nopictureavailableZANIA ORBAL

Real Name: Zania Orbal

Identity/Class: Extraterrestrial (Sirusite) technology-user

Occupation: Unrevealed;
    possibly at least formerly the Matriarch of at least a branch of the Universal Church of Truth;
    former spy;
    former head of Timely, Incorporated's Executive Executization Department

Group Membership: Universal Church of Truth (UCT; notably Cardinal Navorth, various Black Knights, Cardinals and Crusaders);
    formerly infiltrated Timely, Incorporated and served in their Senior Special Projects group

Affiliations: Cardinal Navorth, various Black Knights, Cardinals and Crusaders
    feigned alliance with Timely, Incorporated (notably Arnok Gruntgrill, Odus Hanxchamp, Pama Harnon (secretly Una Ren), Mrs. Mantlestreek, Sledly Rarnak, Homus Staplebunt, Blint Wivvers, Xorb Xorbux)

Enemies: Badoon (notably Commander Droook), Imperial Guard (Arach, Crusher, Dragoon, Ebon, Warstar 34), Gamora, Groot, Kree (notably Captain Yon-Dar, Sharnor the Accuser), Nova Corps (notably Lolet Clawdi, Grekan Yaer), Recorder 127, Rocket (Raccoon), Roamer, Shi'ar Metal Wing Cadre battletroopers

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Allandra Meramati

Base of Operations: Unrevealed;
    formerly the Timely Inc. corporate headquarters on the principal continental landmass Alpha Centauri
    last seen aboard a Universal Church of Truth Templeship perched on the event horizon of a Black Hole in Ultra Mega Sixty-Eight

First Appearance: Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy (2017)

Powers/Abilities:  Zania Orbal is skilled in the field of espionage and disguise, and she has sufficient knowledge of certain fields of science and mathematics to pose as an expert in those fields.

Height: Unrevealed (she was not noted as particularly tall nor short, so presumably 5'6"-5-10" )
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 125-135 lbs.)
Eyes: Green (at least as Allandra Meramati)
Hair: Unrevealed (she wore a fake feathered Shi'ar type crest as Allandra Meramati)

History:
(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Six: Meanwhile (Forty-three minutes earlier on Alpha Centauri) (fb) - BTS / Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Thirty-Nine: Project 616 (fb) - BTS / Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Forty-One: Truth or Dare) - Timely, Incorporated, a corporation based on Alpha Centauri, conceived Project-616, in which they would gather all information on the universe (or, more realistically, the galaxy), specifically the universe of Reality-616: This datamap of all creation would allow them to understand the fundamental nature of everything and comprehend the known galaxy (see comments) down to a pico-molecular level, granting them virtual omnipotence and the ability to manipulate reality.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Forty: Danger in the Workplace) - Sirusite and Universal Church of Truth agent Zania Orbal was sent to infiltrate Timely Inc., presumably to monitor the development of Project 616 so that the UCT could usurp its power for themselves.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Six: Meanwhile (Forty-three minutes earlier on Alpha Centauri) (fb) - BTS / Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Forty: Danger in the Workplace)) - Wearing a fake Shi'ar crest and presumably using other means, Orbal posed as a dignified Shi'ar noblewoman named Allandra Meramati.

    As Meramati, Orbal rose to the position of the head of the Executive Executization Department.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Thirty-Two: Meanwhile (Ten minutes later on Alpha Centauri) - BTS) - "Meramati" was famous for her cool bearing and executive stamina.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Six: Meanwhile (Forty-three minutes earlier on Alpha Centauri) (fb) - BTS) - Timely, Inc. agents subsequently conceived the Rigellian solution, gathering Rigellian Recorders and using the vast amount of data they had collected to expedite the data gathering, which resulted in a new speculation of six years being needed.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Six: Meanwhile (Forty-three minutes earlier on Alpha Centauri) (fb) - BTS) - Rigellian Recorder unit 127 observed the totality of the datacore of Project-616, which caused a data overload, making him unable to remember the project or what he had learned from the project.  

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Six: Meanwhile (Forty-three minutes earlier on Alpha Centauri) (fb) - BTS) - Recorder unit 127 escaped Alpha Centauri and fled.


