Last year, Marvel Studios released Loki on Disney+. Most of the time spent with the series, we explore Tom Hiddleston‘s return as the reluctant hero, as he finds himself beyond time with not much left ahead. The only way for survival? Join the Time Variance Authority and try to find his purpose once again in a world he’s unfamiliar with. He’s a fish out of water, stuck at a desk job with small moments of looking beyond. He starts realising that there’s more at play, as some big shot at the top is guiding everyone’s stories and seemingly determining whatever fate has ready for everyone across the timestream.
Loki is a science fiction story at its hear that offers a unique tale even among the already varied Phase 4 of projects. Yet, looking back, there’s something that perhaps got lost in the usual Marvel flair. There are many interpretations that could stick with someone looking at Loki’s journey alongside his new mentor Mobius. He’s asked to do one simply thing: work within the perimeters set by the TVA, become a member of its overarching cause and belief in the leadership of the Time Keepers.
It’s not difficult to make the connection that the TVA’s monotony and the way they only know what’s important to their job reflects the way we assimilate to the job’s that help us afford a livinig. If we want to exist, we need money to pay for everything. So, we get stuck with the work and at one point find ourselves in an endless cycle that seems almost impossible to escape. Mobius represents the man who’s been there long and starts to see what’s going wrong to finally embrace a new freedom. Perhaps he’ll finally make that dream come true and find some peace; no matter how short-lived it might be.
Yet, like clockwork, everything resets and he’s exactly where he was just under new leadership. In some ways, we’re creatures of habits stuck in routine and a little hope that one day we can ride that jet ski ourselves. Loki represents those that are searching for purpose in a new position. Perhaps trying something different, leaving the familiar is a way to find that purpose one couldn’t seemingly grab before. You try the usual but it doesn’t really seem to work like it used to. You’re asked to adjust and figure out how things work, but you’ll never truly feel “at home.”
So, you start to question what exactly are you doing here. Suddenly, he gets a chance in the form of a free pass out of this world he thought could give him what he wanted. Sylvie gives him exactly what he was looking for or had no idea he might need at the time. It begs the question, would you take it? May it be a new job or a business opportunity, isn’t Sylvie just that same reflection back at us? Not just that, doesn’t she also represent the self-doubt that we face ourselves making that very decision, may it be before or even after. Could it be that we’re just replacing one cubicle with another?
Even as you build a connection with someone like Loki and Mobius did, there might be that feeling of something being off. The purpose you hoped to find and prove it to the person that brought you on, the one that believed in you, may just be a raindrop leaving its ripples in an ocean. Sometimes you may have a chance to take that experience with you, but there’s also the chance you’ll be walking a rather lonely path. Sometimes the harsh reality is just: you don’t quite fit in as you’d hoped you would.
It’s not a universal issue. Some might be that person that fits in perfectly. They find their own purpose in taking that deep dive into a world they can feel comfortable in. Yet, there are also those that may not realize just how their old stomping grounds shaped them to not fit in anywhere else. No matter if the discussion becomes about nature vs. nurture, there’s still a place out there for us. Sometimes leaving the familiar forces us to accept that very fact. The question always remains: what are we willing to sacrifice along the way?
The things we love won’t always stay that way, as our mental health may take its toll through every new hardship we are confronted with. Even places we once felt at home will potentially change and leave its own sour taste. So, any venture outside will not be easy and there will be bumps along the way. If it doesn’t work the first time, one might try and try again. The biggest challenge is not to lose yourself along the way or get too stuck with who you were; especially not who you wanted to be if it’s not in sight. We all have our moment of sitting there, reflecting on our life and the future that lies ahead. The future we envisioned may never came to pass with a simple snap, and it becomes even harsher if the new one we try to shape doesn’t quite measure up to it. But, just like Loki, perhaps Season 2 can lead us down the path we’re looking for. One can always hope.
Earlier this week, The Hollywood Reporter published an extensive piece regarding the future of DC studios. James Gunn and Peter Safran have started to carve out their path, and it seems to be a fresh one. After hearing that Wonder Woman 3 and Man Of Steel 2are being canceled or shelved, there is one thought that comes to mind: there’s nothing like a clean slate.
Since Man Of Steel came out in 2013, DC has been trying to carve out its own lane in comic book film storytelling. Regardless of what anyone thought of the films, this business is about the bottom line and the bottom line is they didn’t hit the notes they needed to hit. The audience didn’t receive the content the way it needed to be received. There’s been so many stories of too many cooks in the kitchen, egos running amok, and an unclear vision. We can talk about Black Adam and the conversation around how Dwayne Johnson has handled that whole situation. Quite frankly, the film was entertaining but not something you’d say let’s start a franchise with. Financially that’s proven to be the case at this point. It is a hard sell globally when you bill your post-credit scene as the most memorable moment of the film.
In a lot of ways, Johnson has tried to book his foray into comic book film just like he’s booked his movie career. It’s been like professional wrestling where perception is more important than anything. That’s fine enough when it’s wrestling. This is not that. When you try to bogart your way into the franchise game when most fans want to see Black Adam vs Shazam, it’s just not gonna work how you want it to.
