Irani Rael

“	On behalf of the Nova Corps, we'd like to express our profound gratitude for your help in saving Xandar.	„
	~ Irani Rael to the Guardians of the Galaxy

Nova Prime Irani Rael is a major character in the 2014 movie, Guardians of the Galaxy. She is the leader of the Nova Corps. She led her people to victory with the help of the Guardians of the Galaxy when Ronan the Accuser attempted to destroy her home planet of Xandar with a powerful weapon known as the Power Stone.

She is portrayed by Glenn Close, who also voiced Kala in Tarzan.

Biography[]

Nova Prime[]

Irani Rael joined the Nova Corps and rose through its ranks, becoming the Nova Prime, the highest ranked member, as well as the leader of the Corps. During her time as the Nova Prime, Rael dedicated much of her time to ending generations of bloodshed between the Kree and the Xandarians. Evenutally a peace treaty was signed ending the thousand year war between them.

Keeping the Peace[]

“

Ronan is destroying Xandarian outposts throughout the galaxy. I should think that would call for some slight response on the part of the Kree.

„

“	We signed your peace treaty, Nova Prime. What more do you want?	„
	~ Irani Rael and the Kree Ambassador

Despite the treaty, one Kree radical, Ronan the Accuser, continued massacring Xandarian outposts across the galaxy, slaughtering children and families. Rael appealed to the Kree Ambassador to condemn these actions, but the ambassador refused to help, saying that it was her business and he had more pressing matters to attend to. Denarian Garthan Saal then approached her and informed her that they had arrested one of Ronan's comrades, Gamora, the adopted daughter of the Mad Titan Thanos.

Battle of Xandar[]

“	All Nova pilots, interlock and form a blockade. The Dark Aster must not reach the ground.	„
	~ Irani Rael

Several days later, the Guardians of the Galaxy and the Ravagers arrived on Xandar. The Guardians' leader, Peter Quill, informed the Nova Corps that Ronan the Accuser's fleet was on its way with an Infinity Stone which could destroy the entire planet; Quill requested their help in defending Xandar. After consulting Corpsman Rhomann Dey, she agreed to trust them and ordered an evacuation of the city.

Rael ordered Denarian Garthan Saal to lead the Xandarian fleet in a counter attack against Ronan's army. A great battle took place over Xandar. Rael knew their priority had to be to keep Ronan from landing his ship and unleashing the Orb's power upon the planet; to stop this, she ordered Saal and the fleet to form a blockade to slow Ronan's path while Star-Lord's team entered the ship. In response, Ronan used the Orb's power to destroy the Nova Corps' ships, killing hundreds of men including Saal. In the end, Ronan was killed and his army was defeated due to the contributions of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Gaining the Orb[]

“	On behalf of the Nova Corps, we'd like to express our profound gratitude for your help in saving Xandar.	„
	~ Irani Rael to the Guardians of the Galaxy

With the battle won, Rael promoted Corpsman Rhomann Dey to the rank of Denarian in the wake of Garthan Saal's death. She then gathered the Guardians of the Galaxy together and gave Star-Lord information about his mysterious father, who, it turned out, was not human but part of a strange and ancient race. She expressed her gratitude to the Guardians for their role in defending her homeworld.

The Guardians of the Galaxy soon left Xandar on the rebuilt ship, the Milano, but before they left Quill gave Rael the Orb to keep it from the wrong hands. Being already aware of the incredible dangers such a powerful weapon held, Rael personally assured that it was locked away deep in a vault within the Nova Corps Headquarters with security present at all times to ensure its protection from anyone who would use its power for evil.

The Infinity War[]

It's unknown if she was killed by the Mad Titan Thanos during his mission to collect the Infinity Stones, as he had collected the power stone from the Nova Corps. In addition, it's unknown if she was one of the many victims of the snap, but if so, she was presumably resurrected by Hulk in 2023.