Before 2014, the Guardians of the Galaxy were the least well-known property to get confirmation as being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, with director James Gunn's incredible introduction, the group burst on the scene and surprised fans. This propelled the team and stars to the forefront of the MCU.

The first movie will long be remembered as one of the greatest of the MCU, and one reason for that is how quotable it is. Now, with two more movies and a holiday special, The Guardians of the Galaxy's quotes will continue to stick with fans of the MCU for years to come.

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on April 4, 2024: This list of the best Guardians of the Galaxy quotes has been updated to adhere to CBR's current publication standards.

35 "Even My Butt Can Make Metaphors."

- Drax

"Even my butt can make metaphors."

Dave Bautista's Drax the Destroyer embarks on quite the journey in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, turning over a new leaf in multiple areas of his life. One of these areas is metaphors. Coming from a completely literal race of people, metaphors have never been Drax's forté. Even so, he does his best to help Quill through the use of metaphors, but gets carried away.

As was to be expected, Drax's attempt at symbolism goes immediately awry, mostly because the metaphor itself was concocted by Mantis. In the end, he winds up proclaiming himself the master of metaphors, claiming that even his butt is capable of producing them--much to Quill's surprise and discomfort.

34 "I Love You Guys"

- Groot

"I love you guys."

If there's one thing Groot is known for, it's his signature line: "I am Groot." With the exception of about two other words, this is all that Groot is capable of enunciating, though other characters always seem to understand his meaning. This makes it all the more shocking when, at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Groot says that he loves the other Guardians.

James Gunn later confirmed a fan theory that makes this moment even better. As it turns out, those who grow close enough with Groot find themselves suddenly able to understand him despite his limited vocabulary. "I love you guys," doesn't signify Groot expanding his word usage, but rather indicates that the audience is finally able to understand him, bringing the viewer directly into the Guardian family.

33 "Use Your Heart, Boy!'

-Yondu

"Use your heart, boy!"

After heroically perishing during the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Yondu Udonta makes a surprise cameo in the 2023 sequel. Just as things are beginning to look dour for the inhabitants of Knowhere, Kraglin suddenly remembers Yondu, who offers him some key advice in using the whistle-controlled arrow rig that he had passed on to his successor.

This is a terrific moment for longtime fans of the franchise, who remember that these were also Yondu's words to Quill that helped him master his Celestial abilities in the previous film. Yondu revealed that his greatest skills came from his heart, helping Kraglin master the same ability to help rescue his friends from the High Evolutionary's minions.

32 "Everyone Deserves A Second Chance."

-Drax

"Everyone deserves a second chance."

In the final battle with the High Evolutionary, Adam Warlock is surprised to find himself rescued by the Guardians of the Galaxy, whom he had tried to kill only minutes earlier. Shocked by their compassion, he wonders why they would bother saving him, to which Drax and Groot reply that everyone deserves a second chance.

This quote perfectly sums up what the Guardians of the Galaxy are about--second chances. None of their members would initially seem like a hero--or even anything more than a common thief, in some cases. However, given a second chance, each Guardian proved themselves to be far more than they seemed. Now, Rocket Raccoon leads a new team of Guardians, including Adam himself, all of whom have a chance to prove themselves to the galaxy.

31 "Drax, You Were Never Meant To Be A Destroyer. You Were Meant To Be A Dad."

-Nebula

While much of the discourse surrounding Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 surrounded who audiences thought would die therein, the film surprised many by leaving all of its major characters alive. Instead, each character got the perfect happy ending that they needed. Among these was Drax, who Nebula notes finally found his calling in taking care of the orphaned young experiments of the High Evolutionary.

There is something intrinsically touching about seeing Drax, a character so known for his violence and rage, be so tender with a group of children. Drax didn't start out as a destroyer, but became one when he was robbed of his wife and daughter. Now, he has a second chance at fatherhood, and immediately proves why he was so good at it in the first place.

30 "I May Be As Pretty As an Angel, But I Sure as Hell Ain't One."

-Yondu Udonta

"I may be as pretty as an angel, but I sure as hell ain't one."

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, Yondu Udonta and Peter Quill/Star-Lord fought for the Power Stone since Yondu was a Ravager and wanted to sell it while Peter wanted to protect the world from its power. When Peter warns Yondu about the orb, Yondu replies with this quote, which contains the typical humor of these movies.

