Warning: The following contains spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 closes out James Gunn’s Marvel Cinematic Universe trilogy with callbacks to the previous movies, comic book restaurants, and plenty of Easter eggs. The movie sees the Guardians reunite with Gamora in a quest to save the life of Rocket Raccoon. The journey takes them up against the High Evolutionary, who created Rocket, and Adam Warlock, who has been ordered to retrieve him.
While MCU movies are known for stacking in their Easter eggs, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 isn’t overloaded with them. In fact, instead of hiding a lot of obscure Easter eggs for the audience to spend time searching for, the movie favors callbacks to remind the audience of the fun they’ve had with the characters instead. There are a lot more nods to previous Guardians adventures than there are comic book Easter eggs.
The Marvel Studios Logo
Typically, the Marvel Studios logo consists of characters from across the MCU. Images of new additions have been added in recent movies, like Shuri as the new Black Panther or Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel. That, however, is not what happens for the logo here. Instead, the logo is made up only of Guardians of the Galaxy characters as it forms. It demonstrates that this movie is the final chapter for the team.
Knowhere
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The new base for the Guardians of the Galaxy is one fans will find familiar. Knowhere, the skull of an “old god” floating in space is a settlement and trading post of sorts. It was also the base for The Collector before the Guardians purchased it. Cosmo and Howard the Duck, both seen in this movie, used to be part of his collection in cameos in the first movie.
Adam Warlock
Adam Warlock was teased in the very first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and his cocoon was seen in Vol. 2. The character is inspired by the same one in Marvel Comics in that he’s artificially created and tasked with working for the High Evolutionary. That is largely where the similarities end though as Adam is never presented as outright evil, just childlike and learning about second chances. While he's called "the Warlock" throughout the movie, no explanation is given for the title.
The High Evolutionary
High Evolutionary is the alias of a man named Herbert Edgar Wyndham. Wyndham was attending college in the 1930s when he became obsessed with the idea of evolving animals to a higher state, so much so that he followed the genetic work of Nathaniel Essex, who would eventually become the comic book villain Mister Sinister, and he was given work by an Inhuman geneticist named Phaeder to continue his work.
While there are no hints to Mister Sinister in the movie, the High Evolutionary’s work with Phaeder could potentially be hinted at. The movie sees the High Evolutionary use a gas on animals in chambers in front of Rocket at one point. That method is similar to how Inhumans go through Terrigenesis. While Inhumans had a canceled ABC series and appeared as characters in Agents Of SHIELD, in the movie timeline, only Black Bolt, king of the Inhumans, has appeared in an alternate Earth in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The High Evolutionary’s Counter Earth is a creation straight out of the comics. The idea is destroyed and restarted several times in the comics, just as it is here. Like in the movies, the High Evolutionary’s creations also rebel against his cruelty in the comics.
Peter Admits His Hand In The Thanos Snap
Since Avengers: Infinity War, members of the MCU audience have blamed Peter Quill for Thanos being able to snap his fingers. Peter’s emotions got the better of him during their confrontation when he learned of Gamora’s death, and he didn’t stick to the plan to stop Thanos as a result. Peter acknowledges that here, understanding that things would have been different if he had stuck to the plan. He does so when blaming himself for drinking away his sadness just before Adam Warlock comes to retrieve Rocket and the raccoon is mortally wounded. It’s an acknowledgment for the fans who have criticized the character, but it’s also a reminder to the audience that even MCU heroes like Peter Quill are human and make mistakes.
The Guardians Don Colored Space Suits
When the group infiltrates Orgocorp, they wear space suits in different colors. While some fans thought that would be a nod to the popular game Among Us in which each player as a different color designation. James Gun refuted that on Twitter, however, revealing the suits were a nod to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey suits.
James Gunn’s Frequent Collaborators Appear
Writer and director James Gunn has a lot of actors that he enjoys working with across projects. Fans will recognize that his brother Sean Gunn, for example, has appeared in many of his projects, playing Kraglin here, and often performing as Rocket on set. He’s not the only frequent collaborator to appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Gunn’s wife, actor Jennifer Holland, also appears as one of the security monitors at Orgocorp. She’s previously worked with Gunn in his Suicide Squad and Peacemaker projects in the DC Extended Universe.
Nathan Fillion also appears as a guard at Orgocorp. Fillion has actually appeared in all three Guardians movies as different characters. In the first, he played a fellow prisoner but was in heavy prosthetics and makeup to appear as a different alien species. In the second, he appeared in cut scenes on posters as Wonder Man, a character that will now be played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in a Disney+ series.
Daniela Melchior also appears in the Orgocorp sequence as a secretary. She previously appeared as Ratcatcher II in The Suicide Squad. Even Pete Davidson, who appeared as Blackguard in The Suicide Squad with Melchior, voices a character here.
