Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 Ending Explained: Here's How the Climax and Post-Credits Scenes of James Gunn, Chris Pratt's Marvel Film Set Up the Team's Future in MCU (SPOILER ALERT)

With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, James Gunn has delivered an emotionally satisfying conclusion that brought a sense of finality to these set of superheroes. Following the Guardians as they embark on a journey to find the High Evolutionary so that they can save Rocket, the movie sees the team go on their most desperate and personal mission yet. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 Movie Review: Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper Steal the Show in James Gunn’s Emotionally Satisfying Last Hurrah for the MCU (LatestLY Exclusive).

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 does a great job at building stakes and getting you into the story of these characters. While many were expecting some to die, the movie just goes the opposite way and doesn’t kill off anyone. It rather gives a beautiful goodbye to these characters in its own fitting way rather that making it seem cheap. It also does set up the future of the team as well, and it looks like going forward we will be having a new group. So, lets dive deep into the ending of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 and see how it sets up the future of the team in MCU.

How Does the Film Give a Closure to the Guardians

The entire film is framed around Rocket. It’s a mission to save Rocket from dying while diving into his deeply traumatic history with the High Evolutionary. In the movie we learn that Rocket was actually an IP of the High Evolutionary, and when Rocket perfected the formula to create the Humanimals for Counter-Earth, he was going to be killed off alongside his friends Teef, Lyla and Floor, with whom he grew up in captivity.

Devicing an escape plan, Rocket does unfortunately get caught and his friends are killed off and it sends him into a fit of rage while he tears up the High Evolutionary’s face off. This is what actually leads him to be the character we all know and love as he makes for an escape. While you may thing that Rocket dies here, James Gunn subverts that predictable trope and rather opts for giving him a more mature ending.

At the end of the film after the defeat of the High Evolutionary, each member of the Guardians ends up going their separate way. Gamora, who is now a part of the Ravagers, decides to go back to them and bids their farewell to Guardians while giving closure to Peter Quill as well. On the other hand, we have Drax and Nebula stay on Knowhere and rebuild it while Mantis goes off to find her own path in the universe. Rocket is then instated as the new leader for the Guardians, while Groot stays with him as well. And as for Peter Quill, he decided to go back to Earth and reunite with his grandfather, who after a bit of convincing from his sister Mantis, agrees to the idea.

These aren’t definitive endings for any of them of course and leaves room open for others, but it still felt very much right for the characters and had us crying in the theatre. We know for a fact that Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista are for sure done with Gamora and Drax, but it looks like the other members can still join in at any time. But, the mid and the post-credits scenes sure tease something for the future.

The Mid and the Post-Credits Scene

For the mid-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, it teases a new group lead by Rocket. The team consists of Rocket, of course, alongside Kraglin, an adult Groot who looks like a Kaiju now, Cosmo the Space Dog, Phylla-Vell and Adam Warlock, who after having his mom be killed by the Evolutionary decides to join the team. The scene then ends with the team taking on a group of aliens while saving the people of a planet.

For the post-credits scene, we see Peter having breakfast alongside his grandfather, and it pretty much ends with the title card “The Legendary Star Lord Will Return.” So, it looks like Chris Pratt is surely returning to the MCU after this film. This is particularly interesting because there is still a lot to be explored with Quill, especially his elemental powers which haven’t been touched upon in the MCU.

What’s interesting is though we didn’t get a confirmation of whether the Guardians themselves will return actually. While its implied with the mid-credits and the new team, it still seems like something that we will have to wait out and see. With Adam Warlock in the team too now, here is hoping he turns into the more seasoned warrior from the comics if he does indeed appear in the future, because Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 just didn’t have enough time to explore that character. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3: Post-Credit Scenes of James Gunn's Marvel Film Leaks Online Before Theatrical Release (SPOILER ALERT).

But still, the movie makes for an emotional ending that surely brought a satisfying closure to these band of misfits. Gunn shows that he has an immense love for these characters, and topping this movie in the MCU will surely be a difficult thing. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 is currently playing in theaters.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 05, 2023 12:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).