Shi'ar were humanoid Intelligent Lifeforms that had evolved from birds.
Their physical structure was unusual. Not only were their bones hollow, but they also laid eggs rather than giving live birth.
Most Shi'ar retained certain avian traits, such as the crests atop their heads and patches of feathers remaining on parts of their bodies.
More importantly, the Empire founded by the Shi'ar was one of the universe's three great empires, on par with the Kree Empire and the Skrull Empire.
But due to the decline of the Skrulls, as well as the Kree being driven into retreat after retreat by Sakura and the legion under her command, the Shi'ar Empire had become the universe's de facto number one empire.
It not only possessed a vast sphere of influence, but had also absorbed countless other races, civilizations, and cultures into its Empire.
Technologically, they possessed the Star Gate technology the Kree had long dreamed of, capable of directly linking any two locations in the universe.
Beyond that, they also had star-destroying technology that could force a star directly into its supernova phase.
Simply put, they could destroy an entire star system without deploying a fleet.
In that regard, it shared some similarities with Asgard's Rainbow Bridge technology.
The difference was that one followed the path of magic, while the other was purely technological.
As for the economic sphere, the Shi'ar Empire's massive commercial consortium could utterly crush the Kree Empire and Skrull Empire combined.
They were the most successful merchants in the universe, maintaining enormous trade volumes with nearly every power.
It was hard to imagine such a powerful and proud race appearing in a black market in a backwater like Xandar.
Yet this female Shi'ar seemed completely unaware of that, taking the initiative to greet them with a smile. "Welcome!