Karen Gillan Just Flipped the MCU's Retirement Script—And Fans Are LOSING It
Two years post-Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Karen Gillan just cracked open the coffin on Nebula's future—and Marvel fans are grabbing their shovels. In an interview that barely contained a smirk, Gillan tossed a grenade into the fandom with five little words: “Never say never, you know?”
Now the internet's SCREAMING.
Gillan's character arc already had the kind of closure most Marvel heroes would sell their vibranium arm for. After a decade of betrayal, trauma, and one hell of a glow-up, Nebula finally found peace. She smiled, for Groot's sake. But here we are again—refreshing cast lists, zooming into blurry Comic-Con footage, and praying Kevin Feige left a breadcrumb trail.
And here's the kicker: she's not on the Avengers: Doomsday roster. At least, not yet.
Why This “Maybe” Isn't Just Fluff (Or Is It?)
Gillan saying “never say never” is classic Marvel PR tap dancing. But even her vibe felt loaded—like someone who knows things and is dying not to say them.
Also: Marvel doesn't kill characters. They put them in the cinematic version of cryo-sleep, then reboot them like old iPods. Remember when Loki died? Or when Vision died? Or when Gamora actually died but came back as an alt-timeline export like a fanfic twist? Yeah.
Nebula's not just some side character. Her arc became a slow-burn redemption epic—Thanos' broken daughter rebuilt into a quiet leader. Losing her would be like deleting Zuko after Avatar: The Last Airbender season two.
What Marvel Has Done Before (And Why This Is Different)
Historically, Marvel exits are more of a soft fade than a hard stop. Think:
- Chris Hemsworth post-Thor: Love and Thunder (“Might be back, might not.” Translation: If the script doesn't suck.)
- Scarlett Johansson's “final” outing in Black Widow—which came after the character's actual death.
- Robert Downey Jr.—okay, maybe the one true exception. For now.
But Gillan isn't RDJ, and Nebula isn't Iron Man. That's why this is weirder. She ended with dignity. A full arc. A smile. So dragging her back would risk undoing something rare in the MCU: emotional closure that actually stuck the landing.
Yet—Marvel's in a post-Endgame, pre-X-Men identity crisis. And they're bleeding stars like a bad crossover event. Could Nebula be their unexpected ace?
Behind the Curtain: What Karen Didn't Say
The actress has been outspoken about how much she's loved playing Nebula—but also hinted at the physical toll the role takes. “So much fun,” she said this week. Which could mean anything from “I'll do five more movies” to “I'm being polite.”
Still, we know Marvel's MO. When an actor can't confirm something, but still shows up in an interview with a coy smile and a quote that sounds like a fortune cookie? There's something in the works.
Especially when they're not publicly cast in a massive crossover event (Avengers: Doomsday), but still dropping teaser lines like it's 2012 Tumblr.
So—Genius or Garbage?
Bringing Nebula back could either deepen her legacy—or cheapen her goodbye. It's a tightrope.
But hey—if they bring her back and don't pair her with Rocket's Guardians 2.0, what even is the point?
