Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 brings an emotional conclusion to the current chapter of the Guardians' story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the team faces off against the villainous High Evolutionary, many of the Guardians' character arcs come to a satisfying – and tear-inducing – conclusion.
While Guardians 3 was mostly intended for farewells, it also hints at the franchise's future and its cast of beloved characters. Several critical details from the film's final act could provide information on what to expect for the Guardians of the Galaxy next in the MCU.
10 The Guardians Have Reached Their Full Potential
The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise started out as superhero films about found family, as each character found belonging in their new team. However, the third film expands the Guardians' place in the MCU as they establish Knowhere as their new home base. With Knowhere at their disposal, the Guardians begin to realize their full potential.
Now, the Guardians of the Galaxy are so much more than guns-for-hire or galavanting heroes. They are bonafide heroes taking concrete actions to make their corner of the galaxy a better place. Refugees find a home on Knowhere, where the Guardians keep them safe, protecting them from madmen like the High Evolutionary.
9 Adam Warlock Is Here To Stay
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 finally introduces Will Poulter's Adam Warlock to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although the character has minimal screen time in the film, it is apparent in the final few scenes that Adam Warlock's time in the MCU is only just beginning.
The mid-credits scene revealed that Adam Warlock was one of several characters to join Rocket Raccoon's new Guardians of the Galaxy team. Galavanting around the galaxy with his new family, Adam Warlock can follow his Marvel Comics storylines as he prepares to make his mark in the MCU.
8 Gamora Is A Ravager, Not A Guardian
The trilogy-ending film deals with the fallout of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, which saw the original Gamora die and be replaced by an alternate-reality version of herself. While the other Guardians try to win Gamora back to their cause, they eventually come to accept that she isn't the same person they once knew, allowing her to return to the Ravagers.
The final moments of the film show Gamora reuniting with the Ravagers, who greet her warmly as they would a family member. Although this version of Gamora couldn't make herself at home with the Guardians, it is nice to know that she did indeed find a new family in the Ravagers.
7 The High Evolutionary's Reign Continues?
Chukwudi Iwuji's High Evolutionary is a menacing villain throughout Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, obsessed with unlocking the next stages of evolution by any means necessary. Although the Guardians manage to defeat the villain and lay waste to his flagship, the High Evolutionary's death is never confirmed in the film.
It is a simple rule of thumb in superhero films that if the audience doesn't physically see someone's death, they are almost certainly still alive. As such, it wouldn't be surprising if the High Evolutionary returned in future films, perhaps coming to blows with other superhero teams in the MCU, like the Avengers or the X-Men.
6 Mantis Needs To Find Herself
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's final minutes, Mantis reveals to her teammates that she has decided to go off on her own. Feeling as though she has always listened to what other people told her, Mantis feels like she needs to find herself during her own solo adventures.
Mantis's departure hints that she still may have a future in the MCU. The Marvels, the franchise's next space-based adventure, is only a few months away and could very well pick up where Mantis's story left off in the latest Guardians film. Conversely, Marvel may elect to adapt Mantis's essential Celestial Madonna storyline in another project, perhaps even a solo film centered around the character.
5 No One Is Gone For Good
Much of the anticipation leading up to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was centered around which of the beloved characters would die before the film's closing credits. In a brilliant subversion of audience expectations, however, the film ended without killing off any of its core cast, signaling that any of them could appear in future MCU projects.
While certain cast members have been quite clear about their intentions to retire from their MCU roles after Guardians 3, the simple fact remains that none of these characters is necessarily gone for good. The door is left wide open for any of them to return whenever the timing is right, and the film even drops several hints about which Guardians could appear again soon.
4 The New Guardians Of The Galaxy
James Gunn's latest MCU film closes with Rocket being named the new leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy. This plot thread is revisited during the film's mid-credits scene, where Rocket is shown leading an all-new team, which includes Groot, Kraglin, Adam Warlock, Cosmo, and Phyla-Vell.
While this film was meant to close this chapter of the MCU's Guardians of the Galaxy, this new team will likely appear in some shape or form in future films. Although the lineup will be quite different from what fans are used to, it wouldn't be surprising if a fourth Guardians of the Galaxy film follows Rocket's new team in their continued adventures.
3 Quasar's First Appearance In The MCU
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's mid-credits scene confirms that one of the children saved from the High Evolutionary's ship is named Phyla. This young girl joins Rocket Raccoon's new Guardians of the Galaxy, displaying her newfound superpowers, likely derived from the High Evolutionary's experiments. This new character appears to be a direct nod to Phyla-Vell, one of several characters to wear the mantle of Quasar in Marvel Comics.
This marks Quasar's first appearance in the MCU only several months after Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania falsely teased the character's arrival with William Jackson Harper's Quaz. The Phyla-Vell iteration of Quasar in Marvel Comics is more closely associated with the Guardians of the Galaxy than her predecessor, indicating that she could also be a major part of the MCU's team.
2 Groot's Final Form
The mid-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 shows a very different version of Groot, who appears to have hit a growth spurt. At full height, Groot towers over everyone else in what very well may be his final form. Moreover, previous scenes hinted that a fully grown Groot might also be capable of speaking complete sentences.
Groot's transformation hints at him becoming one of the strongest Guardians of the Galaxy in their continuing adventures. The character's new look also closely resembles his design in Marvel Comics, suggesting that he really has reached his final form.
1 The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return
The ending of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 sees Peter Quill return to Earth and reunite with his grandfather decades after their separation. A post-credit scene revisits their time together before promising that "The Legendary Star-Lord" will return, indicating that Chris Pratt's time in the MCU is far from over.
It is unclear exactly when audiences can expect to see Quill return to the MCU, but it seems very likely that he will appear again before the end of the Multiverse Saga. While an appearance in Avengers: Secret Wars seems inevitable, it is also quite possible that Quill will receive his own solo film, perhaps even titled The Legendary Star-Lord.