Earlier this year in Vanity Fair, Johnson talked about separating the stories between the two characters. “When the first draft of the movie came to us, it was a combination of Black Adam and Shazam: Two origin stories in one movie,” Johnson recalls. “Now that was the goal—so it wasn’t a complete surprise. But when I read that, I just knew in my gut, ‘We can’t make this movie like this. We would be doing Black Adam an incredible disservice.’ It would’ve been fine for Shazam to have two origin stories converge in one movie, but not good for Black Adam.” This refrain from Johnson is not surprising in the least. Let’s dive a bit further.
All of what Johnson says sounds incredibly altruistic on its face, but let’s be honest. In stories with heroes and villains, Shazam would beat Black Adam eventually because the hero wins. Considering everything we know about the Fast & The Furious franchise and the ego clash with Vin Diesel, it’s easy to be skeptical.
The moral of the story here is Johnson is emblematic of a culture that’s existed over at WB that hasn’t actually been in service of the fans. You can claim to want to treat the fans well and service them but you do that with good storytelling. The stories haven’t been quite good enough and the agendas are many. If you can tell good stories the people will come and they will stay. DC has a very passionate fanbase that deserves much better than it’s gotten over the past decade.
The reason that James Gunn and Peter Safran were hired is to change all that. The expectation is that they are minds and voices that we as fans can trust. With that trust comes patience, and a willingness to have an open mind. Yes there will be some tough changes and we may lose people we liked in their roles, but let’s get this right. That should always be the goal, getting it right. One thing is crystal clear, the hierarchy of power in the DC universe has changed, and it’s about damn time.
While Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is still years away, the film is already starting to take shape through other projects. Obviously, Loki served to set the stage for the fifth Avengers film by introducing the concept of Variants, introducing He Who Remains and opening up the Multiverse. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness added the terrifying concept of Incursions to the mix and introduced a character (America Chavez) whose unique ability to traverse the Multiverse might be useful down the road. Up next is a film that even just a few months ago, relatively few people probably had on their radar as a major player in the Multiverse Saga: Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. The film will introduce a dangerous Variant of He Who Remains, Kang the Conqueror. This version of the character, who has been described as a warrior by both star Jonathan Majors and director Peyton Reed, is expected to be the big bad of 2025’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and will pose a threat not only to the heroes we know and love but also the entire Multiverse.
As the threat of Kang grows leading up to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, one ongoing thread will likely be the idea that, at present, Earth does not have a collection of its Mightiest Heroes actively working together. In fact, Phase 4 made it pretty clear that they’re all off doing their own things. Following the events of Avengers: Endgame, in which the Avengers Compound was destroyed, there are plenty of heroes on Earth, including a lot of new ones, but so far they haven’t come face-to-face with a day unlike any other when they would find themselves united against a common threat. That day is coming, however, and when it does who will take the lead?
Thanks to a new rumor, MCU fans can have a little fun thinking things through while they wait. According to Heavy Spoilers, a trio of heroes will take the lead in what he referred to as the “first wave” of Avengers to take on Kang: Captain America, Shang-Chi and Shuri.
An interesting trio to be sure with two characters who are stepping into legacy roles and one who is both brand new and wielding a powerful set of weapons that some believe are directly tied to the Conqueror. The prevailing theory is that The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars will play much like Infinity War and Endgame and that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will fall and then rally. Given the unique nature of Kang’s power (which you’ll see on display in Quantumania) and the possibility that he’ll have quite an army on his side (he’s been building one in the Quantum Realm), it seems pretty likely that these characters might not fare well against the Master of Men and might well be taken off the board for a bit before returning in Secret Wars.
Who else should be among the first wave of Avengers to take on Kang? Let us know your thoughts.
Somebody(s) will die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. James Gunn has promised an emotional conclusion to his trilogy and we know that the film is the last ride for this version of the Guardians. Vegas should probably open the betting line on who fans think will die in the film (maybe they already have) and pretty much any death will pack a heavy emotional punch, but there’s one character who should have a lot more gas in the tank in the future of the MCU: Star-Lord. Gamora absolutely cannot die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Zoë Saldaña is a sci-fi queen. Having held down roles in 3 major sci-fi franchises (Star Trek, Guardians of the Galaxy and Avatar), Saldaña has become the second highest-grossing female actress of all time and she’s not done yet. With Avatar: The Way of Water and at least 2 more Avatar films after that, Saldaña will almost certainly surpass Scarlett Johansson. While the Avatar films are about as safe of a gig as one could ever hope to land and Saldaña seems to be tiring of the intense secrecy surrounding her Marvel Studios’ projects, the actress could have the option of another decade of MCU projects ahead of her if Gamora were to survive Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. And, should Gamora survive, the opportunity to almost totally reinvent the character into a more traditional representation of the character from the comics certainly presents itself.