(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Six: Meanwhile (Forty-three minutes earlier on Alpha Centauri) - Meramati was one of over over 100 executive officers, department heads, vice-presidents, and senior vice department officers present in the Executive Boardroom as Senior Vice Development Executive Arnok Gruntgrill discussed the Manual Easification Curve, which was essentially a handle for beverages to protect the user's hand from temperature extremes.
           On that note, the movies call this reality Earth-616, but the comics call this reality Earth-199999. There two realities are in different multiverses, so it makes you wonder if the former a local name, within the larger/latter multiverse number.
    The boardroom was then cleared of everyone except Senior Special Projects agents (which included Meramati) so they could discuss Project 616. At the request of Senior Vice Executive President (Special Projects) Odus Hanxchamp, Meramati noted that the Datecore precentile stood at 87%, which she repeatedly clarified while noting that they now had 87% of all existential truth. Hanxchamp told her to avoid the "truth" stuff, as it sounded too much like one of those "happy-clappy, silly-killy freaks from the Universal Church of Truth." Meramati apologized, her elegant feathered crest ruffling slightly.

    After Gruntgrill noted that they needed at least 96%, Meramati explained that how the Rigellian solution had dramatically sped things along. Xorb Xorbux (in charge of Corporate Security (Special Projects) then explained the disappearance of Recorder 127 who had incorporated the entire datacore. After Meramati explained to Hanxchamp that the Recorder was too valuable to destroy, Xorbux revealed how they had hired former Spaceknight Roamer to recover Recorder 127 and that they had also given him the Interpolation Inserter to assist him in locating the Recorder. Hanxchamp approved, and Roamer departed.


(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Sixteen: Meanwhile (20 minutes earlier on Alpha Centauri)- BTS) - Roamer met with the Special Projects agents in the Timely Boardroom (including "Meramati"), informing them that he had not only not recovered Recorder 127 yet, but that the Badoon and Nova Corps were also seeking Recorder#127, and the executive board currectly suspected that they must have a corporate spy. At the mention of this, Mermati's feathered crest stiffened.

    Odus Hanxchamp questioned whether they should continue with their current plan, but when Meramati informed him the Project 616's datamap was stuck at 87% , and that they did not have quite enough of the truth yet. Hanxchamp chastised her for again using the word "truth," and reminding her that the would not have anyone in this company talking like one of those Universal Church "nutzookies." Meramati apologized but confirmed that 87% was not enough for their goals.

    After sending Roamer back out to continue his mission, Hanxchamp instructed Xorbux to find the the spy stat.

    As they exited, Meramati expressed similar frustrations to other executives, noting that she did not know why Hanxchamp kept "getting at" her and arguing that they had done an extraordinary job thus far. When Pama Harnon, the Kree Chief Finance Officer of Special Projects (secretly also a spy, whose real name was Una Ren) complained about stress-reapplying her Autocron Noir lipstick and running out, Meramati agreed that that was a shame, as that shade looked so good on her. Pama thanked her for the compliment.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Thirty-Two: Meanwhile (Ten minutes later on Alpha Centauri)) - "Meramati" was present in Timely Inc. HQ's subbasement 86, checking on Project 616, when Arnok Gruntgrill arrived, also checking on the project. She greeted him disdainfully but acknowledged that while the project was a slight hundredth point above 87% but nowhere near the 96% they needed. She further noted that it was taking too long: "The vectors are too unreliable to appropriatemently modulify (many of Timely's staff added extra syllables to words for no good reason). Without that lost Recorder..."

    Sensing the trouble and tension despite her cool exterior, Gruntgrill put his hand on her shoulder and assured her they would get there; when she looked down at his hand and shivered slightly, he swiftly withdrew and apologized. She acknowledged that he was trying to be supportive, but she shared that it was against social protocol for a high-born Shi'ar to be touched by a...lesser species. Although he apologized again, she acknowledged that it was rude and apologized to him, explaining that the Shi'ar were born to their social dynamics and that it was hard for them to unlearn them and to appreciate the comradeship of a close workspace. Holding his gaze, she told him that she thought of him as a friend and colleague.

    After the two of them discussed the sexual reputation of the Kaliklak, Gruntgrill assured her that some of his people were gentlemanly. Stroking his cheek and acknowledging that she was sure he could, she suggested they just forget the moment and advised the best way to do that was to not tell anyone that they met there that even. He was entranced by her very green eyes, and she gave him a very light kiss on the lips before telling him she was going home to bed and that he should get a good rest, too. He told her "Sweet dreams," and she replied, "The sweetest" before smiling and walking away.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Thirty-Two: Meanwhile (Ten minutes later on Alpha Centauri) - BTS) - While examing Project 616, it occurred to Gruntgrill that it was odd for Allandra to have discussed sweet dreams, as Shi'ar did not dream. He started to wonder if it was office flirting, but then he was distracted by the arrival of Roamer.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Thirty-Six: Meanwhile (3,995 floors higher up) - BTS) - A Shi'ar warcruiser appeared outside Timely Inc.'s corporate office and a group of Imperial Guardsmen (Arach, Dragoon, Ebon, Warstar 34), joined by 40 Metal Wing warriors entered the building in pursuit of the group they had encountered on Adjufar. Correctly advised by Orbux that the Shi'ar were most likely seeking to claim Project 616 for themselves, Hanxchamp instructed Mrs. Mantlestreek to summon the Senior Special Project executives in his office, "especially that ice queen Meramati. Having a Shi'ar noble-born on hand will sure helpt to smooth this situation..."

