Avengers: Infinity War featured a fascinating flashback to when Thanos first encountered his adoptive daughter Gamora. It revealed that the Titan had taken the future Guardian under his wing when he’d attacked her homeworld of Zen-Whoberi and wiped out half of its people – including her parents. It was a great addition to the movie, as it helped flesh out the duo’s warped familial relationship, which really paid off later on when the villain was “forced” to murder her in order to claim the Soul Stone.
The only problem is, though, that the scene as it plays in Infinity War conflicts with how Gamora describes it back in Guardians of the Galaxy. When she recalls her experiences to Star-Lord, she explains that Thanos killed both her parents right in front of her. In the flashback, however, Gamora’s only lost her mother and Thanos turns her away from the ensuing carnage. So, what’s going on here?
Collider caught up with screenwriters Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus for an in-depth chat about everything Infinity War recently and this perceived plot hole was of course brought up. The scribes didn’t seem to be familiar with the previous backstory established in Guardians though, or simply didn’t see it as a problem, as they mostly laughed it off as a nitpick.
“[We] tried not to,” said McFeely, explaining that the duo attempted to make sure not to trample on continuity. He then suggested that it was merely an issue of where Gamora was standing at the time. “So are you nitpicking about where she’s facing?” he joked, before adding: “I’m comfortable with what we’ve done.”
Markus concurred, chipping in with, “I think those two don’t necessarily conflict,” before McFeely then wrapped up the line of questioning by saying that he doesn’t think they’ve broken any previously established details here. “I think we’re safe,” he concluded.
Clearly, the writers, though congenial, are a little affronted to have their dedication to Marvel continuity cast in doubt. And to be fair to them, they’re right that this doesn’t cause a major issue. It’s perfectly possible that Gamora was simply being dramatic when talking to Peter Quill back in Guardians.
Of course, the bigger problem is that the character’s read-out when she’s imprisoned in that movie confirms that she’s the last of her people – and yet Avengers: Infinity War reveals that Thanos only killed half of her planet. But hey, that’s a plot hole for another day.