Cosplayers Recreate Gamora And Nebula From Marvel's What If

The season finale of What If…?: The Watcher Broke His Oath has fans' minds blown! Don't worry, this will be a spoiler-free article, but if you want to discuss this finale hit up our dm's.

Marvel's Disney+ series What If…? reimagines the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it. This animated anthology series explores noteworthy and pivotal events from the MCU and creates a multiverse of possibilities when a single anomaly shifts from the timeline. Every universal deviation is witnessed by The Watcher, who is our guide across these alternate timelines.

For episode nine of the series, fans have their dreams come true to see these unlikely yet brilliantly written heroes battle it out with Ultron and change the course of reality in the MCU. With tons of action and a plot twist that ties up loose ends and introduces new ones, What If's finale is exceptionally intriguing and an absolute hit!

Before the ninth episode premiered, cosplayers Graciethecosplaylass and Onlyalicat got together as Thanos's powerful adoptive-daughter duo, Gamora, and Nebula, for a sister-sister What If-based photoshoot with photographers Ericcarrollphoto and benjamin_farren.

Graciethecosplaylass scoured the internet to create her cosplay from promo images and clips, while Onlyalicat had a bit of a head start. Nebula had made a few appearances in several episodes like in What If…? T'Challa became Star-Lord when Thanos became a good guy, and Nebula was never abused. Her confidence and kindness were beautifully portrayed with a playful side that had her calling T'Challa, 'Cha-Cha'. But a significant difference was how she was more Luphomoid (her species) than cybernetically enhanced while still being badass.

Taking Nebula's look from that episode, Onlyalicat and Graciethecosplaylass's Thanos-Gamora teamed up for a photoshoot crossover that will make your jaw dropp. We interviewed both cosplayers on their experience creating their cosplays and what went into becoming Gamora and Nebula.

Cosplay Central: Can you provide any details on how you made your cosplay?

OnlyAliCat: This cosplay was initially built for a "Women of Avengers" photoshoot I organized right before the release of Avengers End Game. I found a dress at the thrift store that had a lot of similar details to Nebula's outfit. So I cut it up, painted it, and added additional details with the straps across the midsection.

The pants are workout pants that I painted while they were on me, so they didn't compress when they dried. I was definitely a purple people eater that day from all the paint over my body, haha. The hip part things are also foam, fabric, and wood tongue depressors, aka lollipop sticks.

My favorite part is the boots, which I also thrifted and painted, then additional strap details were created from craft foam, fabric, and lollipop sticks. The eyepiece is made by Gracie. The gun is from a Star Wars fan film that I was in - Tales from the Falcon: Showdown on Sriluur - which you can watch on Youtube.

Graciethecosplaylass: I made the cosplay chest armor out of Worbla with foam detailing. The arm and leg armor was made out of Eva craft foam that I just eyeballed what it would look like from one grainy photo I found on Google of What If...? Gamora since the episode hadn't aired yet. It's hard not having a pattern, but honestly, I kind of prefer it that way for a couple of reasons. I have more creative freedom and fun making it my way, and I can make sure it all fits my measurements exactly.

CC: Is there a particular makeup brand you use for the body paint? If so, what is it, and do you have any application suggestions?

OnlyAliCat: I've tried so many different brands. Mehron Paradise Paintworks is great for me. I've used it for my Aayla Secura twi'lek from Star Wars, Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas, and Yzma from Emperor's New Groove.

I prefer to apply with a foundation brush. You've got to mix water with it and get a whipped cream-type consistency. If you try and touch it up, it can sometimes remove the paint you already put on, so I recommend aiming for a single application with no touch-ups. High sweat and friction areas like the armpits, hands, elbows, etc., are going to have a harder time holding paint, so practice poses where you don't hold your arms over your head.

Graciethecosplaylass: The makeup I used was Mehron body paint applied with a paintbrush and then blend with a damp beauty blender sponge, and then powder Mac makeup used to contour.

CC: What tips do you have to give other cosplayers who craft cosplays from scratch?

OnlyAliCat: Use whatever you have to make it work. In the end, no one will know what glue or paint or whatever you used. They're just going to see you feeling amazing in your really cool cosplay, and that's what matters. I've made some cosplays entirely from scratch. Others using patterns. Others with found pieces like thrift store items. And some are straight-up purchased. It doesn't matter. Just get out there and live your best fandom life. That's what cosplay is- an expression of your fandom.

Graciethecosplaylass: Tips to Making a cosplay is to have fun with it and not worry too much about making everything so exact, make it the way YOU want it and how it will feel best, and keep in mind comfort for having to wear it for long periods of time.

CC: How do you relate to the character you're cosplaying? Why did you choose to cosplay them?

OnlyAliCat: I love Nebula's persistence. She doesn't give up on what she believes in. Also, she's a total BOSS, and What If...? shows that even when she's not mostly a machine, she's still a really powerful fighter. I love that. I chose to cosplay her because Gracie said she had a photo shoot coming up and wanted to know if I wanted to come along. Her first thought was that she wanted to open the offer to get some photos with some wonderful new photographers, which is so generous. Then she said she was doing Gamora, and I was like, I MUST DO NEBULA!

Graciethecosplaylass: How do I relate to Gamora? I think she is a mighty, strong-willed woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. I look up to that kind of character and aspire to be like that.

CC: Is this your first cosplay photoshoot together? If not, what other cosplays have you done, and how did you meet?

OnlyAliCat: It isn't our first shoot. Gracie and I did Sarah and Winifred Sanderson together for Halloween. Uhhhh...I don't remember how we met, haha. Oh my gosh, my goldfish memory is showing.

Graciethecosplaylass: Ali and I first met on IG, and our first shoot together was actually Sanderson sisters, we also did Domino and Outlaw together, and then a Harry Potter Quidditch shoot together. Ali is a blast to hang out with, so any excuse to get her in a shoot with me, I'm taking it.

CC: What are three things you always bring to a cosplay photoshoot?

OnlyAliCat: Gratitude, positivity, and ideas. I'm always super happy to see people coming together to create things. Sometimes it can be stressful, so I do my part to keep things upbeat and fun. I love collaborations because I'm an ideas fountain - they're constantly flowing. So if I can find someone who can work with me and has ideas to bring to the table, too, that's amazing.

Graciethecosplaylass: Glue! Tape, scissors, if it's hot, a fan and water, and touch up makeup. That's more than three things, but they are all so necessary.

CC: Build your Avengers team to defeat Gamora as Thanos; which three Avengers would you pick?

OnlyAliCat: Captain Marvel (#strongestAvenger prove me wrong), Nebula (for the psychological side of warfare), and Ant-Man (for his powers but also his outside the box thinking)

Graciethecosplaylass: My Avengers team of 3 I'd pick would be Thor, Capitan America, and Scarlet Witch.

CC: What was the deciding factor to cosplay this version of Nebula? What changes were made to fit this new design of the character?

OnlyAliCat: Honestly, I love cosplaying with Grace. So when she said she was cosplaying Gamora, I hopped at the chance. To modify my Nebula cosplay to fit this version was really easy. No bald cap (wig instead), no contacts (I could use my natural eyes), and single-color body paint (no crazy details). I whipped it together while I was getting ready.

CC: What difficulties did you face cosplaying a character before seeing them in the episode?

Graciethecosplaylass: I always seem to start a cosplay build with the intent on matching the character exactly, but somewhere along the way, my left brain artistic side takes over, and I start saying to myself, you know what I like it better like this, or I feel like it would flatter my particular body better this way and end up changing minor details.

What If…? Is streaming on Disney+.