The Guardians of Galaxy Vol 3 has finally been released in theaters and it delivered an emotional sendoff to one of Marvel’s most beloved groups of heroes. Although this is the last time we can expect to see Starlord, Mantis, Rocket, Drax, Nebula, Gamora, and Groot all working together, could the new version of the Guardians return in the MCU in upcoming movies or TV series?
James Gunn’s final Marvel project has earned all the appreciation it has received so far, with many claiming that it is one of Marvel’s best projects since the release of Avengers Endgame. The new Guardians movie had it all from a terrifying villain, High Evolutionary, to a look at Rocket’s tragic origin story and the sacrifices that each of them went through for each other.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 seemed to close the chapter on the current heroes’ journeys, but there is still a remnant of the original team that will continue the work of protecting vulnerable people and creatures all across the galaxy. So what exactly does this mean for future Marvel projects?
Will the Guardians of the Galaxy return?
The final act of Guardians 3 left us with a lot to think about. Perhaps one of the biggest revelations was the reveal that a variation of the Guardians of the Galaxy will stay active under Rocket Raccoon’s newly appointed leadership.
Whether or not this new Guardians of the Galaxy team will appear in the MCU in the future is yet to be revealed. But, it was an intriguing choice by James Gunn and Marvel’s execs to leave that potential open for upcoming releases. Of course, if the guardians are to return, it would have to be a story that makes sense, such as a major threat that justifies their presence elsewhere.
The most likely possibility for their return is another Endgame-level threat like Thanos, which could play out in the Avengers Kang Dynasty or Secret Wars movies. This could make for a reunion of the entire Guardians of the Galaxy down the line, but it is extremely unlikely that they will all return for a fourth solo movie from this point on.
Who is in the New Guardians of the Galaxy?
With most of the group parting ways, we see that Quill has now passed the mantle of captaincy on to Rocket, who will lead the new Guardians of the Galaxy group. But it will look quite a bit different moving forward, as Rocket and Groot will be the only original members sticking around
In one of the closing scenes, we saw that the new group will consist of Rocket Racoon, Groot, Kraglin, Cosmo the Space Dog, Adam Warlock, and Phyla-Vell. While it might take them a while to build up the same chemistry as the original group, they are clearly more than powerful enough to be useful in a battle.
Adam Warlock rescued Peter Quill from the High Evolutionary’s burning ship, when no one else could, and has a lot of potential as a character. We also saw glimpses of how strong Kraglin and Cosmo could be in their battle against H.E.’s hounds. And of course, the duo of Rocket and Groot can always be counted on by those in need of some heroes.
The most interesting new character in the guardians is Phyla-Vell. Although she appeared in multiple scenes, we have yet to see the full extent of her abilities in the MCU. She was one of the children that High Evolutionary was most proud of and she is said, in the comics, to have similar energy powers to Captain Marvel.
What will the original Guardians do next?
The Guardians have, deservedly, all chosen unique paths that align with their own self-interests for a change after their work together. Mantis has chosen to venture out, with her new Abilisk friends, into the universe and find out who she truly is and what she cares about. As mentioned before, Rocket and Groot will lead the new Guardians of the Galaxy on many adventures.
Nebula and Drax will attempt to rebuild Knowhere after the damage caused by High Evolutionary and help to raise all of the children and creatures they saved from his ship. Drax’s motivation to be a father figure for these kids was quite apparent in the Guardians 3 ending, and this will likely be his focus for the foreseeable future.
The alternative Gamora from the past, who first appeared in Avengers Endgame, was revealed to be a Ravager in the new movie and it seems like she will now continue her journey with the Ravagers, after sharing an emotional goodbye with Peter Quill.
And finally, after returning to visit his grandfather on earth, the post-credit scene revealed that Star-Lord will be the only guardian confirmed in returning to our screens. His adventures on his home planet could be documented in the form of a new Disney Plus series or, he might appear in some new movies. That’s all we know for now, but stay tuned to Key to Writing for updates on all your favorite characters and stories.