The Parallels between Gaza and Guardians of the Galaxy

A Story by Omar

Comparing the events of the Hamas/Israel conflict with that of Guardians of the Galaxy. This piece is filled with spoilers

The 1^st of August saw the launch of a new movie by Marvel studios, Guardians of the Galaxy. It also saw the supposed 72 hour ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. The ceasefire lasted as long as it took movie goers to finish their popcorn. I, being one of the movie goers, saw a movie that eerily reminded me of the events that’s been plaguing the lives of innocent Palestinians. What really stood out was the fact that this movie was completed months before the conflict initiated. Don’t worry; this is not a conspiracy theory piece.

I am a big fan of the comic book world - no, I did not only start reading comic books because of the success of Marvels movie projects and yes, I do actually read comic books. I’ve always found it as a great medium where artists and writers get to showcase their talent in a matrimony that works better than most marriages. I also find it fascinating how these writers tackle issues that many shy away from - racism, drugs, abuse, war etc. A look at X-Men and the parallels it draws with Dr Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X or Captain America: The Winter Soldier and its take on the American government and drone attacks. I did not go into the movie with any intention of finding these parallels but I found it difficult not to see them.

WARNING! TONS OF SPOILERS AHEAD

Ronan the Accuser, the films primary antagonist and a member of the alien race, the Kree has a hatred for Xandarians, to the point that he wants to completely eradicate them. Ronan shows no respect for life evidenced by him killing Drax the Destroyers wife and daughter. This paints the picture that Ronan is Israel, showing no regard for the life of children and civilians as long as his end goal is met. More coincidental is the fact that Ronan’s skin tone is the same as the Israeli flag. Drax is merely one of the many powerless people who have lost someone to this big, controlling figure. He stands up for what he believes in and fights against Ronan even though he does not stand a chance.

Gamora, one of Ronan’s trusted lieutenants, turns her back on Ronan because she identifies the evil that he seeks to accomplish. She knows that she can’t stand by while he commits crimes against humanity. Gamora shows the same sense of righteousness that many Jews and some Israelites show by denouncing what their government is doing. It takes strength and courage to do what she and they have done and we can see they battle she fights internally as well as the uncertainty she faces by doing such an action.

Ronan vows to do the Thanos’ bidding but turns his back on him once he realises that he can possess ultimate power and destroy those he hates all by himself. Ronan commands his soldiers to destroy Xandar, not worried about what buildings get destroyed and who will be affected by this. The images of Xandar up in smoke, with a large amount turned into rubble brought back the graphical images I see of Gaza whenever I log onto Twitter. When Ronan commands attacks on Xandar he also speaks about the peace treaty that Xandar has and how he has no regard for it. This peace treaty is very similar to the botched ceasefire I spoke about earlier.

Groot, the most innocent of the group sacrifices his own life to save his friends so that they can achieve a goal that is bigger than him (and he is pretty big!) I look at Groot as one of the many children who has been killed in the Israel/Hamas conflict. Groot does not necessarily choose to live the life of a bandit; instead he is caught up in Rockets life. He values life as much as anyone else but sacrifices it for his friends and the greater good. It is in death that Groot possibly makes his biggest contribution. It is in death that all of the children of Gaza have got the world to stand up and take a stance against the atrocities of the Israeli government.

Rocket is a tortured character; one who has been experimented on and turned into 'vermin', as I think Drax called him. He has the best relationship with Groot, like that of a brother. He did not ask to be part of the experiments which has left him emotionally scarred. It’s hard to fathom the psychological damage that will face the people of Gaza if they ever manage to resolve or escape this conflict. The pain that he exhibited when he lost his best friend parallels the pain of those who lost people in this real world conflict. Even after coming up victorious, the grief of losing his friend was too much not to break down.

Peter Quill aka Star Lord has faced a many challenges in his life - losing his mother, being abducted, not knowing who his father is - but he manages to stay positive. He sees the light at the end of the tunnel and proved that through cooperation, you can take down any task, no matter how insurmountable it appears. Palestinians need to keep positive and stay united even though they are in possibly the worst human conditions right now. They too need to believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and they can and will prevail when it’s all said and done.

In the end, no matter how bleak it may look, I hope for a peaceful resolution - a world where everyone can live together, no matter race, religion or creed. When Nova Corps officer Rhomann Dey went home to his red-skinned family despite believing they were surely doomed, I thought it as a glimmer of hope that this may happen in our world too. And, who knows, the rebirth of Groot may yet symbolise the rebirth of a nation.

© 2014 Omar

Author's Note

Please let me know what you think and whether you agree with what was said. I only request that you do not use any profanity or insults

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K. Payne

I never really thought about these comparisons before. This is a well-written essay that can really open people's eyes about the true conflicts. It'll help people who aren't aware or knowing of the Gaza ordeal with Israel and Palestine are sure to be informed with comparing it to Guardians of the Galaxy. Well done.