We’ve known for some time that “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” would be the final chapter in James Gunn’s beloved MCU trilogy. We also know that some of the stars playing Guardians in theaters aren’t willing to stay in the MCU without Gunn.
Finally, we know that Gunn likes to make his audiences cry in theaters, or at least that’s what we can tell by watching his films. So when we combine these three factors, it’s clear that “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” would see the death of most of the team that Gunn helped build for Marvel Studios. But who dies in “Guardians 3”?
ATTENTION! THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Surprisingly, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” gives the Guardians a well-deserved happy ending, with all core team members either finding a new purpose or moving on with their lives.
Yes, that’s right, not a single Guardian dies. Indeed, as the mid-credits scene reveals, there are now even more Guardians in the MCU. That doesn’t mean you won’t mourn a few deaths, as ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ is the bloodiest film in the MCU, and some of those deaths hit like a truck.
When it comes to pure kill counts, the film isn’t the bloodiest in the MCU. Over the past fifteen years, heroes and villains have killed dozens, hundreds, and even thousands of on-screen enemies.
If we only consider the deaths we see on screen, Thanos is still the absolute champion of death, having wiped out half of the universe’s sentient life in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’.
However, as much as the Russo brothers did a great job of making the film so exciting, we all knew “Avengers: Endgame” was coming, waiting for the effects to be reversed, which makes these deaths easier to deal with.
Thanos isn’t the only genocide in the MCU, as Doctor Strange, in the Multiverse of Madness, introduced a version of Stephen Strange responsible for destroying an entire universe after causing an incursion.
Of course, if we expand our search to “What If…?” Infinity Ultron, who serves as the main villain of the first season, kills an entire universe before breaking the barrier between timelines and killing even more people in the Multiverse. .
However, the problem with these MCU genocides is that we’re less affected when the people killed are just numbers. We need an emotional connection to be able to grieve in theater, which is why ‘Infinity War’ hurts us even more when Gamora dies and Vision is destroyed. And when we recall the saddest deaths in the MCU, Natasha’s sacrifice in “Endgame” trumps any genocide.
That said, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” could lead to the most impactful deaths in the entire MCU. For starters, Gunn’s latest film also features genocide, as the High Evolutionary decides to wipe out Counter-Earth. when he realizes that he has failed to create a perfectly harmonious society.
However, Gunn manages to make this genocide more significant than others in the MCU. First, we know that billions of people are being killed with no way back.
Secondly, Gunn allows us to spend some time with simple people who go out of their way to help the Guardians, only to be blown away minutes later. Eventually, the genocide also takes the life of the Sovereign High Priestess, Ayesha, who was also a product of the High Evolutionary’s experiments and a somewhat tragic villain.
However, that’s not why “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” feels bloodier than other MCU films. James Gunn knows what nerves he has to hit to make fans cry.
This is why the High Evolutionary spends a good portion of the film torturing and killing helpless animals. And while we can always put the death of a humanoid creature into perspective, there’s something about human physiology that makes our emotions go haywire when a cute animal dies.
Especially the other victims of the High Evolutionary, the deaths that hurt the most in “Guardians 3” are those of Lot 86, the group of creatures who underwent excruciating surgeries at the same time as Rocket.
As Rocket watches his life unfold before his eyes, we discover how he formed an unbreakable bond with Lylla the otter, Teefs the walrus and Floor the rabbit. Together, the four friends spend their days in filthy cages, cleaning each other’s wounds and dreaming of the blue sky they would one day see together. And from the moment they enter the scene, we know how Gunn is going to stab us.
The High Evolutionary has always intended to destroy Lot 86, so Rocket decides to break everyone out of prison. Anticipating Rocket’s rebellion, the High Evolutionary waits for the right moment to shoot Lylla in front of Rocket.
And after Rocket is consumed with grief and starts shooting at the High Evolutionary’s guards, Floor and Teefs are caught in the crossfire and die. Rocket’s pain in the scene is palpable, and Plot 86’s murder rivals even some of the MCU’s most poignant deaths, like that of Tony Stark or Yondu.
Plot 86’s deaths also cleverly subvert audience expectations. We were all ready to watch the Guardians die, and Gunn still uses a few moments of feigned death to play with our minds.
But in the end, all the heroes are still alive. That’s not to say “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” doesn’t require big emotional stakes, as Gunn introduces a new batch of lovable characters only to tear them apart before our eyes.
The film is still playing in theaters.
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Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