    Alongside Blint Wiivers, Pama Harnon, and Sledley Rarnak, Meramati greeted Shi'ar Imperial Guardsmen Arach, Dragoon, Ebon, and Warstar 34. After Hanxchamp informed them that Recorder 127 was within the building, he told Meramati to mingle and "do her Shi'ar thing" to cushion the situation. Meramati hesitated, but Hanxchamp was distracted and moved on, instructing Xorbux to find the Recorder so they could take control of the situation. Impatient and distrusting Hanxchamp, Arach summoned 40 Metal Wing warriors into the room.

    They ultimately sought to claim Project 616 for the Shi'ar.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Thirty-Eight: Meanwhile (8,087 floors higher up) - BTS) - An immense Nova Corps heavy cruiser arrived outside of Timely Inc., and Grekan Yaer announced that they were also pursuing the fugitives associated with the Recorder #127.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Forty: Danger in the Workplace) - Teleporting into the boardroom from the newly arrived Pride of Pama battleship, Sharnor the Accuser insisted that the Recorder was hers (and the Kree's), after which Pama Harnon revealed her true identity to be Una-Ren and that she had confirmed the Recorder's presence to Sharnor.

    The Badoon then arrived, and Commander Droook demanded the delivery of the Recorder or they would obliterate the entire landmass on which the building stood.

    And then forty immense Templeships of the Universal Church of Truth (UCT) arrived and teleported in hosts of Crusaders, led by Cardinals, to assault the facility and everyone in it.

    After Meramati insisted that her kind would not stand for this, Arach informed Hanxchamp that she was not Shi'ar, and Meramati removed her fake Shi'ar crest, revealing her to be a Sirusite woman. Noting that  Project 616 and the vital the Recorder unit represented total universal truth, she then claimed them on behalf of the Universal Church of Truth. Forty immense UCT Templeships then entered reality above the city, and they began warping in hosts of crusaders led by cardinal, which led to an all-out assault on Timely HQ.


(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Forty-Two: This is What the -Tik!- Flark is Going on Up There - BTS) - Zania Orbal was presumably present in the boardroom as the UCT, Badoon, Nova Corps and Kree forces battled.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Forty-Three: One with Anything) - Down in sub-basement 86, after one of the UCT's Black Knight stabbed Una-Ren as she had tried to claim Project 616, Zania stood by Cardinal Navorth and another eight Black Knights, confirming to the Cardinal that the Datacore was theirs as the Recorder was lowered into it. In response, Navorth ordered the deaths of everyone else.

    As Gamora assaulted UCT forces, Rocket and Groot sought to recover the Recorder, Roamer assaulted Navorth, protecting the pair from his attack. As the Datacore reached 97%, Groot tried to pull the cage back up until he was stabbed in the chest by Zania, who proclaimed, "You will not deny this! I believe!" as she sawed the dagger back and forth. Rocket told her, "I believe you have chugged the wrong Kool-Aid, lady." as her put her down with shots from both pistols, straight-armed.

    Nonetheless, Groot fell forward, into the Datacore. 

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Forty-Five: Great Power, Great Responsibility) - The Recorder deposed the power to Groot, after which Groot transported away all of those who had invaded the Timely, Inc. building, and then he restored the damaged building, restored all those slain in the recent conflict. Groot finally not only dispersed the Datacore but made it so that no one could ever re-create it again (if anyone ever thought of trying to recreate the datamap in pursuit of power, they would instantly forget how to do it).

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Forty-Six: Tails to Astonish (fb) - BTS) - The UCT Templeships, including Zania Orbal, were transported to an event horizon of a black hole in Ultra Mega Sixty-Eight.

(Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy Chapter Forty-Six: Tails to Astonish (ff)) - It took the UCT Templeships 40 years to escape the gravity well, during which time they went through eight matriarchs, one of whom was Zania Orbal.

Comments: Created by Dan Abnett.
    In the Acknowledgments section, Dan thanked Stuart Moore, Jeff Youngquist, Axel Alonso, Dan Buckley, Sarah Brunstad, and James Gunn for their support in this project.
    He also noted "fist-bumps to <the Appendix's own> Ronald Byrd for continuity-fu."

    pg. 330 revelation

    I'm pretty certain Project 616 was intended to enable control of the entire 616-universe, which is insane, as even the Recorders haven't been everywhere in the universe, but some references refer to it controlling the/a galaxy...which is still insanely large, but is a little more feasible. "Steal this Galaxy"

    In-continuity?

