- "Xandar! You stand accused. Your wretched peace treaty will not save you now. 'Tis the tinder on which you burn!"
- ―Ronan the Accuser[src]
The Battle of Xandar was an open confrontation that pitted the combined forces of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Yondu Udonta's Ravager clan and the Nova Corps against Ronan the Accuser.
Background
Thanos talks to Ronan the Accuser
The Kree-Nova War was over after a thousand years of battle when a peace treaty was signed between the Kree and the Xandarians. The Kree were not pleased and rioted constantly. The military leader Ronan the Accuser decided to take it upon himself to destroy Xandar. To this end, he made an alliance with Thanos to obtain for him the Orb in exchange for the warlord's resources.
Taking the Orb with a skirmish on Knowhere and discovering the Infinity Stone inside, Ronan disobeyed Thanos and put the power of the Infinity Stone in the Cosmi-Rod. More powerful than ever, Ronan took the Dark Aster to Xandar. Aware of his plan, the Guardians of the Galaxy convinced the Ravagers to help defend the planet in exchange for keeping the Orb. Rhomann Dey, bringing a message from Star-Lord, warned Nova Prime Irani Rael that the Guardians could help.[1]
Battle
Attack on Xandar
The Dark Aster as it makes it final descent onto Xandar.
On Xandar, the Dark Aster was confronted by Yondu Udonta's fleet, the Nova Corps, and Guardians of the Galaxy, which breached the Dark Aster. Meanwhile, the Nova Corps attempted to slow the Dark Aster's descent at the cost of leaving the civilians unprotected when Ronan the Accuser began to launch explosives on the ground. Rocket Raccoon, with his own team of Ravagers, arrived keeping the civilians protected and saving Nova Corps officer Rhomann Dey's family in the process.
Ronan used his Cosmi-Rod to destroy the Nova Corps fleet. Drax the Destroyer killed Korath the Pursuer, and Gamora defeated Nebula and unlocked Ronan's chambers, but the group found themselves outmatched by his power until Rocket Raccoon crashed the Warbird through the Dark Aster and into Ronan.
The Final Showdown
The Guardians withstanding the stone's power.
- "You said it yourself, bitch! We're the Guardians of the Galaxy!"
- ―Star-Lord[src]
The damaged Dark Aster crash-landed on Xandar, with Groot sacrificing himself to shield the group. Ronan emerged from the wreck unharmed and prepared to destroy Xandar, but Star-Lord distracted him, allowing Drax and Rocket to obliterate Ronan's Cosmi-Rod with the Hadron Enforcer. Quill grabbed the freed Stone, and with Gamora, Drax, and Rocket sharing its burden, they used it to destroy Ronan.[1]
Aftermath
Groot regrowing after being born again from his own remains.
In the aftermath, Star-Lord tricked Yondu Udonta into taking a container supposedly containing the Stone, then gave the real Orb to the Nova Corps. As the Ravagers left Xandar, Yondu remarked that it turned out well that they did not deliver Quill to his father. Quill's group, now known as the Guardians of the Galaxy, had their criminal records expunged, and Quill learned that he was only half-human, his father being part of an ancient, unknown species. Quill finally opened the last present he received from his mother: a cassette tape filled with her favorite songs. The Guardians left in the rebuilt Milano along with a regrowing Groot.[1]
Appearances
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Avengers: Infinity War Prelude (flashback)
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (mentioned)
Behind the Scenes
- James Gunn took inspiration from films like Top Gun and The Right Stuff for the War on Xandar. Additionally, the scenes where the Ravagers are shooting down the dive-bombing Necrocrafts was inspired by the videogame Space Invaders.