Alongside the reptilian Skrulls, the plant-like Cotati were evaluated for their evolutionary potential. Whereas the Skrulls developed into an aggressive, expansionist civilization, the Cotati evolved as peaceful, telepathic beings deeply attuned to ecological balance and intellectual growth. When the Celestials judged the Cotati the superior species, the Skrulls retaliated by massacring them on Hala, nearly driving them to extinction. A remnant population survived and later became entangled in the early conflict between the Kree and Skrulls, an event that helped ignite the long-standing Kree–Skrull War. During a contest on Earth’s Moon to determine which empire was more worthy of dominion, a Cotati representative transformed the barren lunar Blue Area into a thriving ecosystem, demonstrating extraordinary creative power. Some Cotati remained hidden there for millennia, quietly developing their psychic abilities.

The species re-emerged prominently during the Kree–Skrull War. A Cotati bonded with the resurrected human hero Swordsman and fathered a child, Quoi, who was destined to become the Celestial Messiah. This prophecy intertwined the Cotati with Mantis, who was revealed to have been raised and genetically altered to fulfill a cosmic role alongside the Messiah. For much of their history, the Cotati functioned as contemplative observers and reluctant participants in galactic politics, eventually integrating into Kree society as that empire weakened. However, their characterization shifted, where they were revealed to have adopted an eco-extremist ideology. Concluding that animal lifeforms were inherently destructive, the Cotati launched a coordinated campaign to exterminate sentient “meat-based” civilizations across the galaxy using massive botanical superweapons. This radical transformation—from pacifist philosophers to militant environmental supremacists—reframed their long history as a study in how victimized civilizations can evolve into ideological aggressors.