Created by Jim Starlin, Gamora earned her reputation as “the most dangerous woman in the galaxy” and “the deadliest woman in the universe” by…being dangerous and deadly. Raised by Thanos as a weapon in the fight against his great enemy, the Magus, Gamora was depicted in the comics as an assassin with a near-endless amount of bodies left in her wake. While Gamora has quite a bit of the same background in the MCU, her character, like the rest of the team, has been modified quite a bit with the Gamora who is now dead having grown less stoic and ruthless over time. The Gamora who now inhabits the prime timeline has had a different set of experiences and none of those have involved her falling in love with Peter Quill, making her a bit of a blank slate when it comes to what’s known about her. She was pulled from 2014 into the post-Blip world of 2023, disappears following the Battle of Earth and is not present with the Guardians during the events of Thor: Love and Thunder. Other than that, nothing is known about her at the present.
Though seen quite a bit in the trailer, Gamora doesn’t seem to be part of the team of Guardians. She’s not wearing the same gear as them and she seems to only be part of their trip to infiltrate the High Evolutionary’s weird space base but not part of their adventures in the first act or so. Like Loki, she’s a familiar character to fans but one who is capable of carving an entirely new path through the MCU should she have a future in it. And should the MCU’s future involve adapting the great stories of Marvel Comics’ modern cosmic age, Gamora, much like Star-Lord and Nova, could play a major role in those adaptations. Additionally, Gamora has a very complicated comic book history with Adam Warlock, who joins the MCU played by Will Poulter in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Should Gamora survive the events of that film, she faces a future full of possible stories ripped right from the comics.
Whether Marvel Studios took the path through Annihilation, Annihilation: Conquest and War of Kings or went wack with some version of Starlin’s Infinity Watch team coming together, Saldaña could suit up as Gamora anywhere between 3-6 more times in the next decade but, in doing so, completely redefine the character. That’s not an option everyone has and it seems that bringing something new to a character actors have played many times is just the type of thing that interests them enough to come back (that and lots of money). Of course all that is up to Saldaña, but from a narrative standpoint, Gamora’s recent death and the transplant of a Variant Gamora into the prime timeline provide way too many potential avenues to explore in the future for the character to die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
The cast of Daredevil: Born Again is rounding out fairly quickly as business in Hollywood gets close to wrapping up for 2022. Over the past week, four major additions have been made to the cast. One of the latest additions to the cast was 24 and House of Cards alumn Sandrine Holt, who was cast to play a South Asian character in the series. Trade reports of her casting indicated she may be a possible love interest for one of the series leads (Charlie Cox or Vincent D’Onofrio) and while that may be the case, her character will be formidable in the series and Holt’s contract seems to include options for her to appear in other MCU projects. While the internet went wild theorizing who Holt might be, most of the guesses were drawn from a pretty shallow pool of characters who are well associated with Daredevil or Kingpin. However, given the scope of Daredevil: Born Again, it’s possible that Holt might be playing someone from outside Hell’s Kitchen. In fact, she might be playing someone who’s as far from Hell’s Kitchen as it gets.
Over the course of its 18-episode season, Daredevil: Born Again is rumored to eventually find Wilson Fisk running for Mayor of New York City. That’s a pretty tall order for a guy who was working out of a garage and running the Tracksuit Mafia before being shot in the face in the season finale of Hawkeye. Part of Fisk’s arc to becoming Mayor of NYC may take place in Echo, which is rumored to feature another gang known as the Black Knife Cartel, but fans should expect most of that arc to take place in Born Again. Whatever the case with Fisk, he certainly can’t be running for Mayor while most of income can be traced to organized crime. Even the Kingpin might need to clean some of that money to look legit and in the MCU, there’s one place where that kind of business gets done on the daily: Madripoor.
First visited in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Madripoor is a criminal safehaven located in Southeast Asia where, for the most part, anything goes. Run by Sharon Carter, aka the Power Broker, Madripoor has plenty of crime, organized and otherwise, and was shown to be big into cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency has become the modern hub for money laundering and in the MCU, it wouldn’t be hard to believe that Madripoor could be the hub for laundering. Should Kingpin be in the market for such a racket, one particular character who is a major player on the island nation in the comics comes to mind quickly.
Jessán Hoan is exactly the kind of criminal Wilson Fisk might find himself turning to in order to clean a boatload of money quickly. A financial genius who once worked at her family’s major international bank, Hoan wound up in Madripoor where she quickly rose up the ranks, ultimately becoming the island’s overlord: the Queenpin of Madripoor. Better known as Tyger Tiger, Hoan is a known associate of Wolverine, or Patch as he calls himself on the island, and owns the Princess Bar that he so loved to frequent. Ruthless and brilliant, Tyger Tiger is just the type of associate Fisk would seek out.
Is Holt Playing Tyger Tiger?
It is certainly one option, but given the lack of information on the character, it’s impossible to tell. Given there’s only one South Asian location that’s currently established within the Marvel Cinematic Universe and that Holt is playing a South Asian character, there’s at least one potential link to Tyger Tiger. The character is also described as “confident”, “knowledgable” and willing to say what’s on her mind. Those descriptors all certainly match the comic’s presentation of Tyger Tiger. While there’s no comic book history between Tyger Tiger and Kingpin, the MCU isn’t exactly known for keeping to the pages of the comics these days. Madripoor exists. It’s the kind of place a guy like Fisk would certainly know about and depending on how they wish to film it, Fisk might not even have to visit The Princess Bar: Tyger Tiger could visit him in NYC. A return trip to Madripoor and a look around the Princess Bar would be pretty fantastic, though, and could easily be done while filming in New York City.