    People question whether novels should be in-continuity. There is a mindset that they should arbitrarily and automatically excluded. I don't get that at all. If the stories fit seamlessly in-continuity and they add to the rich texture of the "Marvel Universe," why exclude them? In any case, characters in such stories as novels, games, etc. that don't contradict -616 continuity are considered "fringe characters." They fit into existing continuity, but are not definitively part of it until they are confirmed to be so in a story, handbook, etc.
    There is one significant continuity glitch, but it has been referenced in other stories confirmed to take place in Reality-616 (see Donald's discussion below)
    They sure fit in better than a lot of stuff by certain writers...you know who you are...and we know who you are...
    Not only that, but the story specifically references the universe in which they dwelled to be Reality-616...however, the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies refer to their mainstream reality as -616 also...

Counterpoint by Donald Campbell:

    As much as I liked this novel, there were some elements that bothered me. For example, Alpha Centauri is described as a "cosmic hubworld (that governs) almost thirty systems and trillions of lives." This definitely does NOT sound the like 616 Alpha Centauri system where the Centaurians are usually depicted as only having a "bow-and-arrow" level technology, the Alpha Centaurians (assuming they are not nearly extinct) are focused on desperately trying to keep their homeworld habitable, and the Centurii from Centuri-Six (which may or may not actually be part of the Alpha Centauri system) were all kidnapped by slavers. And yes, I hold this opinion despite the fact that, in Annihilators#1/2, Abnett and Lanning established that Rocket Raccoon had worked for six months as a mail clerk at the Alpha Centauri offices of the Customer Services Division of Timely Inc. Also, while the Timely offices were aboard an orbiting ship in that comic, in this novel they are on the planet Alpha Centauri...which is also wrong/inconsistent with the Marvel Comics universe.

    In conclusion, I really enjoyed the novel but I don't think it was meant to be canon and I don't think that it should be treated as being "in continuity." And I would REALLY like some writer to finally get around to explaining the current status quo in the 616 Alpha Centauri star system. I mean, what level of technology do the Centaurians actually possess? What do the Centaurians actually call their race? What is their name for the planet known to Terrans as Centauri-IV? Can Alpha Centaurians still live on Arima or was the planet left too dehydrated after Sub-Mariner I#18? Is Centuri-Six actually in orbit around Proxima Centauri? 

     Personally, due to the Alpha Centauri discontinuity, I would prefer it if Recorder #127 were as incorrect in his statement that he existed in "Universe 616" as some characters from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness were when they assigned the number "616" to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Reality-199999). However, that's just my opinion.

 Me again:
    Valid point on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the difference is that the novel  is not clearly a different reality or part of a different Multiverse than the comics Reality-616 as the cosmic hierarchy, (Uatu the Watcher, Galactus, etc.) etc., is the same. Additionally, this story goes to great lengths to fit solidly with Reality-616's continuity, alien races, etc.
           On that note, the movies call this reality Earth-616, but the comics call this reality Earth-199999. There two realities are in different multiverses, so it makes you wonder if the former a local name, within the larger/latter multiverse number.
    The Alpha Centauri discrepancy is certainly significant, but bigger issues than that happened consistently in Bendis' and other writers stories that are considered Reality-616.

    As you note, -616 stories have contradictions within the Alpha Centauri system, but they're not excluded...as well as there having been relatively recent -616 continuity comics that reference Rocket's past with the Alpha Centauri offices of Timely Inc.
    Timely Incorporated may have offices on an orbiting ship, but the office on Alpha Centauri is presumably the main office. Maybe they moved portions or entire buildings. They have the technology...they can rebuild it...
    Anyway...the bottom line is that this story and all the characters in it are fringe characters until confirmed one way or another.
    At minimum, the story occurred in Reality-17721.
    Did the same or similar events occur in Reality-616?
    Who knows? Not even "The Shadow"...
--Snood

   Earth-17721 Following the dispersal of Project 616, those involved did various things; some of which may parallel Reality-616's history, but those extending years into the future are, at least, paralleled in this reality. Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot. Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket and Groot: Steal this Galaxy prose novel Chapter Forty-Six Tails to Astonish  (2017).

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Zania Orbal (and Allendra Meramati) should be distinguished from:


images: (without ads)
None

Appearances:
Guardians of the Galaxy: Rocket Raccoon & Groot -- Steal the Galaxy prose novel  (2017) - by Dan Abnett (see comments)

First posted: 09/15/2023
Last updated: 04/20/2024

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and � 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Characters