Familiar MCU Voices
In addition to Davidson’s voice, fans will also hear some more familiar voices from the MCU. James Gunn himself voices Lamb-Shank, one of the High Evolutionary’s prisoners. Judy Greer voices War-Pig, one of the soldiers working for the High Evolutionary. Greer has previously appeared in the MCU as Scott Lang’s ex-wife in the Ant-Man movies, though she did not make an appearance in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Lylla the otter is voiced by Linda Cardellini, who plays the wife of Hawkeye in the MCU. Floor the rabbit is also voiced by another MCU alum. Mikaela Hoover, who appeared as a member of the Nova Corps in the first Guardians movie, provides Floor’s voice.
Lylla, Teefs, And Floor
Rocket’s first three friends, all experiments by the High Evolutionary, and all there when Rocket chooses his name, have inspiration from different comic book characters connected to him. Lylla is the most straightforward since the Otter is said to be his soulmate in the comics, and they clearly share a connection in the movie as well. Her death at the hands of the High Evolutionary does serve to negate an Easter egg from the first movie though. There, she was listed as a known associate of Rocket’s in his prison file despite her having died before he ever escaped.
Teefs, however, looks to be inspired by Wal Rus. Wal Rus, like Rocket in the comics, is a Halfworlder, an anthropomorphic animal like those created by the High Evolutionary. Halfworlders, however, were tasked with guarding an asylum out in the middle of space. Wal Rus was one of Rocket’s original allies in doing so.
Floor appears to be inspired by Blackjack O’Hare, another Halfworlder. Blackjack becomes a mercenary in the comics and goes up against Rocket a few times. The character has also been a member of Gamora’s Guardians of the Galaxy in the comics.
Xeronians And Animen
While it’s made clear that the Sovereign are created by the High Evolutionary in this Guardians chapter, the Sovereign are not from Marvel Comics. Other creations mentioned, however, are. Xeronians are from Marvel Comics, but not one of the High Evolutionary’s creations on the page. They’re a peaceful race in the comics whose leader becomes obsessed with power and goes up against the Hulk. The Animen are a creation of the High Evolutionary in the comics who are engineered to be his servants.
Ura
Though Daniela Melchior’s character’s name is pronounced “Uda,” Peter mispronounces it closer to its English spelling. The name could be a complete coincidence, but if not, it’s a pretty deep cut. The character only appears in a single comic book issue. Ura is a character created for the 1951 comic book series Space Squadron. A member of the “Moonmen” in an alternate reality in which space exploration meant that people lived on the moon, Ura was able to hypnotize people. Space Squadron was published by Atlas Comics (which had previously been Timely Comics), which would go on to become Marvel Comics in the 1960s.
Kraglin Plays A Stacked Cardgame
While Kraglin and Cosmo are left to watch over Knowhere, the dup enjoy some card games with some familiar faces. In addition to Howard the Duck, there’s also the Broker from the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie who wouldn’t buy the orb that housed an Infinity Stone from Peter Quill. There’s also Bzermikitokolok, who fans might recognize from the recent Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special as the lead singer of the band that performs on Knowhere. Troma Entertainment’s co-founder Lloyd Kaufman also appears as one of the card players.
A Few Guardians Franchise Callbacks
Despite Yondu perishing helping to save Peter and his friends in the second Guardians movie, Michael Rooker returns for a cameo in Guardians 3. Kraglin has a vision of his mentor while trying to use his arrow. Mantis also tames the Abilisks, creatures first seen in the second movie. That movie kicked off with an abilisk trying to eat the batteries the Guardians had, which Mantis nods to when she reminds Nebula and Drax that Abilisks eat batteries, not people.
Jason Quill
Peter Quill’s grandfather is finally named in this installment. Peter decides to return to Earth after being urged to reconnect with whatever family he has left by his sister Mantis. He asks for Jason Quill. Jason is likely a nod to his parentage in the comics, the Spartax leader J’Son. The movies changed his father to be Ego the Living Planet, so Jason provides a reminder of his comic book roots.
The Mid-Credit Scene Hints At The New Guardians Of The Galaxy
In early 2022, James Gunn confirmed that Vol. 3 would be the last time fans would see this particular Guardians team together, and the mid-credit scene teases the new lineup. Rocket leads Groot, Adam Warlock, Cosmo, and Phyla, one of the children previously held captive by the High Evolutionary.
This changes Phyla-Vell’s comic book backstory as she is the daughter of Mar-Vell in the comics and someone who channels her power through cosmic bands on her wrists. The mid-credit scene does tease Phyla using some sort of powers though as her hands glow when she charges toward a stampeding horde of creatures with the other Guardians.
Cosmo also gives a nod to previous MCU installments as she tells Rocket she’s “on your left.” That became an iconic phrase when Steve Rogers first met Sam Wilson and continually lapped him during a run in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Sam Wilson has since used it in battle.
The Legendary Star-Lord
While the Guardians of the Galaxy team might not appear in its original lineup again, the ending title card reveals “The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return.” That confirms Peter Quill’s appearance in future MCU installments, but it’s also a nod to one of his solo comic book titles. The Legendary Star-Lord is the name of his 2014 series written by Sam Humphries.