As is always the case when guessing at the identity of an unknown character, it’s more likely Holt is anyone else other than Tyger Tiger; however, Tyger Tiger is one intriguing option for Sandrine Holt, who is likely to return to the MCU down the line.
Who else could Holt be playing? We’d love to hear your ideas on Twitter.
Somebody(s) will die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. James Gunn has promised an emotional conclusion to his trilogy and we know that the film is the last ride for this version of the Guardians. Vegas should probably open the betting line on who fans think will die in the film (maybe they already have) and pretty much any death will pack a heavy emotional punch, but there’s one character who should have a lot more gas in the tank in the future of the MCU: Star-Lord. Marvel Studios Peter Quill absolutely cannot die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Putting aside the argument that could be made about just how hard it might be to actually kill Peter Quill in the first place, Quill needs to survive the events of the final entry in Gunn’s trilogy. Quill has already proven himself among the universe’s greatest heroes, saving Xandar from destruction at the hands of Ronan, participating in the Battle of Titan and the Battle of Earth; however, should Marvel Studios so choose, Quill’s best days could still be ahead of him as well as one of his greatest friendships.
Surviving Vol. 3 would also mean that whatever comes next for Quill would come from someone other than James Gunn. Gunn has carefully crafted Quill’s arc over the course of the 3 Guardians films and had input into the character’s appearances in Avengers: InfinityWar, Avengers: Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder. Should he survive Vol 3., allowing a new team of creatives to put him on a new path might not be a terrible choice. Chris Hemsworth has indicated that being allowed to reinvent the character has kept him interested in coming back for more adventures as Thor, so it’s possible that Chris Pratt might find a similar chance equally as intriguing. To that end, having Quill go on some solo adventures through the galaxy, as he did in his early days in the comics might result in just that sort of shift in characterization Or, should they be so bold, they could follow Al Ewing’s recent Master of the Sun arc. These solo adventures could be the subject of one of Marvel Studios Special Presentations or a Disney Plus series. Going on a series of solo adventures could be just the type of change Quill might need before facing his biggest adventures yet.
Over the course of Marvel Studios Infinity Saga, the ebbs and flows of the relationship between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers helped push the plot of the shared narrative going. The tension first felt in Avengers erupted in Captain America: Civil War and left Earth without its Mightiest Heroes when it needed them most. As Marvel Studios moves deeper into its Multiverse Saga and beyond and, hopefully, look to develop more stories in the cosmic corner, a similar relationship could develop between Quill and another cosmic hero who is set to enter the MCU soon: Nova. While Nova was a central figure in Marvel Comics’ modern cosmic comics, Star-Lord was right there beside him most of the time and the two developed a rivalry and a friendship worthy of being told on the screen. While Quill has already done his fair share of saving the universe, pairing him up with Nova as they face threats such as Annihilus and a war that threatens to destroy the galaxy echo the Stark-Rogers relationship and fuel the future of the MCU’s cosmic stories.
Completing such an arc would likely require Pratt to sign on for another decade or so of MCU projects. At age 43, he’d be playing Star-Lord into his mid-50s, putting him in the company of Robert Downey Jr. who was 53 years old when Avengers: Endgame was released. As Pratt ages, his perspective on playing the character would likely shift, allowing him to find corners of the character he may not have been able to explore 8 years ago when Guardians of the Galaxy hit theaters. In this way, it seems that both Pratt and Quill may have more to give, allowing one of Marvel Studios’ most beloved heroes to keep on keeping on. If Marvel Studios decides to invest as heavily in the cosmos as it did on Earth in the Infinity Saga, Star-Lord absolutely has to be along for the ride. For that reason, Star-Lord cannot die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. There’s too much left in the tank both in terms of stories to be told and character development to let Pratt and Star-Lord fade away.
God of War Ragnarok has just recently released and the withdrawal is already setting in. Who knows when we can expect a new entry into the franchise, especially with how little direct teases there are of what a future entry might bring. Many believe we’re about to visit another pantheon, though the question remains if our Greek former God of War will remain the series’ sole focus. There are a lot of questions, but one thing is for certain: we have a live-action series in some form of production heading our way at some point in the future.
While we continue our wait for any hint at God of War‘s future, it’s the perfect time to revisit what may have been.Going down the rabbit hole of Cory Balrog‘s initial pitch of potentially setting the story in Egypt with Kratos stumbling upon a boy that he’d start building a connection with. Eventually, they would go with Norse mythology and scrapped the original plans. Atreus would end up becoming his actual son and Santa Monica offered a heartwarming storyline about coming to grips with one being more than the sum of your mistakes.
While we may visit Egypt in the next God of War game, it sparked the idea that this unexplored story would be perfect for the live-action adaptation.While many would want to explore Kratos’ journey starting in Greece, there’s something interesting about exploring what may have been through a new adaptation. Not only would it help the live-action series stand out from what came before, but it could even be a way to focus on Kratos’ most interesting story arc without simply retracing the same ground as the 2018 game did.
