Whether you’re a big Marvel buff or not, the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy is something I think just about anyone can sit down and enjoy. The action, the overarching theme of the importance of family and togetherness, and the laugh factor make the movies perfect for just about any audience. Volume three, however, has a bit of a different vibe — here’s my take on the final movie. WARNING: spoilers!!!!!
This movie is different because it’s Rocket’s story. In volume one, we first saw the strange scars and metal in Rocket’s back. Now, in volume three, we finally get to see how he — a super-genius raccoon — came to be. He was engineered by this movie’s main villain, the High Evolutionary, who had set out to create new beings (including Rocket) to formulate a perfect society. Rocket’s backstory was quite tragic and surprisingly dark; but it allowed the audience to finally piece together the character’s journey to becoming a hero. In The New York Times‘s interview with director James Gunn, he reveals that, to him, the whole series was about Rocket and how he came to be the leader of the Guardians.
This movie not only revealed Rocket’s backstory, but it was a turning point for him. In other movies, Rocket had not done one thing for anyone except for himself and his friends; he was the most selfish of the Guardians, who happened to all be selfish towards the beginning of the trilogy. When Rocket finds himself back in the High Evolutionary’s ship, he sees little raccoons in a cage, like he once was. He risks his life to save them as well as all of the other animals on the ship. At this point, he realizes the connection he feels to them, and wants to give them a free life that he never had. In the words of Gunn, this is when Rocket realizes: “‘We’re all a part of this universe, and every life has purpose, meaning, and is worthy of respect.'”
While the movie was centered around Rocket, it also placed emphasis on all of the characters as individuals. This sort of tunnel vision approach allowed for the perfect conclusion to the series, as each character ended up setting off to embark on their own journeys to discover themselves as individuals, apart from the group. This aspect of the movie, to me, was beautiful. Each character had come from a broken place, and did not have blood relatives to call family; but they found family in each other. But volume three, in contrast, showed the Guardians each leaving to finally grow as their own people. It was a bittersweet ending that somehow left the audience feeling just as satisfied and fulfilled as the dismembered Guardians felt.
One other character that stayed with the Guardians other than Rocket was Groot (thank goodness). I think it’s safe to say that among all of the shocking moments in the movie, Groot saying “I love you guys” was one of the most unanticipated. James Gunn also revealed on Twitter that Groot had, in this moment, not changed his speech. It was because, like the other characters, the audience had gotten close enough to Groot to understand his words. If you stayed for the end credits, you’ll also know that Groot was significantly bigger there than he was during the movie. This could be a reference to King Groot, that could suggest that Groot’s evolution and story in the Marvel universe isn’t over.
The Guardians as we know them are over. But don’t let that get you down! There is promise that we will see the new remodel of the super group in future Marvel projects, and maybe even some of the previous members. Nevertheless, this bittersweet ending to a well-made and, in my opinion, perfect trilogy, is one that will not be soon forgotten by fans.
Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets!