivered. It contains a family of Scalluscs, Sqqd'li explains the shells will be used for the bathroom of his boss as decoration. One of the Scalluscs desperately offers to pay double if his family is saved. Rocket and Groot greedily accept the offer, Groot hits Sqqd'li and Rocket takes the 1000 units from his pockets. Before they can leave the station and bring the Scalluscs back to their homeworld, they run into Scraggot and his men. They get into a fight but Rocket and Groot are able to defeat Scraggot and leave the station.
==Appearances==
===Characters===
*Nebula
*Gamora
*Thanos
*Korath
*Rocket
*Groot
*Zade Scraggot
*Sqqd'li
*Ronan the Accuser (mentioned)
===Locations===
*Praxius IX
**Cloud Tombs of Praxius
*Dervani (flashback)
*Orex II (flashback)
*Orex II Gravity Well (flashback)
*Hub
*Halfworld (mentioned)
*Planet X (mentioned)
*Scallusc Homeworld (mentioned)
===Events===
*Quest for the Orb
**Infiltration into the Cloud Tombs of Praxius
*Robbery at the Hub
===Items===
*Infinity Stones
**Orb (mentioned)
*Godslayer
*Omni-Enviro Skinsuit
*Healing Tank
*Ion Missile Turret
*Laser Thorn Energy Net
*Credits
*Ion Cannon
*Gas Grenade
*Laser Cannon
*Anti-Matter Turbo Thruster
*I-Ex 50 (mentioned)
===Vehicles===
*Dark Aster
*G'rek Carriership
===Sentient Species===
*Zehoberei
*Titans
*Luphomoids
*Halfworlders
*Sakaarans
*Kree
*Flora colossi
*Stygians
*Scalluscs
===Organizations===
*G'rek Raiders
*Nova Corps (mentioned)
==Trivia==
*The comic is featured in Guardians of the Galaxy Prelude (collection) and The Marvel Cinematic Universe: The Marvel Comics Omnibus.
==Behind the Scenes==
===Continuity===
While the comic has the MCU Red Stamp, which labels it as a part of the official canon, James Gunn has stated that he considers the comic book to be non-canon.James Gunn on Twitter - May 17, 2017 On the other hand, Will Corona Pilgrim had previously said the comic was considered to be canon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe by Marvel Studios executives, and that James Gunn himself liked the comic's exploration of Nebula's backstory.Exploring Untold Tales of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Comics Form (cbr.com) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 contradicts how Nebula lost her arm, while the comic shows that she cuts her own arm off, Nebula says in the movie that Thanos pulled it out of her body. While this was retconned by the release of the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel, due to its confirmed status as an official tie-in product, the main events of the comic are still considered canon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
==References==
==External Links==
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Category:Comics
Category:Guardians of the Galaxy (film) Merchandise
Category:MCU Red Stamp