Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has begun its box office run, with its Thursday preview grossing more than and as much as the trilogy's first and second films, respectively. The film marks the completion of writer/director James Gunn's run with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, finalizing what may be one of the greatest comic book trilogies of all time (and certainly the best of the MCU).
The trailers, the posters, the story thus far -- all signs have pointed toward a tearful, heartbreaking finale for the beloved Guardians. Speculation has been running rampant in the buildup to the trilogy's final film, but the twist that Gunn pulled off is likely one few expected.
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Does Nebula Die in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'?
Karen Gillan's Nebula has arguably seen the most drastic shift of any Guardians character, shifting slowly from antagonist to protagonist over the course of multiple films. In Guardians of the Galaxy, we first meet Nebula as a daughter of Thanos (Josh Brolin), assigned to assist Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace) in quashing the freshly formed Guardians and obtaining the Power Stone for the Mad Titan. After Ronan's defeat and her break from Thanos, Nebula continued to pursue the Guardians into the trilogy's second film, but after a confrontation with Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), begins the journey of casting her grievances aside.
After losing her sister and Thanos successfully completes his mission of wiping out half the universe in Avengers: Infinity War, Nebula is one of only two Guardians to survive the snap. After becoming stranded in space with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Nebula finds herself in a position of nurturing as she's never been before. This sway toward softness would continue for Nebula, and by the time Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 rolls around, she's turned from tortured loner to a front-facing protector.
Speaking with Collider's Perri Nemiroff, Karen Gillan acknowledges this arc for Nebula, saying "It's always been interesting to me that she would become this kind of caretaker/leader role because she's been on a healing journey throughout all of these films, and I think a massive part of healing is helping other people to heal, at a certain point." A fatal fate would have carried nothing more than shock value for Nebula; Gunn provided a rightful conclusion by allowing her to heal and take up the mantle of leader on Knowhere.
What Happens to Peter Quill, The Legendary Star-Lord?
In true MCU fashion, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is bookended with multiple mid- and end-credit scenes. The final tail-end sequence features Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) back on Earth, where he has reunited with his grandfather, finally tying up the thread of Peter's internal need for family. The final words of the film, plastered in massive text across the screen, read "The Legendary Star-Lord will return." This moniker references a comic book series featuring the titular hero, and likely indicates a solo project for Pratt's character.
The film wasn't without at least one fake-out for Star-Lord. Mirroring climactic moments from the first two Guardians movies, Peter found himself floating in space and nearly succumbing to the harsh conditions of the vacuum. His face begins to swell, and you can see the life fading away; it genuinely feels like we're about to lose him. Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), finally shifting sides, saves Peter just in time, and our Star-Lord can live on in the Marvel universe.
Does Drax Die in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'?
Even disregarding the narrative position of this character, there was still plenty of speculation around the fate of Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista). Having already confirmed that Vol. 3 would be his final outing with the MCU, Bautista's departure would not have been the most shocking twist, but death for Drax would have been a heavy fate to witness. Drax's past is filled with loss, having lost his entire family, which sent him off in his lust for revenge. One of the most touching scenes came in Vol. 2, in which he confides in Mantis (Pom Klementieff), and she touches his shoulder, causing her empath power to fill her with all the tragic pain he's been carrying. In Vol. 3, James Gunn gave Drax the ending he deserves, with Mantis proclaiming that he was never meant to be Drax the Destroyer; he's meant to be Drax the Dad. By saving the children that the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) held captive, Drax has finally fulfilled his purpose, and Bautista can exit the MCU having delivered one of its most surprisingly touching performances.
What Happens to Rocket Raccoon and His Friends?
Perhaps the most expected (and dreaded) theory for the Guardians surrounded Rocket (Bradley Cooper). The bulk of the marketing for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 placed Rocket front-and-center, with Gunn often implying that this really has been a Rocket tale all along. We knew it would be a major send-off for the character, but would we be ready to lose our furry friend?
We're finally given the full backstory for Rocket, and to call it utterly tragic would be an understatement. A product of the High Evolutionary's experiments, Rocket was the smartest, most intuitive creation at the villain's hands (something that tormented the foe). As a part of Batch 89, Rocket's first friends in his life were of three other tortured animals — Lylla the Otter (Linda Cardellini), Teefs the Walrus (Asim Chaudhry), and Floor the Rabbit (Mikaela Hoover).
Although the flashbacks reveal the demise of each of Rocket's former cellmates, in what is arguably the franchise's most devastating plot, Rocket survives the events of this finale. As the new leader of the Guardians' updated roster, Rocket has finally embraced that he's truly Rocket Raccoon, and one of the most nuanced arcs of any MCU character has reached a spectacular finish.
What Is the Twist in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'?
If it's not Drax, Nebula, Star-Lord, or Rocket biting the bullet in the finale of James Gunn's space opera, who is it? Fan theories probably speculated that Gamora was the least likely to kick the bucket, as she'd already suffered that fate once before in Avengers: Infinity Warat the hands of Thanos. Groot (Vin Diesel), like Gamora, has been lost once before, so the impact of taking him again would have likely fallen short. Mantis has too much of her story left untold, as Gunn recognized, setting her off on her own to trek her own path. The same goes for Ravager-turned-Guardian Kraglin (Sean Gunn), and newcomers Cosmo the Spacedog (Maria Bakalova) and Adam Warlock.
So, what's the twist? At the end of the film, Rocket (who's been left with a catalog of music, an endearing gift from Peter) scrolls the playlist into a new decade and needle-drops the first 2000s song of the franchise. Florence + The Machine's "Dog Days Are Over" blasts over the loudspeakers of Knowhere, and the story wraps with everyone dancing in joyous celebration. Although there were losses suffered and pain endured, the biggest twist of all is that all of our Guardians can live on. Gunn put a twist on the twist, and yet he still managed to leave us in tears, swelled with the impact of an era ended and an arc fulfilled.
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