While Yondu only appears in two of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, this antagonist-turned-hero was one of the funniest characters of the MCU. He's known for his sassy comments as this character constantly pretends to not care about people (even though he does).

29 "I Am Groot."

-Groot

"I am Groot."

There are few MCU quotes as used and brilliant yet straightforward as "I am Groot," originating in the cinematic universe of Guardians of the Galaxy. The character was voiced by actor Vin Diesel, who managed to put some gravitas on each use of the same phrase.

"I am Groot" may only be three words, but they carry a lot of weight, both in terms of the movie's humor and in terms of emotion. Groot says quite a bit using the same phrase, especially when Rocket Raccoon is around to translate.

28 "Ain't No Thing Like Me, Except Me!"

-Rocket Raccoon

"Ain't no thing like me, except me!"

When Peter Quill and the rest of the Guardians were incarcerated at the Kyln space prison, they got a closer look at Rocket Raccoon. It was clear there was a larger story to his origin when it was revealed he had experimental ports on his body.

Rocket proved his own uniqueness, even among a crowd of bizarre creatures. The quote perfectly showcased Rocket's unique attitude while also giving fans a small idea of why Rocket acted the way he did. More recently, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, fans learned exactly what happened to Rocket Raccoon, making this quote even more relevant.

27 "Finally."

-Peter Quill

"Finally."

Fans were first introduced to the future leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy when Star-Lord danced his way across an alien planet in search of the Orb that contained the Power Infinity Stone. Peter's humor and love for classic music were immediately evident, though fans would learn much more about the character when he was intercepted by Korath the Pursuer.

Peter Quill was trying to spread his own name as Star-Lord across the galaxy, though Korath shot that down quickly by asking him who he meant. This made it hit so much harder later in the film when he was finally referred to as Star-Lord by his enemies, proving that he was becoming the legendary outlaw he had always wanted to be.

26 “There Are Two Types Of Beings In The Universe: Those Who Dance, And Those Who Do Not.”

-Drax

"There are two types of beings in the universe: those who dance, and those who do not."

Drax quickly became an MCU favorite for his unique observations and frequent attempts at giving advice. While he didn't always get his point across, there are a few nuggets of wisdom spread across his various attempts.

Drax tries to help Star-Lord deal with his unrequited feelings for Gamora by calling out their differences using Quill's own love of dancing. While he thought he was helping by pointing out their differences, he clearly wasn't aware of the old adage that opposites attract.

25 "I’m Sorry. I Can Only Afford To Lose One Friend Today."

-Rocket Raccoon

"I'm sorry. I can only afford to lose one friend today."

In one of the most heartbreaking quotes in the Guardians of the Galaxy series, Rocket had to make the hard decision of leaving Peter behind to save his friends. When the Guardians fought Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, they planted a bomb on the planet and Peter had to stay back to fight his father.

When Gamora is determined to go back after Peter, Rocket shocks her and apologizes with this harrowing quote. In light of the events in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, this quote made even more sense, since Rocket truly understood what it meant to lose a friend.

24 "Dance-Off, Bro."

-Peter Quill

"Dance-off, bro."

The most obvious criticism of Guardians of the Galaxy is that it features an extremely one-dimensional villain who is instantly forgettable. However, Star-Lord's final face-off with Ronan the Accuser will be remembered by fans for quite a long time.

The jumping point of the "Dance off, bro" quote is legendary and encapsulates pretty much what the Guardians of the Galaxy are all about in the MCU. It was a brilliant scene set to a classic song that fits perfectly in the music-heavy entry of the MCU.

23 "The Crabby Puppy Is So Cute, He Makes Me Wanna Die!"

-Mantis

"The crabby puppy is so cute, he makes me wanna die!"

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 introduced a new member to the team named Mantis, played by Pom Klementieff. Mantis was an alien empath with a joyful personality who quickly bonded with Drax when the crew arrived on Ego's planet.

Mantis said what almost everybody in the audience was thinking, perfectly describing Rocket as she watched the Guardian's resident engineering genius in action. Rocket was as cute as a puppy but with the attitude of a grouchy old man, yet Mantis and the audience still loved him.

