At this point, Zoe Saldana is a superhero veteran. The actress has been playing Gamora, reformed daughter of Thanos and the universe’s deadliest assassin, since 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Since debuting as the character, Saldana has gone on to reprise her role in four more films, with the latest effort being Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – next year’s grand conclusion to Marvel Studios’ space-faring trilogy. Her future with the company past this point is currently unknown, though she has quickly become a favorite among fans who would probably love if she stuck around.
While the thespian herself has yet to comment on what comes after Vol. 3, a recent appearance on the hit YouTube series Hot Ones shed some light on how she feels working for a massive studio like Marvel. Speaking on her unique experience portraying an alien warrior in multiple blockbuster movies, she explained:
When you work for Marvel, it feels like a cult, everybody’s like, ‘What’s going on? I’m dressed in green after four hours in makeup, we must be shooting something, what is it?’ [Laughs] That has advantages and disadvantages, the advantages are you savor the surprise for the end, and you don’t ruin it and the audience is able to have an amazing adventure when they go to the movies to watch it. The disadvantage is mainly for the actor, because you don’t know what you’re getting, you don’t know where you’re going, you don’t know what you’re saying, you don’t know what’s going to happen, and that can be a little nerve-wracking.
Zoe Saldana
Many performers who’ve played in the Marvel Cinematic Universe sandbox have spoken on their unconventional style of filmmaking in the past. The studio tends to film several projects at once, and enjoys keeping as much of their work secret as possible. As a result, actors are often left in the dark about scenes they’re not in, and sometimes aren’t even sure which project they’re filming for. Saldana lays out the pros and cons of this system pretty well, and her joking spirit seems to indicate the process isn’t actually all that bad. Perhaps just a tad unusual for those more accustomed to doing one thing at a time.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5th, 2023, but Saldana can next be seen reprising an entirely different blockbuster role when Avatar: The Way of Water arrives on December 16th.
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.
If there ever was a character that has been long-rumored to join Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, it was Lylla. Ever since the first hint dropped that the project would focus more on Rocket and his past, the concept of his soulmate making her live-action debut seemed to be a logical addition to James Gunn‘s final ride with the characters. While her exact role is uncertain, the first trailer has finally trailer dropped during CCXP with a first look at what Gunn has to offer.
Among the many memorable moments throughout the trailer, we get a good look at Rocket hugging his soulmate. There’s no word on who might be voicing her, but it’s definitely great to know that she’ll appear especially with the uncertainty on who might make it out of this film given the darker tones hinted throughout production. No matter what, it’s exciting to know that she’ll finally appear and we get to explore more of Rocket in the third installment.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special finds the Guardians recovering from their adventures with Thor and preparing for the unknown from their new base of operations, Knowhere. While the special spends a portion of the runtime inside the severed head of a Celestial, the bulk of the action takes place on Earth where Mantis and Drax head to give Peter the best Christmas present ever: Kevin Bacon. During the botched abduction of Bacon, the pair had an encounter with the police and director James Gunn used that scene as an opportunity to sneak in a reference to one of Marvel Studios’ longest-serving and most important crew members.
As seen in the credits, one of the officers who had the misfortune of crossing paths with Mantis and Drax is Officer R. Bobbitt. Though it’s not been confirmed by Marvel Studios, the Officer is almost certainly named for longtime Marvel Studios Property Master, Russell Bobbitt. Few people outside of Kevin Feige and Casting Director Sarah Finn have worked on as many MCU projects as Bobbitt. Bobbitt first served as the Property Master in 2008 for Iron Man and has worked on a total of 20 MCU projects to date, from the Agent Carter One-Shot, to streaming series such as WandaVision and Loki and the Werewolf By Night Special Presentation. In addition, Bobbitt has made his way on screen in a few projects.