Kratos was quite a one-note yet badass character in the original Greek Saga. So, he may not be as enthralling as a main character by just going on his usual revenge-filled path. Yet, using a new setting with an ash-covered stranger may open the door to catching an audience that has no idea what God of War actually is. Most adaptations are dependent on making changes to adapt to the new medium while also easing in viewers to pre-existing stories.
Exploring Kratos’ exhausting travels and desperate of leaving his mistakes in Greece creates a curious mystery for new viewers. Sprinkled as flashbacks throughout the series’ run, we see what exactly transpired between the Ghost of Sparta and the Greek pantheon. While players might know the exact events, it creates an interesting mystery for newbies of the franchise. We also get a more human element in him trying to build a connection with the boy he found lost in the desert’s sands.
Their journey forces them to survive in a location that barely gives them resources, putting the former god in a position where even he needs time to truly embrace his former strength. The young boy has no idea who the stranger is that found him, but sees his best chance of survival alongside the man with the red tattoos. Even as they have their disagreements, once the Egyptian pantheon catches on that a God Killer has entered their realm and they won’t just rest to let him do whatever he wants.
Unlike the Norse Saga, they don’t have a pre-existing bond as father and child, which means that there’s even more distrust to whoever the stranger might be and what his intentions are. Perhaps they may build upon a similar twist of the first games’ Loki reveal with the kid having a connection to the pantheon. Perhaps a young exiled god that was hoping to find his purpose but one mistake led to him alone in the desert.
Little did Kratos know, he may have a fellow God of War by his side as the young boy reveals to be named Montu. At least he has that role in the original mythology and given Kratos’ arrival he ends up pushed into a new direction. The franchise’s modern interpretations have focused on discovering the meaning of war and its many facets. Plus, it would end up as a fun twist on the title being not only about the man that arrived in the deserts but also the fate of the boy from the dune’s of godhood.
Of course, whoever may end up getting the chance to develop a series based on God of War will likely stick to its Greek origins as it gives them the chance to explore Kratos at his peak. Any adaptation similar to the game will get a lot of eyes on it, especially with how impressive the set pieces were. Yet, there’s something so special about the modern take that offers a strong emotional core. Plus, just retreading old ground seems like a waste if you have someone like Kratos that can travel from one pantheon to the next by just repeating what the games have already done.
The emotionally charged trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has fans wondering which members of the team will kick the bucket when the film hits theaters next Summer. Whatever the case, one thing will be sure: the team will never be the same again. Whether or not there will be more adventures for a new iteration of the team is a decision that Marvel Studios One Above All, Kevin Feige, and his trusted Parliament have to make but in-universe, Guardians or not, the galaxy still needs heroes. Fortunately, because Marvel Studios has woefully underdeveloped the cosmic corner of the MCU, one of the galaxy’s greatest heroes-if not THE greatest-is ready to come off the bench and join the fight.
Though it has long been a staple of Marvel Comics, Marvel Studios has not invested much effort into building out the cosmic side of the MCU outside of James Gunn’s work on Guardians of the Galaxy. In their eagerness to bring Carol Danvers into a starring role, Marvel Studios skipped right past the tales of the comic’s first cosmic hero: Mar-Vell. Though the character was present in Captain Marvel, an alternate path with a more fully developed Mar-Vell as a true hero could have changed much of the cosmic landscape. Instead, what exists now is a terrifyingly bland, basic and underdeveloped idea of one of Marvel Comics’ most important conflicts: The Kree-Skrull War. The Kree are sorely misrepresented compared to their comic book counterparts and one of their greatest warriors, Ronan the Accuser, was egregiously done dirty and taken off the board in Guardians of the Galaxy. Their “war” with the Skrulls has been relegated to a few scuffles and Annette Bening’s Mar-Vell’s role in it was reduced to a glorified cameo. Yes, the Skrulls are due back for more in Secret Invasion, but which Skrulls? Gravik? How about a Power Skrull or two? Where’s Paibok? For fans of old-school Marvel Comics cosmic adventures, Marvel Studios adaptations of these characters and stories has been disappointing.
Past is prologue, of course, and even in a medium that’s easily “retconable” it’s going to be pretty tough to undo the stories told of Mar-Vell and Ronan. Maybe Power Skrulls and Super Skrulls can show up down the road. Maybe the portrayal of the Kree can be improved (at this point it’s the equivalent of polishing a turd, however). Maybe…but it’s not in changing the mistakes of the past that Marvel Studios can improve its cosmic storytelling. No, the path to redemption lies ahead and rests on the shoulders of The Man Called Nova.
In March of 2022, a trade report confirmed what many had been discussing for a long time: Marvel Studios is developing a Nova solo project. Moon Knight writer Sabir Pirzada was brought on board to get the gears turning on what many insiders believe will be a Disney Plus project. If everything were to go according to plan, that project could go into production in 2023, meaning it would be ready to stream in 2024. With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 wrapping up what’s hopefully Marvel Studios’ first act of cosmic theater, MCU audiences would find themselves being introduced to the character who should rightfully be the star of the second act just about a year later. Though fans of the character have been pining for his debut for years, Richard Rider couldn’t find a better time to join the party.
