James Gunn, the director of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, recently revealed in an interview that Zoe Saldana’s character, Gamora, was almost killed off before Avengers: Infinity War. Gunn explained that he had initially planned to have Gamora die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but ultimately scrapped the idea.

Gunn’s Plan For Gamora’s Death In Vol. 2

In the interview, Gunn shared that he knew from the beginning that Zoe Saldana‘s time playing Gamora was limited, so he had initially planned to have her character die. He thought that Gamora would be the one to sacrifice herself, and that Peter Quill would learn about himself through her death. However, Gunn was talked out of it by Kevin Feige and Lou D’Esposito, and instead decided to have Yondu’s death be the catalyst for Peter Quill’s character development in the sequel.

The Potential Impact On The MCU

If Gamora had been killed off in Vol. 2, it would have drastically changed the story of how Thanos acquired the Soul Stone in Avengers: Infinity War. Additionally, Peter Quill’s motivation to “lose his temper” at Thanos would have been different, potentially changing the outcome of the snap. Furthermore, if Yondu had lived, he might not have become an official member of the Guardians team, and his paternal relationship with Quill would not have been explored as fully as it was.

Gunn’s revelation sheds light on the thought process that goes into creating a cinematic universe. Though Gamora ultimately met her demise in Infinity War, it’s interesting to imagine how the story might have unfolded if she had died earlier. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on Friday, May 5.