When it comes to superhero flicks, fans eagerly await each new installment with a mix of excitement and fear. They brace themselves for emotional roller coasters, unexpected twists, and even some heart-wrenching goodbyes. Remember how we lost Iron Man? However, Marvel fans have recently discovered a surprising flaw in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3—not a single character ‘died’!
Yes, in Counter-Earth, full of dangerous battles and cosmic dangers, fans are left scratching their heads as they explore this glaring flaw. In addition to being Gunn’s last collaboration with Marvel Studios, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was also the last adventure for the original Guardians of the Galaxy team, who reunited to save Rocket’s life by delving into his past.
With the 2023 film billed as the Guardians’ last adventure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, many anticipated multiple significant deaths. This caused some surprise upon the film’s release.
Fans Spot an Unbelievable Flaw in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
A number of well-known characters, including Dave Bautista’s Drax the Destroyer, Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, and Bradley Cooper’s Rocket, seemed to be hinting at their deaths in the trailers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. In the film, the main Guardians of the Galaxy members came dangerously close to dying multiple times, but they always managed to escape their horrible ends.
From Tony Stark’s sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame to Natasha Romanoff’s heroic demise in Avengers: Infinity War, we have come to expect heartfelt farewells that leave us breathless. But the third volume of Guardians of the Galaxy actually broke this pattern.
The heroes—Rocket, Gamora, or Peter Quill, for example—appeared to be impenetrable due to their plot armor. Fans argued that without the threat of losing a character, the sense of impending doom faded, diminishing the film’s emotional impact. However, since social media is social media, users quickly began tweeting their own responses.
I can't believe no one died in this movie https://t.co/IBdR5mAWlY
— Kambit🃏 (@kamkenobi) February 2, 2024
Because @MarvelStudios told @JamesGunn "Hey, don't f#@k with any of these characters.."
— Christopher CSI (@CSI9ja) February 2, 2024
Gunn really demonstrated that stories don't have to end in death for them to be over. A death is an easy out for character you're finished with a lot of the time, but letting them live their lives was a refreshing change of pace.
— Peter_Pans_Labyrinth (@PPans_Lanyrinth) February 2, 2024
To be fair, it was probably mandated by Marvel NOT to kill anyone off.
— Ultimate Movie Geek (@UltMovieGeek) February 2, 2024
The fact someone didn't die but it was still an emotional send off is just as good, if not better, than an unnecessary death.
— Zack (Chucky Enthusiast) (@404ZackNotFound) February 3, 2024
Good. I feel like writers use deaths too often as quick and easy way to end franchises when simply having all our favorite characters retire or go separate ways is just as effective and can lead to some healthy tears.
— Melody (@MelodyMacReady) February 2, 2024
Remarkably, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 offered its heroes a happily ever after, with each of the main team members finding a new mission or continuing on with their lives. As the post-credits scene indicated, the number of Guardians within the MCU has increased.
James Gunn Knew All along How Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Would End
Without tragedy in the form of unexpected demises, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 provided an emotional conclusion by honoring its characters and their individual and collective journeys. James Gunn clarified in an interview with The New York Times that the plan was always for all of the Guardians to survive the films unscathed and to discover their mission:
“Gamora was going to die originally in Vol 2 [2017], and then we talked about it happening in Infinity War and that worked better for the story. But the rest of them, I always knew where they were going. I knew that the whole trilogy is about Rocket, who we think of as a supporting character, becoming the captain of the Guardians.”
Gunn also had a distinct vision for each of the other Guardians, as he said of Nebula:
“Nebula becomes a leader, but a different sort of leader from where she was. Mantis goes off on her own and takes care of herself because she lived by others’ rules her entire life.
The director also provided some additional context for Peter/Star-Lord’s storyline, who chose to come back to Earth and reunite with his grandfather as the movie came to a close.
“The arc with Peter Quill, in some ways, you can look at as that of many people who have experienced childhood trauma.”
Rocket was in charge of a new group of Guardians, which may or may not appear in upcoming films, according to the concluding scenes.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is undoubtedly a science fiction extravaganza, but because there are not any notable character deaths, fans’ opinions do vary. As cinemagoers, we long for the emotional roller coaster that comes with action-packed superhero films, wanting to giggle, weep, and say goodbye to our favorite characters.
Yet, despite this apparent flaw, the film delighted audiences and set the stage for exciting possibilities in the future of the MCU.
All Guardians of the Galaxy films are streaming on Disney+.
