Two Guardians Of The Galaxy Questions

The post is what the title says it is.

First question: Have we ever seen the conceptualization of Life in the Marvel Universe? Back in issue #11, Drax was telling Phyla about how there are all these concepts that exist, and sometimes, they present themselves in a form mortals can understand for whatever reason. So Death shows up, and it looks like a skeleton in a purple robe. Or a white lady with brown hair in a purple robe. Or as a small Goth kid. Whatever.

Well, if Death can do that, it stands to reason Life can as well, right? Death had a champion (Thanos), and Life has a champion to oppose him (Drax, and I want to talk a bit about that tomorrow, yeah the next few days are going to be Guardians-centric), so Life ought to be able to present itself in a similar manner.

Is it the Phoenix Force? The Phoenix rises from the ashes of its past self, life emerging from death. Except the Phoenix was technically just supposed to be guarding the M'Kraan Crystal, to protect the universe from utter destruction, which really makes the Phoenix Force sound more like the champion of whatever force would oppose Oblivion*. I don't have any idea, unless Life presents itself to us by the presence of living beings everywhere. We can see people alive, and so we "see" Life. I'm not high on that explanation.

Second question: Phyla and Drax wound up in Oblivion. The Quantum Bands fall off Phyla, because she's dead, though Maelstrom said she was just mostly dead, and there was a spark of life in her and Drax yet. Maelstrom however, is dead. Period**. So how was he able to pick up the Bands? Shouldn't he have needed to be, alive? At the very least, he'd need to be more alive than Phyla.

* Hmm, Maelstrom was Oblivion's champion, trying to end everything. Wonder if he ever tried to use the Crystal for that purpose?

** Well as "period" as you can be in the Marvel Universe these days when it comes to death.