Warning: spoilers for the "Date Night" story from Women of Marvel #1 by Zoraida Córdova, Maria Fröhlich, Rachelle Rosenberg, and VC's Ariana Maher are ahead.
As a member of the success of the Guardians of the Galaxy films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as the popularity of her portrayal by actress Zoe Saldana.
In a new comic honoring both female characters in the Marvel Universe and female comics creators, Zoe Saldana's portrayal of the character. After providing a moving answer to show's final question of what true love is, Gamora wins the affections of the pageant's bachelor.
Gamora's appearance as a woman of color is significant in that it counters a history in science fiction where many aliens were intended to be seen as white until it could be "proven otherwise." For centuries, white characters and creators dominated science fiction, making it a rare occurrence for readers to see people of color who were not given limiting characterizations in fantastical worlds. With limited examples to work with, sci-fi fans of color often posited alien characters as non-white in order to fill the void left by a lack of characters of color in media. For instance, the bulk of the alien cast in the Guardians of the Galaxy films are played by actors of color, including Zoe Saldana, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, and Vin Diesel, but because their characters are non-human aliens, the characters themselves are not explicitly viewed as an extension of their actor's race.
Additionally, Gamora's decision to appear as a woman of color works against the idea that the default image of "human" is automatically white. In presenting as a woman of color, alternate understandings of Gamora are opened up where she can be viewed as adjacent to people of color, despite being an alien. Her human appearance fits in with her worldly view of the universe, where no singular definition of "person" or "personhood" exists to be modeled after.
Gamora presenting as a woman of color acknowledges the impact that Zoe Saldana has had in how the character is understood by fans and creators alike. The Guardians of the Galaxy were not a wildly popular group in Marvel Comics before their MCU adaptation, but because of the success of their films, Gamora and her compatriots are now a mainstay in the pop culture consciousness. Her appearance in Women of Marvel #1 was a sweet nod to the legacy of the character across media, and invites readers to expand their ideas of who a character like Gamora can be.