Mar-Vell and the Kree-Skrull War became the backbone of most every Marvel Comics’ story for decades. However, in 2004 Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning launched Marvel’s modern cosmic line that was comprised of a series of large-scale events unlike anything ever attempted by the publisher before. For the better part of a decade, cosmic fans hand their hands full as Annihilation, Annihilation: Conquest, War of Kings, Realm of Kings and The Thanos Imperative hit stores in rapid succession. These stories introduced a new generation of readers to some of Marvel’s most obscure heroes and villains (including the Guardians of the Galaxy team that James Gunn adapted for the MCU) but one hero found himself at the center of nearly every one of those stories: Richard Rider.
Though he’d been around for nearly 30 years at the time, Rider had never taken center stage as he did during Abnett and Lanning’s epic run. Save another hero. Save a planet. Save the entire galaxy. Nova did it all, ultimately at the cost of his life. The Silver Surfer may have had more adventures than Richard Rider, but it’s hard to argue that Rider didn’t become Marvel’s greatest cosmic hero during that time. Now, with the MCU’s Guardians set to be reeling from whatever comes their way in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Rider could find himself getting the same treatment in the MCU.
Somewhat serendipitously, the stage has been perfectly set for Nova to follow the Guardians though most of his heroics in the comics preceded their assembly. Should Marvel Studios be keen to follow the DnA blueprint, characters such as Annihilus, Blastaar and Kl’rt and alien races like the Shi’ar and the Phalanx would likely play their roles. None of those characters were available to Marvel Studios until after the Dinsey-Fox merger of 2019. So by postponing Nova’s MCU debut, whether intentionally or not, Marvel Studios made it possible to introduce Richard Rider and have him enter his finest hour fairly quickly. As fun as some of the older Nova books used to be, the 2000’s version of the character is the kind of hero the MCU has routinely developed and one that fans will respond to.
Of course, there’s the unfortunate possibility that Marvel Studios might make familiar missteps wth Nova. In their eagerness to spotlight Carol Danvers, they took away from Mar-Vell; the same could happen here by choosing to jump straight to Sam Alexander over Richard Rider. In both instances, properly developing the first character (Mar-Vell and Rider, respectively) would only serve to strengthen the legacy characters (Danvers and Alexander). Marvel Studios has a chance at getting it right this time with Rider and the blueprint couldn’t be any easier to follow. Get out of your own way and let The Human Rocket save the universe…and the cosmic corner of your MCU.
Director James Gunn has promised an emotional ride for fans when they finally sit down to watch Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The film is set to act as the finale for the titular team and their time together in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as a goodbye from Gunn to his years working at Marvel Studios. A trailer for the threequel, which recently debuted at Brazil Comic Con, embraced the poignant tone set by the occasion and featured plenty of footage that seemed to hint at somebody not making it out of the film alive. The previous entries in the franchise have both been full of heartbreaking moments, the circumstances of which usually have something to do with a major character taking their last breath, and it would stand to reason Gunn wouldn’t finish off the trilogy without taking at least one more cast member with him.
With the future of the Guardians currently so up in the air, it feels like any one of the lovably dysfunctional, intergalactic misfits could end up biting the stardust. Nobody is truly safe, but it’s likely some are probably safer than others. Not every character feels quite as poised to end their on-screen journey, even if nothing is really off the table. As such, the situation begs for a ranking of the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy in order of their likelihood to face an untimely demise at the hands of Vol. 3.
Here’s how it all shakes out:
1. Rocket
This is the one everyone has been assuming for a while, and honestly, everyone has a good chance of being totally correct. While there’s been a lot of talk about certain characters “meeting their maker” by the end of Vol. 3, Bradley Cooper‘s Rocket will be the only one taking the phrase seriously. Gunn‘s trilogy capper is confirmed to explore the origins of Rocket in the MCU and will bring the anthropomorphic animal face-to-face with the man who created him – Chukwudi Iwuji’s High Evolutionary. The film will deal with the fallout of this reunion and dig into its impact on the team as a whole, something that may feel familiar to fans of the franchise. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 pulled a similar move in expanding upon the origin of Michael Rooker‘s Yondu Udonta before killing him off in a soul-stirring sequence of self-sacrifice. At this point, it really feels like Gunn might do the same with Rocket in the follow-up.
To elaborate just a little further, Rocket has thus far enjoyed one of the most well-developed character arcs the MCU has been able to offer, and a definitive conclusion to that arc in Vol. 3 would be a natural way for the unlikely hero’s story to end. If that weren’t enough, Gunn himself has gone on record multiple times to state Vol. 3 would be a “send-off” for his favorite protagonist, repeating himself as recently as last month in an interview with Deadline:
The reason why I needed to finish this is because I love the character of Rocket more than any character I’ve ever dealt with before, and I needed to finish his story and that is what Volume 3 is about. I absolutely needed to do it, and I think we’ve done it in a spectacular way that I can’t wait for people to see.