As Property Master, Bobbitt oversees the creation and acquisition of the props used in each MCU project. Bobbitt’s MCU designs include Captain America’s shield, Mjolnir and the Infinity Gauntlet. Bobbitt is set to serve as Property Master on 3 upcoming MCU projects: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Agatha: Coven of Chaos and Blade, running his total number of MCU projects up to an impressive 23. Given the work he’s done on the Guardians in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, it was incredibly cool of Gunn to give Bobbitt a nod in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special saw the roster of the Guardians grow by one as Cosmo the Spacedog joined the ranks of the team. After appearing briefly in Guardians of the Galaxy, Cosmo is now a more fully realized character complete with her comic-accurate powers of telekinesis and telepathy. Being a telepathic Soviet spacedog means that someone was going to be brought on to voice the character and as reported during SDCC, that someone is Maria Bakalova.
Bakalova was reported to have joined the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in June of 2022. After to rising to fame in her role as Tutar Sagdiyev in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Bakalova has found herself increasingly busy. While she doesn’t hold down a major role in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, it’s possible that Cosmo will find herself a key player in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and could play a role in assembling a new version of the team should her arc follow that of her comic book counterpart. If that’s the case, Bakalova could become an MCU mainstay in the way that Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel have as voice actors for Rocket and Groot, respectively.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is now streaming on Disney Plus and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to hit theaters on May 5th, 2023.
The premise of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special revolves around Mantis and Drax trying to give Peter a great Christmas. Not only do they want to bring him out of his funk over the loss of Gamora, but they also hope to help Peter recapture the magic of Christmas after hearing a story from Kraglin about how Yondu ruined the holiday for Star-Lord.
Told in an animated flashback featuring Michael Rooker’s return as the voice of Yondu, Kraglin’s story shows a young Peter setting up a Christmas tree with Kraglin and setting out presents for their fellow Ravagers. A grumpy Yondu puts and end to the Christmas cheer by stomping on the Christmas tree, throwing away the presents and exclaiming that he hates Christmas. Kraglin believes that event ruined Christmas for Peter and it’s his story and hope to cheer Peter up with a great Christmas that sends Mantis and Drax on their well-intentioned-if-not-entirely-illegal trip to kidnap Kevin Bacon.
Not only are Mantis and Drax successful on their mission to bring Bacon to Knowhere, but the rest of the Guardians also chip in to make Christmas memorable for Peter. During his conversation with Mantis, who is revealed to be Peter’s sister, Peter explains that there’s part of that story of Christmas past that Kraglin didn’t know. Peter goes on to reveal that Yondu later changed his tune and not only kept Peter’s present (one of the little figures he liked to keep on his console) but also gifted Peter with the Quad Blasters that he’s carried with him ever since. While there was certainly no need to tell the story of how Peter came into possession of his weapons, having them be a gift from Yondu only adds to the emotional connection that Peter and the audience already have with the character.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is now streaming on Disney Plus.
While James Gunn made it clear that The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special wasn’t going to introduce any major new character to the MCU, he didn’t say that the team wouldn’t experience a few changes. It turns out that the special, set between Thor: Love and Thunder and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, finds the team not only moving into a new base of operations but also adding one to their number. True to his word, Gunn didn’t introduce a new character but rather brought one on board who hasn’t been seen for nearly a decade.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special reveals that Cosmo, a labrador that was part of the Soviet space program who was introduced in Guardians of the Galaxy, is now working with the Guardians. Last seen with Howard the Duck and The Collector in the post-credit scene to the 2014 film, Cosmo appears early on in the special, working with Rocket on cleaning up Knowhere. Those unfamiliar with the comics may have been shocked to find out that Cosmo is no ordinary space dog.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special immediately establishes a pretty comic-accurate Cosmo by putting her two primary abilities on full display. While working with Rocket, Cosmo uses her telekinesis to lift a pair of panels up to begin repairing a building. After being insulted by Rocket, she drops the panels and speaks to Rocket using her telepathy. In the comics, Cosmo’s DNA was mutated after being exposed to cosmic rays during a failed test launch.
The comics established Cosmo as an incredibly powerful telepath, able to read and manipulate the minds of others and reach out over long distances. Adding Cosmo to the team now is of note as it was Cosmo who formed a new team of Cosmic defenders, The Annihilators, after the dissolution of the Guardians and the death of Star-Lord. Though no plans have been revealed for what comes next for the members of the Guardians who come out on the other side of the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, it’s possible the Cosmo could play a similar role in assembling the next iteration of the team.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is now streaming on Disney Plus.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special isn’t exactly essential viewing for those trying to follow the ongoing narrative of the Guardians in the MCU, but it does sprinkle in a few key changes to be aware of ahead of next May’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Although the bulk of the special follows Mantis and Drax as they head to Earth, it’s bookends take place in a familiar setting from Guardians of the Galaxy that’s now become their base of operations!
