WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Avengers: Infinity War, in theaters now.
Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War is chock-full of unexpected twists and turns, but perhaps none was more shocking than the fate of Gamora. Even actress Zoe Saldana was initially floored by it.
“I learned very early on,” the Guardians of the Galaxy star told the Los Angeles Times. “The producers called me and they told me. And of course there’s a shock to your system. I’m so grateful, this run has been amazing, but you’re so not even ready for that.”
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“But then once some of the things were discussed, I understood that it just makes sense,” she continued. “In order for you to understand the degree of evil that lies within the core of Thanos, you have to circle in on his own children. So I completely understood. I loved being a part of this unforgettable journey.”
Gamora met a heart-wrenching ending in Infinity War as her adoptive father Thanos sacrificed her to obtain the Soul Stone, trading the soul of the one person in the galaxy he loves in order to gain the power he’s so long sought.
While Saldana’s comments certainly suggest Gamora’s fate in Infinity War is permanent, in another recent interview she said, “At least for me, it felt like a [to be continued], because I knew that we will have to all come back, at some point this fall, and finish up the fourth installment of Avengers…It felt like see you later, not like a formal goodbye.”
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On top of that, Guardians of the Galaxy writer/director James Gunn previously revealed that Gamora will have a “significant role” in the trilogy closer.
As for who else knew about Gamora’s fate outside of the cast and crew? “I think my husband and that’s it,” Saldana said. “In the cast, they all knew. We all read both scripts. And even though we know that there are changes being made constantly, there were [some] solid, solid events that had everything to do with plot.”
In theaters now, Avengers: Infinity War is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Paul Bettany, Anthony Mackie, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Tom Hiddleston and Josh Brolin, among others.