So going back and watching all previous Guardians of the Galaxy media, I finally realized why Nebula looked so different in GotGv3 and I can’t believe I didn’t clock it immediately.
The hardware around her eye is gone. When she said Rocket had given her some upgrades she meant more than just her new arm. He gave her the opportunity to be more like her old self before the Thanos modifications. Removing that implant allows her to be more emotive and I think that’s beautiful.
I also noticed that when her limbs all snap back into place she doesn’t seem to experience the level of pain and discomfort she did before. I like to think that’s also thanks to Rocket’s upgrades. I love their relationship so much. 🥹