Who is Ayesha? The Golden High Priestess of Marvel Comics

Ayesha is known by several names, Su and Paragon. Her original name is Kismet. This character is one of the existing main characters in Marvel’s shared universe, the Marvel Universe, where she acts as the Golden High Priestess of the Sovereign.

She hired the Guardians of the Galaxy to protect the Anulax Batteries from the Abilisk. However, after Rocket Raccoon stole several of the batteries intending to sell them later, she became enraged and sent her fleet of Omnicrafts to kill them.

Character Biography of Ayesha

Image: Marvel Comics

Ayesha is a product of the Enclave’s second attempt, originally named Paragon Kismet. The first attempt at this same action occurred later with the well-known Adam Warlock.

The intention was to artificially create a super powerful being that can be controlled in “The Beehive”, considered the citadel of Science. In the case of Paragon, he first appears as a muscular male figure.

Paragon had an arduous fight against the Hulk and then wholly annulled the Enclave. In this way, he sank the Hive headquarters to hatch into a cocoon, as Warlock would later do regularly.

When she emerged from the cocoon, her male figure had changed. She was already a female with golden blonde hair. Apart from this, she was dressed in a red swimsuit. Thus she would become a replica of Warlock in a female version called Ella. 

Later, she tried to look for Warlock to mate with him, discovering that he had died years before. This led her to travel into the future to steal her soul from the Soul Gem to revive him. However, this act was in vain since even though she had his body, his soul and mind had disappeared.

This led Ayesha to look for another possible partner in the universe. Sometime later, she helped to recover the planet that the Consortium destroyed by damaging its ecology. She then discovers that Warlock was resurrected in body, soul, and mind.

She then seeks him out but Warlock flatly rejects her, leaving her weeping prostrate on the ground. Because of this, she continued his arduous search, organizing a competition among the most powerful men on Earth. To do so, he placed reproductive sheaths around their necks to observe their behavior.

Ayesha Relationship with Quasar

Marvel Comics

This way, Ayesha selected Hercules, Quasar, Hyperion, Wonder Man, Forgotten, and Doc Samson to perform this task. In the fight, Quasar of Moon Dragon is the only one to keep the pod in place. This caused her to turn her full attention to him.

But Quasar had a girlfriend, Kayla Ballantine, who owns Star Brand, and beats her severely. This mistreatment forced her to return to her original cocoon to heal from her wounds. Despite this, she became Quasar’s companion for a time.

While with Quasar, she studied the other hero specimens on Earth in parallel. The purpose of this experiment was to measure their fertility level and to mate. In the case of the X-Men, they were rejected outright. The reason for this was that their genetic structure made them unstable.

While the relationship lasted, they had several adventures and battles together. One of them was in 1992, when she helped Quasar in the “Galactic Storm” operation. Ayesha guarded the Star Gates, which threatened the existence of Earth. This led to her being engulfed by the Devourer of Souls, so Quasar came to her aid and rescued her.

When she was with Quasar, she assumed the name Kismet, then changed her name to Ayesha. At that time, she was always in the control of the supervillain Crucible on Genosha.

In Search of Revenge

Image: Marvel Studios

For Ayesha, revenge has come, so…

Deal with the Guardians

She made a deal with the Guardians of the Galaxy because they are considered heroes with excellent reputation. The goal was to rescue and defend the valuable batteries of Abilisk, an interdimensional monster.

As High Priestess and leader of the golden-skinned Sovereign, she offered the Guardians a deal. The bargain was that if she fulfilled that mission, she would hand over Nebula, who had been captured in the Battle of Xandar by the Sovereign.

Ayesha Pursuing the Guardians

Although the Guardians of the Galaxy accomplished their mission and retrieved the Anulax batteries, which Ayesha was grateful for, Rocket Raccoon made the mistake of stealing some of those batteries for personal gain.