James Gunn
It’s possible this is all one big ruse to hide the actual big death in the movie, but if that’s the case, it’s one of the better cons ever pulled by a director. This one feels too obvious.
2. Drax
There isn’t much story-wise that directly points to a coming expiration for Dave Bautista‘s Drax the Destroyer, but a few real-world instances have shot the character to the top half of the “probably going to die” list. To put it plainly, Bautista himself has been very open about his intention to leave Drax behind after Vol. 3, and with The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special fulfilling the dream of a Drax/Mantis project coming to life, Gunn has been able to do pretty much everything he’s publicly stated he wanted to do with the blood-loving, soft-hearted space warrior. Bautista, never one to mince words, has been referring to Vol. 3 as his last ride for a while now and even posted a farewell message on his Instagram back in May.
The only reason Drax isn’t a more surefire bet than Rocket is because there’s still a decent amount of comic book material the MCU could work with in the future. At this point, the films have not yet drawn from the comic return of his long-thought-deceased daughter in the form of Moondragon, which could prove to be a wonderful plotline for a future movie or series. However, that could simply be a surprise twist Gunn is hiding for Vol. 3, and if so, her appearance may seal Drax’s fate immediately. After all, Bautista‘s career is on the rise, with several other projects on his plate. He may be on board to leave the MCU on a high note. Also, #GoodbyeDrax doesn’t sound all that promising.
3. Nebula
Perhaps a sleeper pick for the film’s big passing, Karen Gillan‘s Nebula actually has evidence going against her survival both on the screen and off. Much like Rocket, Gillan‘s rough-and-tumble space pirate has undergone a bit of a transformation since audiences first saw her in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Nebula started as an antagonist for the titular heroes, but has since become a trusted member of the team, and even served as an impromptu Avenger for a brief period of time. Also like Rocket, Gunn has gone on record in the past to say Nebula’s dramatic development over the course of his three films has been planned from the very beginning. Standard knowledge of plot structure would imply that, if her story was conceptualized as having three parts, an end for the character is, at the very least, somewhere in sight.
Furthermore, both Gunn and his buddy, actor and comedian Seth Green, have stated that Vol. 3‘s script is quite heavy on Nebula. An increased amount of screen time in the last project a character is planned to appear in is, often, not a great sign for anyone hoping to see them continue living. Green specifically commented on a lot of the plot revolving around the relationship between Nebula and her sister, Gamora. If one of those two had to sacrifice themself for the other, as will be outlined later, there’s a higher chance of it being the former. Gillan herself may have also put a final nail in the Nebula coffin, taking a page from Bautista‘s book and giving her character a send-off on Instagram:
Sure, she says it’s possible this is Nebula’s “final chapter”, but at least she left a little room for hope at the beginning.
4. Star-Lord
What better way to close a trilogy than to kill off the main character? Of course, the answer is giving them a happy ending everyone can enjoy, but something like that might not carry the kind of gut-punch Gunn is aiming for with Vol. 3. Chris Pratt‘s Peter Quill, the self-proclaimed Star-Lord, has been the heart and soul of the Guardians since the franchise launched in 2014. He is, for all intents and purposes, the lead of the trilogy, which automatically puts him in contention for a big death to close it all off. This is especially true when one considers how willing Quill has been to die for his found family at the end of both previous films, and how absolutely heart-wrenching Gunn and company know it would be to have him meet his mother again in some sort of afterlife. Not saying that will happen literally, but the internet does love to make edits.
The major thing holding Peter back from the top of the list is the massive potential he holds for the future of the MCU’s cosmic storytelling. Even if he’s no longer a leader of the Guardians, Star-Lord is a central figure in most of the comics’ best intergalactic stories and is complex enough to transform for a new era in much the same way as Chris Hemsworth‘s Thor. It may feel like Quill is destined to end with the trilogy that made him a star(lord), but it might actually just be the conclusion of one book before another is opened. It seems just a little more likely that Pratt gets some time off from playing Peter before coming back as a changed man down the line.
5. Mantis
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special just gave Pom Klementieff‘s Mantis a pretty big emotional connection to the heart of the franchise’s story and did a great job of engraining her forever as a Guardians fan-favorite. While this is all well and good, they could also just be setting it up to hurt more when Mantis is offed by the end of Vol. 3. Truthfully, though, Mantis is probably safe. She’s a newer character to the franchise, with a lot of room left to explore. That doesn’t instantly save her from death, but it would make her a pretty good through line between the next iteration of the Guardians and the team that came before. Also, there isn’t much in the way of evidence to point toward curtains in Mantis’ near future. In fact, there’s more evidence going the other way, with Klementieff recently making an appearance on the D23 Inside Disney podcast and making a few comments that hint toward a continued existence in the MCU.
When asked if there would be more adventures for Mantis in a post-Vol. 3 world, the actress replied carefully, not giving anything away but not really hinting at a demise either:
I can’t say much because, you know, the movie’s going to be released a long time from now, in May. But what I can say is that, again, it’s going to be very funny but also extremely emotional. And it’s going to be, in some ways, you know, the end of a chapter, as the Guardians of the Galaxy family. So we’ll see what happens after, you know? It’s not like ‘over over’ but, you know, it’s still…it’s going to be different after.
