SPOILER ALERT: This story discusses major plot points, including the ending and the post-credits scenes, for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” currently playing in theaters.
James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is now playing in theaters nationwide, and with its release comes the end of an era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “Vol. 3” brings to an end the “Guardians” trilogy that Gunn launched in 2014 with “Guardians of the Galaxy” and continued in 2017 with “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.” Following “Vol. 3,” the Guardians team roster on the big screen no longer consists of members Star Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Groot (Vin Diesel), Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Nebula (Karen Gillan).
So what happened to the Guardians of the Galaxy? They’ve broken up on loving terms, with a few veterans remaining on the team but many others moving on to new adventures. All of them are still alive, fortunately, as “Vol. 3” featured no major character deaths. This means any original Guardian could show up in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but actors like Saldana and Bautista have gone on record saying their Marvel tenure is officially over with the release of “Vol. 3.”
Below is a rundown of each Guardian’s fate come the end of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
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Is Star Lord Dead?
Image Credit: ©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection Star Lord is alive, although he died at one point during the film. He anoints Rocket the new leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy and returns to Earth at the end of the movie, where he is reunited with his grandfather. The character froze to death in space after trying to jump from the High Evolutionary’s exploding ship onto Knowhere, but Adam Warlock revived him using superpowers. Star Lord is seen in the end-credits scene hanging out with his grandfather at home. A tag line after the credits confirms Star Lord will return in a future Marvel property.
“Now if you’re saying to me, Chris Pratt the actor, do I want to reprise my role as Peter Quill and is there mileage left in the character and do I have the bandwidth or headspace for that? I do,” Pratt said in a recent Rolling Stone interview. “I’d be interested in playing the character again.”
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Does Gamora Get Back Together With Star Lord?
Image Credit: ©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection The Gamora in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is not the same Gamora audiences came to love in the first two “Guardians” movies. That Gamora was killed by Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War,” only for a different iteration of the character to enter the picture during all the time-hopping in “Avengers: Endgame.” The Gamora in “Vol. 3” is a member of the Ravagers (led by Sylvester Stallone in a cameo appearance) and never fell in love with Star Lord, although she grows an affection for him over the course of the film. The two do not get back together. Gamora leaves the Guardians after their mission is over and returns to the Ravagers.
“I don’t think this is the end for the Guardians,” Zoe Saldana told THR. “It is the end for me, for Gamora.”
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Where Is Mantis Going?
Image Credit: ©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection Mantis leaves the Guardians of the Galaxy behind at the end of “Vol. 3.” Realizing she has always lived her life based on what others have wanted her to do (her father, Ego, controlled her until she fell into being a Guardian, where she was not the leader), Mantis decides to leave the Guardians and take her life into her own hands. She departs from Knowhere to an undetermined location along with the three Abilisk monsters she tamed during the battle on the High Evolutionary’s ship.
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Is Drax No Longer a Destroyer?
Image Credit: ©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett / Everett Collection Drax the Destroyer is no longer a Guardian of the Galaxy by the end of “Vol 3.” He stays behind on Knowhere to help Nebula protect the population, which sees an influx of children and animals rescued from the High Evolutionary’s ship. Drax becomes a makeshift father figure to many of the imprisoned children he helped rescue. As Nebula tells him, he is no longer a destroyer but a dad.
“I’m so grateful for Drax. I love him. But there’s a relief [that it’s over],” Bautista told GQ magazine about retiring the character. “It wasn’t all pleasant. It was hard playing that role. The makeup process was beating me down. And I just don’t know if I want Drax to be my legacy — it’s a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff.”
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What Is Nebula Still Doing on Knowhere?
Image Credit: ©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett / Everett Collection Nebula’s hardened personality gets tested throughout “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” and the tentpole ends with the character having a much nicer temper and assuming the role of protector on Knowhere. She stays behind with Drax to protect the people of Knowhere, which now includes the rescued children from the High Evolutionary’s ship.
“I don’t know if Nebula will return beyond this, it’s possible that this is her final chapter,” Gillan announced on Instagram last year. “I have enjoyed this exploration more than any other character I’ve played. That was one hell of a decade.”
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Does Rocket Die?
Image Credit: ©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett / Everett Collection Say hello to the new leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Rocket survives his injuries in “Vol. 3” and Star Lord anoints him the head of the group at the end of “Vol. 3.” His new group includes Groot, Adam Warlock, Kraglin, Cosmo and one of the super-enhanced children rescued from the High Evolutionary’s ship.
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Does Groot Leave the Guardians?
Image Credit: ©Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett / Everett Collection Groot remains a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy in its new form under the leadership of his friend, Rocket. In the post-credits scene, Groot has grown into a massive tree and appears more like his size in the original “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie.
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Is Adam Warlock a Villain or a Hero?
Image Credit: ©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection Adam Warlock goes from foe to friend during the course of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” He first appears on Knowhere battling the Guardians as he tries to kidnap Rocket and return him to the High Evolutionary. It is revealed that the High Evolutionary created the golden-skinned Sovereign people and has recruited the super-powered Adam Warlock to do his bidding. Adam critically injures Rocket, setting the plot in motion. Adam turns sides after the High Evolutionary blows up Counter-Earth and kills his mother, the High Priestess Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki). To make good, he rescues Star Lord after he freezes to death in space and brings him back to life. In the post-credits scene, Adam is revealed as a new member of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
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What Is Kraglin Doing on Knowhere?
Image Credit: ©Disney+/Courtesy Everett Collection When the Guardians of the Galaxy set out on a mission to save Rocket, they leave Knowhere in the protection of Kraglin. He ends up being crucial to their mission, as he flies Knowhere to the High Evolutionary’s ship and allows the Guardians and the villain’s prisoners to escape and seek refuge. In the post-credits scene, Kraglin remains a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy along with Cosmo, Groot, Rocket, Adam Warlock and one of the super-enhanced children rescued from the High Evolutionary’s ship.
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Is Cosmo a Good Dog or Bad Dog?
Image Credit: ©Walt Disney Co./Courtesy Everett Collection Cosmo spends much of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” annoyed at Kraglin for calling her a “bad dog,” but she earns her stripes during the final battle by using her telekinesis powers to help protect the people of Knowhere. Cosmo remains a Guardian by the end of the film.
