This article contains major spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is in theaters at last, and there it has plenty of things for fans to get excited about, from its action to its comedy to its soundtrack. However, one of the aspects of the new movie that seems to have left the biggest impact on viewers is its villain.
Played by Chukwudi Iwuji — who previously worked with writer-director James Gunn in DC’s Peacemaker — the High Evolutionary is the main antagonist of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Coming off the heels of both Kurt Russel’s Ego the Living Planet and Josh Brolin’s Thanos, the Guardians’ latest enemy has some very big shoes to fill. Yet even so, the High Evolutionary has earned widespread acclaim as one of the most vile and frightening villains in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
What Makes the High Evolutionary Work
Like so many other great Marvel villains, the High Evolutionary is driven by a single, all-consuming goal that he will stop at nothing to accomplish. Baron Zemo wants revenge on the Avengers, Mysterio wants fame and glory, and the High Evolutionary wants to create the perfect society. To that end, he’s used his scientific brilliance and nigh-limitless resources to genetically engineer entire species and civilizations, all in search of crafting the utopia he dreams of. As Gamora points out, there are even some parts of the universe that worship him as a god.
And indeed, the High Evolutionary certainly seems to see himself as a deity. He presents himself as a gracious, benevolent creator, and longs to preside over an Eden of his own making. As he declares in the film’s climax, “There is no God! That’s why I stepped in!” But despite his aspirations of apotheosis, the High Evolutionary is more akin to the gods of Greek myth: petty, selfish, and despite his vast power, all-too-human.
It’s no coincidence that in each of their big-screen adventures, the Guardians of the Galaxy — the ultimate family of outcasts — have faced off with villains who seek to remake the cosmos in their image. Ronan the Accuser is a fascistic zealot who seeks to destroy the enemies of the Kree Empire. Ego is a rogue Celestial who looks down on mortals, and plans to assimilate all life into himself. And of course, Thanos wishes to realize his vision of a peaceful, grateful universe built on a foundation of death and conquest.
In every case, the Guardians have been threatened by a would-be tyrant who intends to rid the galaxy of dissenters and outlaws, erasing anything and anyone who doesn’t fit their vision of perfection. The story of the Guardians is a story of the wild, vibrant, messy, freedom of found family fighting against the cold, restrictive order of authoritarian rule. And no villain better embodies that tyrannical order than the High Evolutionary, who will commit any atrocity he deems necessary to bring about his perfect world. For proof of this, one need not look any further than his harrowing history with Rocket.
Why the High Evolutionary is Terrifying
It takes more than just being a despotic megalomaniac with delusions of godhood to make a truly great villain. And for the High Evolutionary, that missing ingredient comes in the form of his personal grudge with the Guardians’ own Rocket Raccoon. Since the original Guardians of the Galaxy, nothing has been known of Rocket’s past, save that he was the victim of traumatic experiments that haunt him to this day. But in Vol. 3, the full story is revealed, and it’s absolutely devastating. In a series of flashbacks, it’s revealed that Rocket is just one of many Earth animals who the High Evolutionary abducted and transformed into intelligent cyborgs. Rocket and his friends were subjected to vicious experimentation at the hands of the High Evolutionary, but nevertheless held out hope that he would someday lead them to his promised utopia.
But when Rocket learns that his creator intends to dispose of him and his friends, he decides to lead a jailbreak — one that is promptly crushed by the High Evolutionary killing each and every one of Rocket’s friends in cold blood. It’s a truly gut-wrenching scene, made all the more chilling by the High Evolutionary’s callous, even sadistic attitude. He viciously mocks Rocket’s despair over the death of his friends, showing that despite his supposed benevolence, the High Evolutionary has no love for his creations. As Rocket himself says, “He didn’t want to make things perfect, he just hated things the way they are.” And that hatred has a way of boiling to the surface whenever the High Evolutionary shares the screen with Rocket.
The High Evolutionary is filled with a cruel resentment for Rocket over his capacity for inventive, imaginative thinking — an ability that the rest of his creations lack. He loathes Rocket, not just for keeping him from creating his perfect society, but for being able to solve problems that he cannot. He sees his creations not as individuals or precious lives, but merely as his own property, extensions of himself to be used and destroyed as he sees fit. Simply by existing outside of his control, Rocket fills the High Evolutionary with a horrifying, monstrous rage.
While many of the MCU’s greatest villains are those who are portrayed with nuance and humanity, the High Evolutionary stands out as an exception to this rule. He has no tragic backstory or sympathetic traits — he is pure, monstrous evil, and he has inflicted untold suffering on the hero of the story. And while this makes his villainy utterly terrifying to behold, it also makes it so much more cathartic when Rocket Raccoon finally triumphs over the source of his pain, with his fellow Guardians by his side. Thanks to the storytelling talent of James Gunn and the amazing performance of Chukwudi Iwuji, it’s already clear that the High Evolutionary will be remembered for years to come as a villain who fans love to hate.