WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy #9 by Al Ewing, Juann Cabal, Federico Blee, & VC's Cory Petit, on sale now.

Star-Lord, real name Peter Quill, has found himself on an alien planet in Guardians of the Galaxy #9 after sacrificing his life. While on the planet Morinus he made friends with two of the locals, Aradia and Mors. The pair "help out" with different jobs across the galaxy, a lifestyle that Peter is familiar with. As the years went by, Peter fell in love with the couple and was welcomed into their open arms.

The throuple in Guardians is not the only polyamorous relationship in the Marvel titles. Polyamory, consensual multi-partner intimate relationships, can be found on the mutant island-nation of Krakoa. During the recent X-Men story arcs, beginning in House of X #6 where Jean Grey, Wolverine, and Cyclops are seen laughing with their arms around each other and sharing a six-pack.

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Almost since Wolverine joined the X-Men team, he has had a flame burning for Jean Grey. Though Jean has always been in love with Cyclops, she has also had an obvious attraction to Wolverine as well. This love triangle has proven to be a source of anguish and pain for all three characters over the years and causing rifts in team dynamics.

Now it appears that the three have come to realize that they could be happier together than fighting. This is especially underscored by the fact that Cyclops, Jean, and Wolverine have three connected bedrooms on their moon compound. It could be interpreted that the two men are both just with Jean but it feels more like they are connected as well. Instead of arguing, Cyclops and Wolverine now share drinks while discussing vacations, bathing suits, and Wolverine's hairy chest while Jean is not around. It seems like everyone is much happier with their current arrangement in ways that were not likely while the team lived in New York.

While Peter Quill was on Morinus, he tried to hold on to past relationships and traits that did not mesh with his new life. After a year with Aradia and Mors, they asked Peter to join in their bond. Peter declined to state that he admired them both, and their customs, but his heart was still with another. When twelve years had passed, Peter performed a ritual bonding with Aradia and Mors. He accepted that Morinus was his home and that Aradia and Mors were his home while the throuple embraced in a bath. As time continued to move for Peter, Aradia, and Mors, they shared a life together and even had a child, demonstrating the deep love they had for one another.

Morinus and Krakoa are on different dimensions and planets yet they share a quality that sets people free. Both places start out as being referred to as "weird" or "strange" by their new inhabitants from Earth. These realms have their own rules on social norms and tend to veer away from "traditional" western tropes. The society on Morinus accepts beings for who they are and lets relationships bloom. Even though residents of Krakoa come mostly from western countries, as they live on the island something about it makes them shed previous inhabitants or prejudices. Both societies create acceptance for good people. No one criticizes them for being mutants, for their gender, or for who they choose to spend their time with.

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This representation does not just add different elements to the ongoing stories of beloved characters, but it brings a level of normalization for real-life fans of the comics. Marvel Comics has a history of using their books to bring awareness to social changes, like similarities to the Civil Rights movement and the struggle for mutant acceptance or highlighting strong characters of color. A current trend in the books has been the addition of more LGBTQ+ characters, making readers feel seen and understood by the world in ways that had not been expressed before in comics. Especially with such prominent characters that are not only featured heavily in the comics but also in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Peter's life on Morinus brought him peace and happiness, similar to what many mutants are experiencing on Krakoa. When one hundred and forty-four years passed for Peter, he felt the pull to return to Earth, to face the King in Black. Yet he regretted having to leave his family and all they built together behind. Now back with the Guardians of the Galaxy, it remains to be seen how his life in a throuple will change him moving forward but it is apparent that polyamory is alive and well in the Marvel universe.

Next: X-Men: How Storm Turned Into Earth's Mightiest Hero - Literally