Synopsis
Guardians Of The Galaxy #7 synopsis by
Rob Johnson
Rating:
The Empyre event is over and the Kree/Skrull Alliance is a new force in the Galaxy. And the 2 Guardians Of The Galaxy teams, split over the death of Peter Quill, have reorganised slightly after their confrontation in #4-5. Groot had defected from Gamora's team to Rocket Raccoon's, and the 2 versions of Moondragon/Heather Douglas had merged and stayed with Phyla-Vell on Rocket's team too. This leaves only Drax and Gamora possibly still working with Blackjack O'Hare and the Prince Of Power.
Now Rocket's gang in the Bowie are heading to a meeting of the Galactic Council. We see Groot, Hercules, Moondragon and pilot Phyla-Vell. Rocket's in his cabin drowning his sorrows in drink over Star-Lord's death (Groot claims he's collecting his thoughts). Heather and Phyla (both from another timeline) are conversing mentally. Phyla is angry that her wife merged with this reality's Heather without consulting her 1st.
Marvel Boy enters the cockpit wearing what he claims is the full dress uniform of the 18th Kree Diplomatic Gestalt (at least in *his* timeline). He is to represent the Utopian Kree, who are not part of the Alliance, at the meeting at its new venue the Proscenium under construction in a non-affiliated area of the Galactic Rim. Phyla points out he's dressed like Adam Ant, and Noh-Varr realises she's right. The Punk-styled Groot is the only 1 who doesn't get the reference. Hercules says he roadied for the band. Noh of course has researched Earth culture in depth.
Marvel Boy says that his 'entourage' should stay on the Bowie as backup for both of them when things go wrong (ignoring questions about 'both'?). He enters the Proscenium to meet Nova, the representative from Earth, who also recognises the Dandy Highwayman look. Richard Rider asks how the relationship with Hercules is going. Noh says they're taking it slow. Richard is a stand-in for Carol Danvers because Captain Marvel is half-Kree and might be accused of bias. They run into Lani Ko Ako of the Sisterhood Of The Badoon who recognises Nova Prime, hero of the Annihilation War. The other introduces himself as Noh-Varr of the Utopian Kree otherwise known as Marvel Boy. Lani finds 2 'Novas' confusing so Marvel Boy is better. But she doesn't understand why he's dressed like Adam Ant.
They enter the meeting room. Super-Skrull/Kl'rt of the Alliance is chairing the meeting and greets the 3 newcomers, especially Nova who was his comrade in the Annihilation War, and brings the meeting to order. Nymbis Sternhoof of Kymellia points out that Emperor Stote of the Zn'rx is absent, and accuses his traditional enemy of plotting in secret somewhere. Captain Val-Lorr of the Kree half of the Alliance says he's gone to the toilet, but the Rigellian Mentacle says that a surface scan of Stote's thoughts suggested otherwise. Oracle-2 of the Shi'ar, also a telepath, objects that the Pan-Worlds Treaty forbids telepathy in such negotiations, and Nova 2nds the objection. Zoralis Gupa of Silnius, representing the Galactic Rim Collective, wonders if the Pan-Worlds treaty is still valid when the aim of this conference is to decide the new rules.
Lani Ko Ako agrees that the treaty needs amending, especially to relax the rules on biological weapons. Empress Victoria of Spartax takes the opportunity to snipe at the Kree who weaponised the Brood by creating a Brood King (as revealed in X-Men (2019) #8-9). Val-Lorr protests that it would have been alright if it hadn't been for interference by those pesky Earth mutants. Nova assures them all that the X-Men have the situation under control. (They're speaking across Peacebringer, a Chitauri diplomat-drone, who keeps silent.)
Marvel Boy butts in to say that the Utopian Kree are concerned about the Skrull astro-nuclear Pyre weapon that the Alliance was going to use on Earth's Sun (in Empyre). Kl'rt chooses his words carefully. He says that their Emperor Hulkling was raised on Earth and has an Earther husband (Wiccan) and friends (the Young Avengers amongst others). He would *not* give such an order. (He omits to mention that the Skrull ex-Empress R'klll *did* give the order disguised as Hulkling.) The Kree/Skrull Alliance will always be humanity's ally, for as long as Hulkling rules.
Noh-Varr points out that the Alliance's Kree Imperium wants their opposition the Utopian Kree to surrender or die. Val-Lorr forces himself to say that the Emperor wants peace for all Kree. Marvel Boy expects no less from Teddy Altman as a fellow YAer and attendee at his wedding. But what will happen if he *loses* the throne. Super-Skrull profoundly hopes that day never comes. Kree Val-Lorr advises MB to *pray* that day never comes because then the Imperium will use every weapon they can lay their hands on to destroy the Utopians. Kl'rt suggests that could have been put more diplomatically.
Nova proposes they leave the Pan-Worlds treaty as it is and that the Alliance decommission all forbidden weapons and submit to independent inspection. Empress Victoria 2nds it. Noh-Varr votes for it and then heads to the restroom to 'wash the stink off' ...
... where he finds Stote the Zn'rx with a large hole blasted in his side. He gasps out that the attacker shape-shifted, and it was the delegate from ... and then of course dies before he can name his killer. Val-Lorr enters and assumes MB did it. He fires a gun ... but the bullet reverses direction and drills through the shooter's brain. Noh examines the gun but can tell it is now functioning correctly. Super-Skrull busts in and accuses Marvel Boy of 2 murders.
He carries MB back to the meeting room and tells the others what happened. Nova Prime asserts his authority under the still legal Treaty (so we know which way the vote went), but Lani points out that Marvel Boy's Earth hero status means Richard Rider can't be impartial. Oracle-2 suggests that they all have their biases. Kl'rt asks where they can find a law official affiliated with no side, perhaps the only surviving being of their race.
(I would have thought any Elder Of The Universe might do for the 2nd criterion, but instead) Nova calls on his and MB's backup ... the GOTG led by drunk Ranger Rocket (last of his kind).
After the next issue blurb there's a flashback epilogue. Rocket is telling Groot to tell the others he's collecting his thoughts when a rainbow of light takes them away, and then brings them back. Rocket says that was the doing of Bifrost, the Asgardian Rainbow Bridge. He says they've been on a strange island for some time. Groot suggests they don't tell anyone else about this. And they don't.