The Marvel Cinematic Universe took a humorous turn in 2014 with the release of director James Gunn's feature Guardians of the Galaxy, another movie to bring second-tier Marvel Comics characters to the fore. The Guardians are a motley bunch of misfits who do whatever it takes to save the day and earn some cash, and they're a thrill to watch.
Arguably, the "main" Guardian is Peter Quill. Going by the name Star-Lord, he's the group's unofficial leader and a fine team player. Many times in the MCU, Star-Lord showed fans that he is the best and most charming character. Star-Lord's best scenes still rank among the MCU's funniest and most heartfelt. It wouldn't be the same without this Walkman-using, pistol-slinging galaxy hero.
10 Star-Lord Almost Dropped The Orb On Knowhere
Some of cinema's funniest, weirdest, or most unexpected lines and character actions are actually unscripted, and the actors improvised them for one reason or another. That includes actor Chris Pratt with his role as Star-Lord, and he improvised his scene with the Collector on Knowhere.
When asked, Star-Lord handed over the orb that contained the Power Stone, and on impulse, Chris Pratt almost dropped the prop orb, recovered it, and handed it over. This lovely idea helped establish Star-Lord as an unfailingly goofy and unpredictable fellow who can make absolutely anything funny. It helps keep him grounded.
9 Star-Lord Challenged Ronan To A Dance-Off, Bro
During the climax of the final battle for Xandar's fate, the Kree warrior Ronan, an agent of Thanos, faced the Guardians of the Galaxy in person. He demanded the Power Stone, so being his usual creative self, Star-Lord improvised a dance-off challenge and made a show of it.
Ronan stared in disbelief as Star-Lord started dancing, but it wasn't entirely for fun. This amusing act is what allowed the other Guardians to prepare their next move while Ronan was distracted, and only Star-Lord could have pulled off such a move. Sometimes the best plan isn't the smartest one, but the weirdest.
8 Star-Lord Fooled Yondu With A Troll Doll
Star-Lord had quite a few great scenes with the Power Stone, and he handled it in crafty, amusing ways that no other character, not even the fun-loving Peter Parker, would ever think of. After Ronan's defeat, the Ravager captain Yondu Udonta demanded the Orb, so Star-Lord handed it over.
To Yondu's shock and amusement, he opened the orb, only to see that Peter had swapped the Power Stone with a simple Troll doll beforehand. Peter had the actual Power Stone in another container elsewhere, keeping the priceless, and deadly treasure safe.
7 Star-Lord Complained About His Name's Obscurity
Star-Lord is almost like a parody of Flash Gordon-style raypunk heroes who tour the stars in style, saving the day and befriending beautiful alien women. Star-Lord tastefully satirizes all that in many ways, including his touchiness about his cool nickname, Star-Lord.
Peter Quill must think his real name is boring, because he insists on having everyone call him Star-Lord. He hopes to make that name famous or even legendary, but he's got a long ways to go. The best example is when Korath the Pursuer merely said "Who?" when Peter proudly declared himself as Star-Lord.
6 Star-Lord Forgave Yondu For Everything
Peter Quill's life was forever changed when Yondu's crew captured him on Earth in 1988. For many years, Peter lived as a reluctant rogue who followed Yondu's orders, all while being falsely threatened with being eaten alive. No one can blame Peter for deeply resenting Yondu.
Despite all that, Yondu gave his life to save Star-Lord after Ego the Living Planet's defeat. In those last moments, Star-Lord evidently forgave Yondu for everything. After all, he grieved for Yondu and helped prepare a proper Ravager burial for the fallen captain. That was big of Peter, given all he's been through.
5 Star-Lord Played Catch With Ego
In 2017's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the Guardians met the powerful Celestial named Ego, and at first, they thought he was a friend. In fact, he was Peter Quill's long-lost father, and Peter was eager to do some catching up. At one point, they even played catch together, Celestial style.
Star-Lord learned how to make an energy ball, so he and Ego played catch with it, a classic father-son bonding activity. It looked like a simple scene, but it also showed Peter having some quality family time, a rarity for MCU characters and their fathers. Unfortunately, things later took a dire turn.
4 Star-Lord Defeated Ego's Avatar With His Pac-Man Form
During the exciting final battle against Ego's true form, the expanded team of Guardians did everything it could to resist the might of a Celestial. While Rocket and Groot prepared to blow up Ego's delicate brain, Star-Lord used his Celestial heritage to use some unique powers to fight Ego's avatar.
Star-Lord both impressed and amused MCU fans when he took on a new form and fought Ego's avatar with a giant Pac-Man, complete with munching and sound effects. This blow helped keep Ego at bay until the rest of the Guardians could finish the fight for good.
3 Star-Lord Tried To Emulate Thor
In an early scene of 2018's hit feature The Avengers: Infinity War, the beaten and broken Asgardian prince Thor was rescued by the Guardians of the Galaxy, the first time these two parties had ever met. Star-Lord, meanwhile, felt threatened by Thor's ultra-manly persona, and did something about it.
Star-Lord was being petty and juvenile, but it's all in good fun. Star-Lord even mimicked Thor's deeper voice and exotic accent, something Rocket and Drax soon commented on. It was such a Star-Lord move, and really, no one can blame him for wanting to sound tough and cool like Thor. It's a funny and refreshing way for someone to react to Thor's unique personality and speech style.
2 Star-Lord Tried To Honor Gamora's Last Wish
Normally, no one would applaud a movie hero for trying to shoot his girlfriend, but these were extreme circumstances. Star-Lord's girlfriend Gamora made Peter promise to end her life if Thanos tried to use her for anything. Peter was shocked, but he realized he had to accept those terms.
In a grim and terrible way, Star-Lord showed remarkable loyalty and commitment to Gamora by trying to honor her deadly last wish during their battle against Thanos on Knowhere. It was ultimately futile, but interestingly, Thanos remarked "I like this one" in regards to Peter before he teleported himself and Gamora away.
1 Star-Lord Playfully Attacked Thanos During The Titan Battle
Star-Lord didn't land any serious blows on his enemy Thanos during the battle on Saturn's moon Titan. But even so, Star-Lord became the MCU's gutsiest, funniest underdog fighter when he took part in the fight against Thanos and actually treated it like a game. Not just anyone can toy with Thanos and survive.
Being his usual self, Star-Lord planted an explosive on Thanos, only to leap back to safety in a Doctor Strange portal just in time. Right before he vanished, Star-Lord actually flipped off Thanos and mocked him with "Boom!" right before the explosive went off. In hindsight, it's amazing Star-Lord could fight the MCU's greatest villain on his own terms, make viewers laugh, and get away with it.