As famous thinker and Poison frontman Bret Michaels as soon as stated again in 1988, “Every rose has its thorn.” Alas, it’s a fact that even applies to roses that bloom as fantastically because the Guardians of the Galaxy film franchise. We’ve identified for some time that the third film, Vol. 3, can be the final for director James Gunn, who additionally helmed the primary two movies. But now, it seems that Vol. 3 can even be the final time we see the core staff collectively.

Gunn dropped the information on Deadline’s Hero Nation podcast, saying, “This is the end for us. This is the last time people will see this team of Guardians.” He’s not mincing phrases right here, which makes it sound like one thing’s going to occur in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 that can make it inconceivable for the present staff to reunite, even when Marvel Studios determined to go forward with a fourth installment. So let’s motive it out, lets?

The present staff roster consists of Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket Raccoon (Sean Gunn and Bradley Cooper), Groot (Vin Diesel), Nebula (Karen Gillan), and Mantis (Pom Klementieff), after the time-displaced, 2014 model of Gamora (Zoe Saldana) walked away in Avengers: Endgame. Unless one of many stars has confirmed to Marvel Studios that he or she has zero need to star in a future GotG film, I might think about that Gunn goes to kill a minimum of one staff member off. Raising the emotional stakes to that diploma is smart for the third and last film in Gunn’s trilogy.

I additionally suspect that the director is referring to the unique 5 members of the staff: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot. Although killing off Nebula or Mantis can be unhappy—the previous extra so than the latter, due to her relationship to her adoptive sister Gamora—I believe leaving the remainder intact would nonetheless depend because the “team,” each to Gunn and everybody else. Not that this implies Nebula and Mantis will essentially survive, after all.

So which of the unique 5 may chew the house mud? Let’s take Gamora off the board instantly. Not solely has she died as soon as and simply been resurrected, the Guardians (together with Thor) depart Endgame by heading out to house to search out her. The probabilities of her dying once more, after (presumably) reuniting with the staff and with Star-Lord, appear low as a result of it will be too tragic for an MCU film couple usually and the GotG franchise particularly. Likewise, Star-Lord might be secure in order that he and Gamora can have a cheerful ending… however I actually don’t assume it’s inconceivable for Star-Lord to sacrifice himself to avoid wasting Gamora.

That leaves Drax, Rocket, and Groot, and admittedly, I believe all these guys may very well be in line for the guillotine. Killing off both or each of GotG’s two most beloved characters, Rocket and Groot, can be a method to elevate the specter of the film’s villain over the earlier motion pictures, in addition to elevate the stakes for the ultimate battle. If I needed to guess which of the 2 can be extra prone to survive, I’d have to choose Rocket. He’s received a pathos and depth that—and no shade to the vocal skills of Vin Diesel—Groot lacks. Plus, Groot already form of died within the first film, I believe for a similar causes; killing him off for actual would nonetheless have emotional stakes with out devastating audiences like the opposite characters would… with one exception.

If I have been a betting man, I’d put my cash down on Drax the Destroyer to chew the mud. His total character motivation, which was killing Thanos in revenge for the loss of life of his household, has been accomplished. In phrases of the films’ narrative, he has nothing to dwell for, which makes him the prime candidate in my eyes. And it’s extraordinarily straightforward to think about the battle-loving Drax fortunately leaping right into a hopeless battle to avoid wasting the opposite Guardians from one thing or different. Plus, Bautista has been dropping some main hints that this shall be his final GotG film for some time now.

As for replacements? Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), who’s a serious character in Vol. 3, is unquestionably a lock, having been a Guardian within the comics. Other members at present within the MCU embody Captain Marvel and Ant-Man, though he appears unlikely. This is also the best way Nova will get launched into the MCU, as has so regularly been rumored.

What do you assume? Who dies? Who lives? Who will/ought to be part of the staff? I’ve speculated sufficient, so now it’s your flip.

[Via Polygon]

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