The love for the Guardians of the Galaxy is at an all-time high, and rightfully so. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is one of the most heartwarming and heart-wrenching movie experiences that Marvel has ever released, putting a cap on a trilogy of films that saw a group of misfits become one of the most connected found families in any franchise. The conclusion of this trilogy brings an end to this version of the Guardians roster, as the characters have gone their separate ways, all ultimately doing the good work to protect the galaxy in their own ways. But just because these narrative arcs have reached their end, doesn't mean that Galaxy is no longer in need of protecting — so the Guardians aren't completely retiring just yet. However, there is one important player change off-screen that means major changes for GotG, the departure of James Gunn.

James Gunn directed all three of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and his vision was a major factor in their incredible success. He demonstrated an understanding of these characters that kept them as weird and entertaining as they were meant to be. Frankly, without him, it's unlikely that the charm can be replicated and continued. The Guardians have already appeared in other big MCU outings. Still, their appearances in those films only reinforced the importance of Gunn's execution, as their appearances in other movies lacked a certain je ne sais quoi. Whenever a Guardian appears in another film, there's something missing that makes the characters fall flat, feel incomplete, or make them feel out of character. So as exciting as it may be to look to the future for the Guardians, these past films might add some valid skepticism to some fans.

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The Guardians of the Galaxy Are Meant To Be Weird and Unique

Baby Groot dancing to Electric Light Orchestra
Image via Marvel Studios

James Gunn was uniquely capable of maximizing and understanding the craziness of characters as absurd as the Guardians. In fact, it was that weirdness that made them such a major success, proving to be a major strength rather than a criticism. Among superhero teams, they have always been a group of eccentric and unconventional characters, even in their comic book origins. When Guardians of the Galaxy first came out in 2014, it shook the MCU with its unique direction and departure from the status quo that had been established. No longer were we limited to Earth as the main setting for our adventures, nor were these characters inherently connected to the Avengers. And that's the most important point: they're not meant to be like the Avengers. There's a zaniness to the Guardians that feels out-of-place when put next to Earth's Mightiest Heroes, and not because of a lack of their own merit. Instead, the Guardians tend to be mishandled when put in other MCU movies, making their future without Gunn a little more uncertain.

Why Haven't the Guardians of the Galaxy Worked in Other MCU Films?

Chris Pratt in Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Image via Marvel Studios

The defining strength of the MCU is their shared universe, which allows for massive crossover events and interwoven storylines across films and franchises. However, the expansiveness of Marvel's projects means that there are many more characters and narrative arcs to juggle — some of which end up falling when so many players are tossed into the mix. Part of the charm that makes the Guardians work is their sheer likability, but in their appearances in other MCU films, that endearing quality seems to take a steep nosedive as their characters are not given enough focus or understanding.

Let's talk about the biggest reason the Guardians stock took a nosedive after an appearance in another MCU film: the infamous Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) punching Thanos moment in Avengers: Infinity War. Infinity War was a cinema phenomenon and a crossover spectacle that made the impossible seem possible by connecting dozens of movies into one major event. The Guardians were understandably included in this epic, fighting alongside Iron Man, Spider-Man, and Doctor Strange against Thanos. The heroes get Thanos on the ropes until the titan reveals that he had killed Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), leading to Peter Quill's angry outburst that breaks Thanos from a trance, ultimately leading to the erasure of half the universe.

The scene became infamous for being one of the biggest blunders a fictional character could make, and fans were rightfully outraged. But it wasn't just the viewers who disagreed with this moment. James Gunn himself believed that this moment was out of character for Quill. Gunn thought that Quill would have made several different decisions that he did in the film, such as restraining himself at that moment and following through on Gamora's request to kill her before Thanos took her away. Considering the magnitude and universe-shaking consequences of this action, it stands as one of the biggest missteps with a character that the MCU has made. Even on a smaller scale, Infinity War never really allowed the Guardians to show the depth of their character. Drax (Dave Bautista), in particular, was stereotyped as just a dumb bruiser, failing to display his character growth over the different films. When Tony Stark comes up with a plan, the Guardians are characterized as a bunch of idiots, despite the gravity of the situation. Even though they are the characters that have been part of a team for much longer than the trio of Earthlings, they are not given the chance to fully demonstrate their best qualities.

Outside Their Own Movies, Guardians of the Galaxy Stand Out — But Not Always in a Good Way

The other appearances the Guardians have made in other MCU films have been briefer, but ultimately demonstrate the need for their own space and direction. In Avengers: Endgame, one of the time-traveling sequences involve seeing Star-Lord in his introduction scene from the original GotG, albeit from another perspective. That scene served as a memorable intro to the Guardians, showing their light-heartedness and the humor that would be carried out throughout the film. But from this perspective, it was diminished into a complete joke, one that Quill was not a part of. His dancing is characterized as stupid, rather than being connected to the endearing joviality his character is noted for. Whenever the Guardians are in other films, they're not in on the joke as much as they are when they're the focal point.

The Guardians made another brief but essential appearance at the beginning of Thor: Love & Thunder, where yet again their characters seem to be one-dimensional and out of place. Thor has always been a godly powerhouse, but non-powered superheroes like Black Widow and Hawkeye have always been shown to be useful even despite the power inequality. But in this movie, the chasm of power scaling was unreasonably immense, with Thor effectively out-gunning the Guardians briefly. But rather than work with Thor and integrate him into their team, the Guardians quickly ditched him to continue on their own. For a group of ragtag misfits that have adopted characters that literally tried to murder them (see Nebula), it ultimately seemed odd that they didn't find a way to connect with someone that was as lost as they all started out.

The three volumes of Guardians of the Galaxy are recognizable for their incredible soundtracks, stunningly colorful visuals, and an eccentric-yet-connected cast of characters. Their appearances in other MCU films have shown that these traits are not always transferrable. They create an overarching energy that is ultimately incredibly entertaining but doesn't slot into other films as seamlessly as intended. So without James Gunn's vision, the Guardians have been unable to perform at the height of their potential.

Chris Pratt had identified James Gunn as the "North Star" for the series, having earned the trust of his actors and guided the Guardians to their astronomic success. So without him leading the way, viewers have to hope that his shoes are properly filled. So if you want to give this original roster of Guardians a proper send-off before the new kids take center stage, make sure to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, in theaters now.

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