When the Sovereign discovered the theft, they attacked the Milano without thinking. This was the ship where the Guardians of the Galaxy were transported with the Sovereign drone fleet. The severe damage suffered, so they had to land on a nearby planet.

Unbeknownst to them, the Guardians were on Ego, where what was left of the Sovereign fleet was destroyed. Ego was a celestial father of Star-Lord, who was part of the Guardians’ team.

Still, in her thirst for revenge, Ayesha hires Yondu Udonta, who served as Star-Lord’s adoptive father. Yondu had been banished from the greater Devastator community for committing the heinous crime of child trafficking. 

Yondu and his crew track down and attack the Guardians, locating their ship Milano. With an ambush, they trap Rocket Raccoon and Groot, thanks to the help received from Nebula, giving way to a battle.

Battle on Ego’s Planet

Image: Marvel Comics

The battle begins when Ayesha personally leads a sovereign fleet to attack the Guardians of the Galaxy, who attack Ego’s core. Ego had previously revealed his intentions to assimilate the universe for himself, regardless of destroying all species, including the Sovereign.

The entire fleet was destroyed in the struggle, to Ayesha’s dismay and anger. On the other hand, Ego was defeated by Star-lord, which allowed the salvation of billions of lives. This included Ayesha’s. But unbeknownst to her, she gave way to her own creation.

Creation of Adam Warlock

Image: Marvel Comics

Unaware that she owed her life and all the universe species to the Guardians of the Galaxy, Ayesha continues with her obsession to assassinate them. Therefore, she gives way to her own creation, developing a new generation of rulers. These warriors were much more powerful and beautiful than the previous ones, calling him Adam.

Ayesha Personality

Ayesha’s personality, like that of the sovereign people, is xenophobic. Hence, she found the behavior of the Guardians of the Galaxy towards her and her companion rude and disrespectful. Despite this, she showed interest in Peter Quill and was deeply grateful to him for overthrowing Abilisk.

But, when Rocket Raccoon stole some of her valuable Anulax batteries, she showed all her fury and obsession to assassinate them. Ayesha considered it an act of war. For her, this was one of the highest restrictions, so she had to defeat them.

Likewise, Ayesha sometimes brings out her arrogance. She thinks her sovereign people are far above any other race in the galaxy. Like the rest of the Sovereign, it is noted that it is quite immature, prone to attacks and cries of frustration when defeated or embarrassed.

Ayesha’s Powers and Abilities

Image: Marvel Comics

Kismet’s powers and abilities come from genetic engineering since he is an artificial being created by the Enclave. Therefore, he can store, manipulate and touch cosmic energy. He can obtain different effects, including flight and projection of concussive force bolts.

All his physical attributes are enhanced beyond humans. He achieves this through cosmic energy, enhancing his life force and metabolism. This ability prevents him from aging, and she is almost immortal.

Recovery from serious injuries is incredible due to the use he makes of a cocoon of cosmic energy. This element allows his molecules to rest and regenerate at the same time. Likewise, Kismet possesses the ability to reanimate any dead tissue. For the resurrection, she must only project a portion of her cosmic life force. 

However, she cannot restore any soul or spirit of a being to a body. To better understand, she can resurrect the body, not its astral being or spirit if it has left the body.

Ayesha’s abilities include her genius-level intellect. This intelligence makes her proud and superior to other species, including her sovereign compatriots. Not in vain. It was she who was able to redesign her entire race into something much more powerful genetically.

An innate leader, she is a master tactician, responsible for almost every decision to protect her people. These actions included hiring and attacking the Guardians of the Galaxy and creating Adam Warlock.

Ayesha is an expert pilot, capable of taking control of an aircraft that is being controlled by remote control. This allows her to take advantage of her opponent since the pilot is not on the planet.

Equipment

Ayesha’s equipment is:

Vehicles

Image: Marvel Studios

Ayesha uses the Omnicrafts, which she commands as the High Priestess of Sovereign. With this army deployed, she attacked the Guardians of the Galaxy for the theft of the Anulax batteries.