Pom Klementieff
When asked a follow-up about starring in a Mantis solo project, Klemetieff responded, “Yes! Oh, that’d be fun for sure“. It doesn’t really sound like she’s expecting her journey to end in Vol. 3.
6. Gamora
Reader, Gamora has already died in the MCU. That’s the main argument to be made against Zoe Saldana‘s space assassin having a big, dramatic death in Vol. 3. Granted, one might be able to see the storytelling advantages of killing her off a second time. She means a whole lot to several members of the main group, and the idea of getting her back – against all odds – just to so quickly lose her again could work in the way of total devastation for fans and the film’s cast alike. It’s also possible that the team finds themselves in a situation where someone has to go, and Gamora volunteers herself knowing she’s displaced from her real timeline anyway. It’s just that all of that comes off as cheap on paper, and Gunn isn’t going for anything cheap in his final Marvel outing. Unless there’s a fantastic concept for a second Gamora death scene, it isn’t supremely likely that the creatives behind the Guardians double down on tears for Saldana.
7. Kraglin
One might assume Sean Gunn‘s Kraglin is disqualified from death in Vol. 3 because he’s not a big enough character to elicit the proper audience reaction, but that’s pretty silly thinking. At this point, everyone should have grasped the concept that no character is too small to bring tears to viewers’ eyes. Especially in James Gunn‘s hands. The real reason Kraglin is disqualified from death is that he’s the obvious future of the Ravagers, and he can’t perish before nailing down how to control that darned arrow. When Vol. 3 opens, Gamora will be in charge of the Ravagers, but there’s only a very tiny chance that is still true by the time credits roll. If she doesn’t remain as captain of the Ravagers, it only seems fitting that Kraglin finally ascend to his rightful place. This is the ending he deserves, and both Gunn brothers know it.
8. Groot
Vin Diesel‘s Groot will probably survive Vol. 3 on the same clause keeping Gamora alive, and that’s the simple fact that Gunn has already killed him off once before. The original Groot met a perfect and beautiful end during the climax of the first film, and it’s hard to imagine his son topping it at such a young age in Vol. 3. The more interesting plotline would be Groot finding his way in the galaxy without Rocket by his side, something that feels more and more bound to happen as the release date draws near.
9. Cosmo
After making a short cameo in the first film and landing a supporting role in the Holiday Special, Maria Bakalova‘s Cosmo will become an official member of the Guardians when Vol. 3 eventually lands in theaters. The thing is, there’s almost no way she dies in the movie. Not only is she essentially still a brand new character, who has massive potential as a founding member of the Guardians 2.0, but there is not a soul attending the premiere of Vol. 3 who wants to see the adorable talking dog eat it so fast? That seems harsh even for noted horror connoisseur James Gunn.
Luthen Rael’s Galactic Antiquities and Objects of Interest was a key location in the first season of Andor, serving as a front for Rael’s work with the Rebellion. Though its true purpose was to serve as a meeting place for fellow Rebels like Mon Mothma, Rael was all about keeping up appearances and had some incredible and rare pieces in his gallery. During the season, fans believed they peeped quite a few interesting artifacts in Rael’s collection and now the official Star Wars Twitter account has unveiled some of the goodies stashed away in the store!
Lord Starkiller’s Helmet
One of two pieces in Rael’s shop that aren’t from a canon project, this appears to be similar to the helmet worn by Sith assassin Galen Marek, the secret apprentice of Darth Vader! Marek wore the helmet as the Sith known as Lord Starkiller in the video game The ForceUnleashed.
Gungan Shield
A Gungan energy shield as seen in The Phantom Menace! Given Rael’s shop is on Coruscant, maybe this one belonged to Senator and Sith Lord Jar Jar Binks!
Beskar Armor
This beauty might get Rael in some trouble someday unless he bought it and had proof of purchase. Mandalorians aren’t big on being separated from their Beskar armor; hopefully nobody comes looking for it and makes a mess of the shop!
Padme’s Headpiece
Whether or not the elaborate headpiece actually once belonged to Padme Amidala isn’t revealed, but given its similarity to the ornate pieces she wore and the fact that Rael has it in his collection, it’s a fair conclusion. Afterall, Rael isn’t in the business of having the used headgear of some normie cluttering up his gallery.
Jedi Temple Guard Mask
The unmistakable and ornate facemask of a guard of the Jedi Temple rests among Rael’s collection. Given that Andor takes place about 15 years after Order 66 was issued and the Jedi Temple was raided, the mask would probably be a rare piece!
Holocrons
Holocrons first appeared in The Clone Wars animated series and have since become a staple in canon literature such as novels and comic books. Used to store knowledge and accessible only by Force users, both the Jedi and Sith were fond of holocrons. Rael must be a bit of a completist because he has one of each.
Sankara Stones
The central MacGuffin of Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, the stones were gifted to Sankara from Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction and one of three principal deities of the religion. Used to battle evil, the five stones had some pretty interesting powers and two of them were left in the mine that was a central location to the plot of the film…it’s all connected! Nope, it’s just an Easter egg.
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