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: Infinity War, 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.