Following the special’s animated opening sequence, Nebula reveals that the Guardians now own Knowhere after having bought it from Taneleer Tivan. Knowhere, the severed head of a Celestial floating about in space, was a key location in Guardians of the Galaxy and was visited again by Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax and Mantis in Avengers: Infinity War. Tivan had put up shop on Knowhere hundreds of years prior to the Guardians’ first visit and set up a mining operation to extract the valuable organic matter that remained inside the Celestial’s head. Tivan, also known as The Collector, also kept his museum of oddities on Knowhere where he stored the Infinity Stone known as the Aether/Reality Stone and where the Soviet space dog Cosmo was kept until being freed following the explosion of the Power Stone.
During the events of the special, it’s clear that the Guardians have only recently taken ownership of Knowhere and are in the process of cleaning it up following the exit of the Tivan Group. The move to Knowhere puts the Guardians in an interesting location headed into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Writers Dan Abnett and AndyLanning introduced Knowhere in 2007’s Nova #8 and it became an important location for both Richard Rider and the Guardians following the events of Annihilation: Conquest. Later, Knowhere became the base of operations for the Annihilators, a team of “cosmic heavy hitters” assembled by Cosmo following the dissolution of the Guardians and the death of Peter Quill.
Director James Gunn has made it clear that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the end of the road for the current iteration of the team, but with them preparing to operate out of Knowhere and Cosmo joining the squad and displaying her telepathic powers in the special, it’s possible that a version of the Annihilators could be making its way into the MCU. The original comic book Annihilators consisted of Silver Surfer, Ikon, Ronan the Accuser, Beta Ray Bill, Gladiator and Quasar, so it’s hard to imagine any MCU version of the team being too similar; however, their first mission found them taking on the Cosmic powerhouse Blastaar, a character whose live-action rights were acquired by Marvel Studios when Disney acquired Fox in 2019. Given the knowledge that Nova is headed to the MCU soon, it seems likely that Knowhere could be propped up as a major Cosmic location as Marvel Studios finally expands that corner of its universe.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is streaming now on Disney Plus.
Well, this is a surprising reveal that confirms a long-time theory. Marvel Studios has started the tradition of creating small supercuts to share the adventures the various Marvel Cinematic Universe characters have gone through in the past few years. Marvel Studios’ Legends is a great little guide for those that don’t actively follow every project the studio puts out. With the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on the horizon, we got a new entry recapping our favorite ragtag group of space heroes. Surprisingly, it includes a deleted scene that confirms a surprisingly familiar connection.
As it turns out, Pom Klementieff‘s Mantis is actually Star-Lord a.k.a. Peter Quill’s sister. There have been some theories that this might be the case when we first meet Mantis with his father, Ego. There was a short showcase of his many lovers from across the galaxy, which included someone that looked quite similar to Mantis’ race. Plus, Ego has collected his children for one purpose and there always was the question of why he kept her around. With her being his daughter, it makes sense he kept her around just in case she might become useful.
It’s interesting that she shared this with Drax, who’s the one to reveal it with the line “he should know you are his sister” and that they’d go out of their way to set up this connection as part of the recap. So, we’ll see if this might be something James Gunn explores further in the upcoming Holiday Special and third entry of the trilogy. Also, it’s nice to see someone find out they have a sister that isn’t seemingly planning on killing them; Thor could give him some pointers.