22 "I Know Who You Are, Peter Quill, And I Am Not Some Starry-Eyed Waif Here To Succumb To Your... Your Pelvic Sorcery!"

-Gamora

"I know who you are, Peter Quill, and I am not some starry-eyed waif here to succumb to your... your pelvic sorcery!"

There are few Marvel movie romances as good as Gamora and Star-Lord's. The two are hilarious and excellent together and, like everyone else in this film, have electric chemistry to go alongside the great performances. Their tragic separation in Endgame was made all the worse by all the time they spent building a relationship.

The "I know who you are..." quote is made perfect by Zoe Saldana's delivery and the hilarity of "pelvic sorcery." Gamora and the other Guardians' lack of understanding of Earth culture is a frequent point of humor throughout, and this is no different.

21 “We Got Quill the Worst Gift Ever: a Disgusting Actor!”

-Drax

"We got Quill the worst gift ever: a disgusting actor!"

In The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Mantis and Drax traveled to Earth to get Peter what they believe to be the best present ever: actor Kevin Bacon. Mantis and Drax don't understand human culture, so they are unable to notice they're kidnapping the actor.

Drax thought Bacon was a "disgusting actor" because he didn't understand Peter's admiration for him, as he was unaware of celebrity culture. However, the metatextual quote is hilarious for the audience, since Drax is complaining about one of the most popular actors of all time.

20 "He Makes Us Laugh And He Loves Us."

-Mantis

"He makes us laugh and he loves us."

Mantis and Drax were introduced in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise as the comic relief of the group. However, while they're still beloved for their absurd and hilarious comments, the MCU has given these characters interesting dynamics.

In Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 Mantis defended Drax's heart to Nebula after the latter insulted Drax when she was frustrated at his antics. This intense and emotional moment will surely stick with fans since it beautifully demonstrates the friendship between Drax and Mantis. Furthermore, it lets the audience know that Mantis and Drax are very important characters and not only fillers.

19 "You're. Making. Me. Beat. Up. Grass!"

-Rocket

"You're. Making. Me. Beat. Up. Grass!"

Bradley Cooper is perhaps the MCU actor who gets nowhere near the amount of credit he deserves, probably because few people know he is in the films as a voice actor for Rocket Raccoon. In a franchise full of wisecrackers, Rocket stands out with his unique attitude and opinions.

Cooper's delivery was pitch-perfect throughout, helping make Rocket the layered and humorous character that he was. That was why when he got outraged and started kicking at grass, the line became so well remembered.

18 "What If Someone Does Something Irksome, And I Decide To Remove His Spine?"

-Drax

"What if someone does something irksome, and I decide to remove his spine?"

Another fantastic performer of the MCU and Guardians of the Galaxy is Dave Bautista, who delivered a unique and incredibly funny portrayal of Drax the Destroyer. While the character was changed from his comic roots, Bautista brought a new heart to the character that fans loved.

Drax is the source of many phenomenal one-liners and hilarious Guardians of the Galaxy quotes, ranging from threats of violence, misunderstanding of sarcasm, and taking things far too literally. "What if someone does something irksome...?" is one of the best examples, but certainly not the only one.

17 "Nothing Goes Over My Head! My Reflexes Are Too Fast. I Would Catch It!"

-Drax

"Nothing goes over my head! My reflexes are too fast. I would catch it!"

Drax's response to being told he missed a joke is another phenomenally delivered line. It terrifically highlights Drax's taking of things too literally. Dave Bautista acting offended during the delivery makes the whole joke land.

This quirk is explained as an inability to understand higher language by his species, though it resonated with a ton of viewers who also feel like they communicate in a way different from others. Drax became an instant hit because of his unique personality and incredible strength of character.

16 "Lila, Teefs, Floor, And Me, Rocket."

-Rocket

"Lila, Teefs, Floor, and me, Rocket."

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has the most heartbreaking arc in the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film portrays Rocket's hardships before he joined the Guardians of the Galaxy. Rocket and his friends Lila, Teefs, and Floor were experiments of the ruthless and brutal villain High Evolutionary, who wanted to create the perfect society.

Lila, Teefs, Floor, and Rocket used to daydream about leaving their cells and seeing the sky for the first time, and Rocket declared they would do it together. This quote became especially emotional because these are the names they selected themselves based on the things they love. Fans will never forget this moment.