When Guardians of the Galaxy came out, nobody expected Rocket Raccoon to become the emotional center of the team, but that is exactly what James Gunn made him. The first two Guardians movies included big emotional moments with Rocket, like when he allows Drax to console him and his tearful goodbye to Yondu. With the trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 including snippets of Rocket's origins and what look to be some big scenes for the character, it seems he will continue to play a big role in the team's final outing.

As audiences have grown more familiar with James Gunn's storytelling style, Rocket's soft heart under his gruff exterior doesn't seem as surprising as it once did. Gunn excels at creating sympathy for the devil, possibly the best example being his work on DC's Peacemaker. As perhaps the gruffest of the Guardians at first glance, Rocket was a prime candidate for some serious character development. Luckily, Gunn seems to understand his characters and knows exactly what will make audiences feel for them. Putting this skill to good use with Rocket helped create a compelling arc that made him one of the most emotionally engaging members of the team.

RELATED: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Teases an Iconic Character's Potential Demise

Rocket Has Displayed the Most Growth of the GotG

Rocket prepares to shoot Quill in Guardians of the Galaxy

When audiences first met Rocket in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he was criticizing a toddler for needing help. Immediately, audiences understand that Rocket has some baggage when it comes to trusting others. Throughout the rest of his first scene, Rocket insults Groot for drinking out of the fountain and lying about it, and laughs at how much pain he causes Peter Quill when he shoots him. As the movie progresses, Rocket continues to be the most reluctant of the Guardians to do anything that doesn't directly benefit himself or the team. This makes his eventual decision to help a much bigger deal than someone like Gamora who had started the film with a more altruistic goal. When Groot is broken into pieces at the end of the film, audiences finally get to see Rocket being vulnerable as he mourns his friend and allows Drax to stroke him. This illustrated why Rocket was so reluctant to help. It isn't that he doesn't care; it's that he's afraid of losing those close to him.

At the start of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Rocket had settled into being part of the team but not yet part of a found family. He was still prickly, and Quill even calls him out for actively pushing people away. It's clear in the second film that Rocket's fear of losing his friends has manifested itself in this self-destructive behavior. After a heart-to-heart with Yondu and Yondu's subsequent death, Rocket realizes the error of his ways. His growth is carried through to Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame where he is seen working closely with Thor and members of the Avengers. This stands in stark contrast to Peter Quill's continued immaturity, which leads to his infamous bungling of Doctor Strange and Iron Man's plan. With Groot and Drax largely relegated to comic relief and Gamora acting as the straight person, Rocket's growth makes him stand out from the team.

RELATED: Adam Warlock Comes With Big Implications for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Beyond

Rocket's Cuteness Helps Audiences Connect With Him

Rocket Raccoon cries at Yondu's funeral.

Rocket has another clear advantage when it comes to connecting with audiences, and that's his cute design. Visual artists used a raccoon, Oreo, as the basis for Rocket's appearance to make him feel more like a real animal. People love animals, so making Rocket cute and cuddly earns him some immediate sympathy despite his gruff nature. Using cute animal characters to tug at the audience's heartstrings is a tactic James Gunn has used effectively in multiple superhero projects. Apart from Rocket, Gunn has included Sebastian the rat in The Suicide Squad, Eagly the eagle in Peacemaker, and Cosmo the dog will be joining the Guardians for Vol. 3. The built-in connection audiences feel toward these characters due to their appearance helps when it comes to creating emotional scenes.

A lot of Rocket's emotional scenes are enhanced by his appearance, giving him an edge over his Guardians co-stars. When Rocket gets upset, viewers instantly want to comfort him, and when he's being a jerk, it is somewhat softened by his looks. Yondu's funeral is already a very emotional scene, but Rocket's small speech and his tears are what give it the extra push it needs to stick with the audience. While having a cute animal cry could come off as emotionally manipulative in a lesser movie, James Gunn's excellent character work with Rocket makes the moment feel genuine.

RELATED: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Connects The High Evolutionary to His Literary Roots

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Looks Like Rocket's Movie

Baby Rocket Raccoon from Guardians of the Galaxy 3

The trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 featured a lot of big scenes for Rocket. Audiences got a look at his origin and his possible romantic interest, Lylla. There is also a scene where Rocket is surrounded by cages and an ethereal white glow that could be a scene where Rocket finally confronts his past traumas. While the movie will undoubtedly give all the Guardians a proper send-off, the trailer would make it seem like Gunn is giving Rocket some special attention. If the final film centers heavily on Rocket, this could cement his place as the emotional heart of the series.

Throughout the Guardians of the Galaxy's appearances in the MCU, James Gunn has used Rocket's arc, cute looks and big emotional moments to turn the raccoon into the series' emotional center. Fans are eagerly awaiting the final Guardians film with the current team and are already swooning over the adorable baby Rocket teased in the trailer. Audiences will have to wait until next year to see if Rocket will continue to carry some of the franchise's most emotional moments.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will release in theaters on May 5, 2023.