If you’re looking for a 40-minute Marvel Studios Special Presentation that changes the entire landscape of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special isn’t going to satisfy your craving. While the special does somewhat surprisingly advance a few plot points, those ultimately feel like bits that happen here to save precious minutes of screentime in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which will almost certainly change the entire landscape of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Director James Gunn has made it quite clear that Vol. 3 is the end for this group of Guardians and that it’s a love letter to Rocket, who he’s openly described as a character he loves more than any other he’s ever written and one who he believes deserves a “spectacular” final chapter. If Vol. 3 is a love letter to Rocket, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is a shorter and less spectacular love letter to a pair of characters who have yet to truly have been in the spotlight in any of the Guardians’ appearances to date. If you’re looking for a 40-minute Marvel Studios Special Presentation that puts Drax and Mantis and their odd couple relationship front and center, The Guardiansof the Galaxy Holiday Special is going to land just fine.
Star-Lord and Gamora have certainly had their time in the spotlight over the course of Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Avengers: Infinity War. Somewhat surprisingly, Nebula, who is a much less important character in the comics, has been given ample time to shine in Guardians of the Galaxy, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. And though Rocket is going to be the star of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 show, he and Groot have had quite a bit of attention. Despite having a very compelling arc in the Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning comics on which Gunn has based his film version of the Guardians, Drax hasn’t been much other than muscle and comic relief and Mantis has been around mostly to make funny faces and occasionally use her powers when convenient.
To be fair, Gunn is certainly well-aware that the two characters haven’t ever really been given the time that the others have. Recognizing that and the great chemistry that exists between Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff, Gunn once approached Marvel Studios about a Drax and Mantis spin-off film. While the director was told there would be no room on the theatrical slate for such a piece, he also said that while it might not be a movie, the pitch hadn’t been forgotten. And ultimately, as theorized here, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Specialturned out the be the Drax and Mantis show, complete with exactly the type of humor audiences have come to expect from the pair.
The backdrop for the adventures of the two is truly steeped in the fact that these Guardians have been and continue to be a family. The special opens with Kraglin tells Nebula, Drax and Mantis a short story about how Yondu once ruined Christmas for Peter. Still reeling from the loss of Gamora, a rough-looking Peter Quill seems to exist as a shell of the once brash and bravado-filled Star-Lord he once was. Mantis, whose big “secret” gives her a reason to feel a bit more responsible for trying to break Peter out of his slump, hatches a plan with Drax to give Peter a great Christmas by giving him a present that he will never forget. To Drax, there’s only a Kevin Bacon will do. Drax and Mantis head to Earth where holiday shenanigans ensue.
Of the pair, Klementieff’s Mantis truly takes the lead and is given the most to do. In the comics, the character was a highly-skilled martial artist and while she’s had a few tussles in the MCU, she’s mostly been relegated to putting characters to sleep or manipulating their emotions. Make no mistake, she does her fair share of that here too, but she also gets to show off some slick hand-to-hand moves. Bautista’s Drax has his fair share of funny moments as well, though he seems at times to be doing more belly-laughing than talking. The duo’s adventures on Earth only take up about 25% of the special’s runtime, but ultimately provide 90% of the laughs. Returning to space, they manage to give Peter-and Kevin Bacon-a Christmas they’ll never forget.
The special is full of everything fans of Gunn’s work with the Guardians have come to expect. While it’s not essential viewing for casual fans, the story absolutely adds to the overall story and emotional core of the Guardians. Gunn’s at his best when exploring the dynamic of this misfit group and by watching the special, hardcore MCU fans will find themselves feeling even more emotionally invested in the group; in that way, it’s almost unfair to have an inkling of what Vol. 3 is set to do to them. It’s also worth noting that this project could never have been done as well as it was without Gunn behind it. His emotional investment in these characters and their family make it work. And of course, there’s the music. From the hilariously off-beat Christmas jam written by Gunn and belted out by the Old 97’s in the opening to the interesting, to Hanoi Rocks’ “Dead By Christmas” and, of course, Kevin Bacon rocking out in space, the soundtrack hits the requisite holiday beats while triggering emotions throughout.
Marvel Studios is on to something with these short-form special presentations and are definitely 2-for-2 following Werewolf By Night with The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. While not essential viewing, this one is going to play well for hardcore and casual fans alike as it gives just enough of a narrative push to the story of the Guardians while helping us all remember how important family is this time of year.
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Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
1 minute
Marketing cookies are used to follow visitors to websites. The intention is to show ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user.
Pinterest Tag is a web analytics service that tracks and reports website traffic.
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