Facilities

The facilities used by Ayesha are several:

• In Sovereign Throne Room, she rules the Sovereign and makes her most important decisions.
• From where she controls and commands her army of Omnicrafts, Sovereign Mission Control Center elaborates her own tactical strategies.
• Birthing Chamber, where he houses the capsule containing his creation, Adam Warlock.

Ayesha Relationships

Ayesha’s relationships are varied:

Allies

Within her allies she has:

• Zylak
• Devastators Yondu Ravager Clan
• Adam Warlock

 

Enemies

Image: Marvel Studios

His enemies are diverse, such as:

• Guardians of the Galaxy
• Ability
• Gamora
• Nebula
• Drax the Destroyer
• Ego
• Kraglin Obfonteri

 

Curiosities

Among the trivia of Ayesha, we can see that:

• In the comics, she was created by the Enclave. For this, Stephen Strange collaborated something that is not recognized. The goal was to resurrect their plan to end crime and war through an artificial being.
• Originally Strange created He, who was named Paragon, later to be named Ayesha, Her, and Kismet,
• In the alternate future of Earth – 691, Ayesha assumes the role of Stakar Ogorrd’s biological mother.

 

Other versions

Image: Marvel Comics/Marvel Studios

In other versions, we can see Ayesha in:

Earth X

She has a reincarnation in the limited series Earth X, where she plays Adam Warlock’s son.

Fantastic Four: The End

Ayesha in the limited series Fantastic Four: The End takes over, apparently from Captain Marvel, which occurs in the not-too-distant future.

Ayesha in Guardians of the Galaxy

Image: Marvel Comics

The union of Kismet and Quasar created Stakar Vaughn, on Earth – 691, from the alternate timeline of the Guardians of the Galaxy, which occurred around 2002. At that time, Stakar is the object of a robbery by Era, who was Eon’s evil son and was raised by alien Friendlies.

Dejected, Kismet decides to retire for hundreds of years to a monastery, promising never to use her powers again. Stakar, already in his adulthood, meets. Already together, they visit the tomb of his father, Quasar. Both of them understand that Quasar had been deliberately killed by Era, dedicating themselves to hunting him.

Ayesha in Other Media

Image: Marvel Studios

From the Marvel Universe, it is Elizabeth Debicki masterfully plays Ayesha. She first appeared in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 movie as the ruler of the golden-skinned race. She hires the Guardians to fight a monster. In exchange for this job, she delivers Nebula, who had been imprisoned for stealing the sovereigns’ batteries.

But, on that mission, Rocket Raccoon came up with the idea of stealing valuable batteries. For this reason, Ayesha launches an attack, and without planning it, they take the batteries to Ego the Living Planet. Throughout the film’s plot, Ayesha is seen trying to bring the Guardians to justice for their wrongdoing. However, her attempts are thwarted.

At the end of the movie, when they are in the post-credits, it is seen how Ayesha, to take revenge on the Guardians, plans the creation of an artificial being named Adam. This was the first revelation of Adam Warlock in the movies, and the Sovereign race.

As a playable character, Ayesha appears in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2. This is a hybrid version that has the attitude and appearance of what was her cinematic incarnation. Also, the origin and abilities are the same as the ones in the comics.

The Golden High Priestess of Marvel Comics

As we have just seen, Ayesha is a character with many layers in Marvel Comics. She also acts as a perfect complement by playing the antagonist to the Guardians. Her arrogance and haughty demeanor make her a character loved and hated in equal parts.

The character of Ayesha appeared in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 movie, played by actress Elizabeth Debicki. We expect her to reappear in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 film, where she will be the creator of the villain Adam Warlock. For this reason, we expect her role to be predominant in this film.

Featured Image Via Marvel Comics 

 

I am a circus aerialist influenced by Dick Grayson and Spider-Man. Fortunate to write about the characters that inspired me. I also have a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and a Master's degree in International Trade.