UPDATE: Writer-director James Gunn has pretty much confirmed that Ayesha will show up in GOTG Vol. 3, telling IGN “I absolutely plan on bringing [actress] Elizabeth Debicki back. She’s actually one of my favourite actors I’ve ever worked with.”
This article features background on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 baddie Ayesha and details of how her Sovereign race play into the plot of the sci-fi sequel.
For that reason, the article will feature MILD SPOILERS.
Who is Ayesha in the Comics?
In the comics, Ayesha has a long and convoluted back-story. She was initially created by the Enclave, and was their second attempt to create a super-human being, after Adam Warlock.
Initially called Paragon, Ayesha started out male. But that didn’t work out, so having destroyed the Enclave’s base and escaped their control, the character incubated itself in a cocoon, and emerged female.
Variously called Her, Kismet, and eventually Ayesha, her powers have changed over the years, but variously included super-strength and speed, flight, the ability to regenerate and heal, immortality, and mastery over cosmic energy.
And her storylines have been all over the place, with one involving teaming up with the Avengers to defeat the Consortium, and another revolving around finding a mate by attaching “reproductive pods” to the most powerful dudes in the universe.
Ayesha also has a love-hate relationship with Adam Warlock, which may or may not play into future Guardians of the Galaxy movie plots.
Who is the Movie Version of Ayesha?
Speaking to ScreenRant, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 writer-director James Gunn had this to say about his take on the character: “Ayesha is the golden High Priestess of a genetically perfect people called the Sovereign. She’s not a woman to be screwed with – she, and her entire world, are extraordinarily deadly.”
The film’s opening scenes prove this to be true. The Sovereign are being attacked by a multi-dimensional creature called an Abilisk. This space-beast wants to devour the Sovereign planet’s power source, so Ayesha hires the Guardians to protect their precious batteries.
And having previously captured and imprisoned Nebula – daughter of Thanos and villain from Guardians 1 – she offers her by way of payment. But all does not go according to plan, setting Ayesha and the GOTG on a deadly collision course that lasts for the film’s duration, and on into the post-credit stings…