Just a week after the release of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Disney released the full trailer for the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 at CCXP 2022. The trailer is full of new footage and Easter eggs, which have led to serious fan speculation online. Ahead of Vol. 3's release, James Gunn has made it clear that there will be some casualties within the Guardians' lineup by the film's end. Naturally, the conversation veered to the members of the team who are least likely to make it to future Marvel installments.
The movie's trailer confirmed Gunn's comments that the story heavily focuses on Rocket's background. This seemed to indicate that, due to the influx of emotions surrounding his storyline, he would be a prime candidate for a tragic death in the film. However, Dave Bautista has also acknowledged that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 may be his last time playing Drax the Destroyer in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which makes him the most likely to die in the movie.
Drax's GotG Journey Is Nearing Its End
Drax has been a constant presence in the Guardians' lineup and is best known for some of his unintentional humor, given his often-inappropriate thirst for violence. Recently, his ever-evolving relationship with Mantis was explored in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, which saw the two team up to try and brighten Peter's Christmas. However, despite his comic relief, he is the harbinger of heavy trauma, which may reach a fever pitch in Vol. 3.
Drax's family was killed by Ronan, which became a motivating factor in his quest for vengeance on both Ronan and Thanos. While their deaths provided him closure, it is clear that his deep sense of loss is at the forefront of his mind as he continuously mentions his wife when discussing relationships with Peter and befriended Mantis since she reminded him of his daughter. Mantis and Drax are especially close after the Holiday Special, and in the trailer, there is a moment where Mantis appears to be experiencing deep grief. This, too, might be a subtle indicator that Drax has finally reached the end of his journey with the Guardians and will now join the rest of his family in the afterlife, a fitting end for a turbulent anti-hero.
Could Another Guardian of the Galaxy Fall?
Of course, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 may surprise with multiple casualties since it is the end of the GotG trilogy. Rocket still seems as if his death could be a real possibility, especially if Drax makes it to the end. However, the trailer also reveals an epic showdown between Karen Gillan's Nebula and Will Poulter's Adam Warlock, which has Nebula taking a serious beating. This would be an interesting choice as well since Nebula's storyline has often been closely related to Gamora's and fans got to spend more time with her as a heroine in Avengers: Endgame.
A major focus of the film will also be how the Guardians find Gamora and what it looks like now since this version of Gamora didn't experience the events of 2014 and beyond with them. In a touching exchange from Endgame, Nebula revealed that she and Gamora actually became close in the future. GotG Vol. 3 will likely continue to explore this dynamic, which would provide an interesting opportunity to have Nebula sacrifice her life for her sister, closing out their arc from bitter rivals to true sisters. Even though Drax seems like the most likely option, it is clear that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will feature some heavy implications for the future of the Guardians and the MCU as a whole.
To see who makes it out alive, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is set to open in theaters on May 5, 2023.