Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the MCU's Most Emotional Movie Yet

It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe began life with lesser known heroes taking the spotlight, with the likes of Spider-Man and the X-Men already having their own disparate trilogies on the silver screen.

As the second phase of the MCU began, the most obscure group of characters at the time managed to get their own feature film with James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Introducing the likes of Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Groot, and Rocket Raccoon was no easy feat but Gunn managed to do it with flying colours.

Fast forward to the current phase of the MCU, the Guardians of the Galaxy are now household names, being just as pivotal to the MCU as the Avengers. The difference is that this ramshackle group is more of a dysfunctional family than a united team of superheroes.

Right off the heels of their very own Holiday Special, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 sees the intergalactic heroes coming face to face with the High Evolutionary, who has a firm influence the team’s past, present, and future.

At the end of Avengers Endgame and even the aforementioned Holiday Special, we see that team leader Peter Quill a.k.a Star-Lord isn’t in the best of spirits after losing his girlfriend Gamora to the wrath of Thanos.

A time-displaced version of Gamora is alive and well, but has no recollection of her time as a Guardian and is out on her own adventures in space. Her sister Nebula has since joined the Guardians, acting as the team’s no-nonsense second in command, a departure from her days as a villain.

Groot has grown up, Drax is still goofing around with Mantis, and Rocket Raccoon is not being himself. There are new members of the Guardians, namely Kraglin, who has inherited Yondu’s whistle-activated arrow, and Cosmo the talking Russian space dog.

As great as it is to see the Guardians as a proper galaxy-saving squadron with their new headquarters in Knowhere, the beginning of Vol. 3 sees the team at their lowest point yet, which really sets the tone for the rest of the film.

The main villain of Vol 3. is the classic Marvel villain, the High Evolutionary, who actually began life as a Thor villain. Seeing as Thor has left the group in his fourth movie, it is still fitting to see how the MCU has reinvented the High Evolutionary and his ties to Rocket Raccoon’s origin.

The High Evolutionary is more of a mad scientist, unlike the more powerful brutes that the Guardians has faced before. This is a villain who relies on his minions to the dirty work, all in the name of his own demented dogma.

Another character introduced this time around that was teased way back in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is Adam Warlock, another classic character from the comics. Traditionally known to be a cosmically powered superhero, expect the usual James Gunn twist to the character.

This isn’t Adam Warlock at his prime; instead, this movie details his clumsy first steps into becoming that character eventually. He’s almost like a male version of Captain Marvel, and while he may be seen as comedic relief, he shows great promise.

With quite a big cast, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 manages to give everyone their time in the sun, especially the titular characters. Each member of the Guardians, especially Rocket Raccoon, gets to shine and their development really comes full circle.

By the end of it, half of the team’s fate is dubious, while the other half is sure to return in some shape or form in a future film. The High Evolutionary and Adam Warlock may be a hit or a miss for some fans when it comes to their actions and relevance to the plot, so some expectations should be managed.

As the third film in a trilogy, this is the most emotional outing for the Guardians yet, one that really lets fans get intimate to each character and who they are. It is a bittersweet film, one that is enhanced by another stellar soundtrack that now features hits from the ‘90s and 2000s.

Overall, by the end of it, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 feels like a better attempt at what Thor: Love and Thunder set out to do. It sets the stage for the next generation of heroes while also being a proper send-off for longtime heroes. If you have been feeling superhero fatigue for the past few years, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is sure to alleviate it.