WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy #7 by Donny Cates, Cory Smith, David Curiel and Cory Petit, in stores now.
Ever since the start of writer Donny Cates and artist Geoff Shaw's new Guardians of the Galaxy comic series, there has been one lingering question: what happened to Rocket Raccoon? The character was last seen fighting alongside the rest of the Guardians in Marvel's Infinity Wars. However, after the event concluded and the Guardians of the Galaxy title relaunched, the team was fractured and Rocket was nowhere to be seen.
With Gamora on the run and Drax the Destroyer dead, the team was now only comprised of Star-Lord and Groot. But what of Rocket? Well, we didn't know much. All we had to go on were mysterious references to the talking raccoon. Groot refused to talk about him, and Gamora hinted that she had an ax to grind with him. By all accounts, it sure sounds like the team is angry with him. But why? What, exactly, happened?
Well, in Guardians of the Galaxy #7, we start getting some answers. In the issue, Rocket Raccoon finally returns -- but something's wrong with him.
In Guardians of the Galaxy #3, we learned that Rocket had gone back to Halfworld, his home planet. All that we knew is that he was holed up there in some fortified base, and refused to go out. Now, in Guardians of the Galaxy #7, after a brutal attack by the Universal Church of Truth takes out nearly all of the current cosmic team's roster, Moondragon and Groot travel back to Halfworld to try and recruit Rocket to their cause.
However, what they find is an incredibly weak Rocket, who appears to be undergoing intensive medical treatments. While we don't find out what ails him, it sure looks like he is dying. After all, after agreeing to help Moondragon and Groot, he says: "What else do I have to lose?" Which makes it seem like the character is facing a ticking clock.
But if he's sick, then why do Peter, Gamora and Groot seem to resent him so much? At first, it sounded like he had betrayed his team, but now we realize it might be more complicated than that. If Rocket learned that he was sick, it's possible he decided to push the Guardians away. Perhaps they are angry with him because he's refusing to fight, and to let them help him.
Whatever the reason may be, the dispute between Rocket and the Guardians will have to wait. They currently have much bigger things to deal with, now that a Universal Church of Truth has arrived from the future to take control of the entire universe. With only Moondragon and Groot left to fight the villainous organization, it's now up to Rocket to rise up and save everyone.
But who will save him?