Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy tells a compelling, original story that pulls in characters from across Marvel's deep history of cosmic heroes and villains. The game is full of easter eggs that reference famous storylines the Guardians have been involved in.
Some of the greatest stories in Marvel comics history featured the Guardians of the Galaxy, and often featured some of the most diabolical villains as well. Should Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy get a sequel, there are plenty of story arcs from the comics for Eidos Montreal to look to for inspiration. Here are some of the most compelling storylines they might choose to adapt.
10 The Thanos Imperative
The Thanos Imperative follows on the heels of several cosmic Marvel events that have left Thanos dead and an interdimensional rift crackling through the galaxy. In a shocking twist, the Magus blows the rift wide open to let his master in from a dark, alternate dimension: Mar-Vell.
The series sees the Guardians teaming up with a recently revived Thanos and Nova to send these new enemies back across the rift before sealing it shut with three of them on the wrong side. This storyline could help explain why Thanos and Nova are missing during the events of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.
9 The Final Gauntlet
Donny Cates and Geof Shaw relaunched the Guardians of the Galaxy in 2019 on the heels of the Infinity Wars event that saw Gamora strike Thanos' head from his shoulders, killing the Mad Titan. The new Guardians series picks up at the reading of his last will and testament, but Thanos reveals one final twist: he's uploaded his consciousness into a new body.
With Thanos presumed dead during the events of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, it's quite possible that Eidos Montreal could turn to the Final Gauntlet as inspiration for a sequel. It would also give them an opening to expand their cosmic universe with characters like Gladiator and the Cosmic Ghost Rider.
8 The Celestial Madonna Saga
Mantis features prominently in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, and her abilities in the game are much more akin to her comic counterpart than her MCU version. She is known as the Celestial Madonna, has trained extensively with the Priests of Pama, and even lives on the same planet as the plant-race known as the Cotati.
The Celestial Madonna Saga deals with Mantis giving birth to the Celestial Messiah, a savior who is prophecied to unite the galaxy. The Cotati are also a central part of this storyline, opening the Celestial Madonna Saga as a possible arc for a sequel to adapt.
7 The Sins Of The Father
Peter's heritage as the Prince of Spartax is established early on in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, a trait he shares with his comic counterpart. His lineage comes to bear in the Guardians of the Galaxy series from 2013 by Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven, when his father, J'Son, attempts to coerce Peter into returning to Spartax.
J'Son is a persistent antagonist for the Guardians, both as Emperor of Spartax and later as the villainous Mr. Knife. Adapting him for a sequel to Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy would give the Guardians a grounded, complicated villain with deep, emotional ties to their leader and his past.
6 The Black Vortex
The Black Vortex was a crossover event that saw the Guardians and the X-Men team up to prevent the titular artifact from falling into the wrong hands. The Black Vortex is an ancient artifact that grants anyone who submits to its influence incredible new power, but at a cost.
The event brings in a variety of different cosmic characters including J'Son of Spartax, Ronan the Accuser, the Brood, and Thane, the son of Thanos. This arc could introduce new mechanics based on the Vortex's power and introduce a host of new characters to the Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy universe.
5 Brood Infestation
The Brood are a galactic menace that spread through the galaxy by assimilating organic beings into their hive. They've tangled with many of Marvel's most famous heroes, including the X-Men and the Avengers, and have different abilities and powers depending on the host body they've infested.
The Collector's Emporium in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy had a Brood Queen egg in it at one point, but the egg hatched and escaped confinement. The repercussions of a new Brood Queen loose in the galaxy could be explored in a sequel, especially considering the enemy variety the Brood could offer.
4 The Kree-Skrull War
The Kree-Skrull War is a classic Marvel story, one that has been referenced numerous times in television and film. The original story took place over eight issues of the original Avengers series and dealt with the conflict coming to Earth by way of the hero Mar-Vell, also known as Captain Marvel.
While this initial telling of the Kree-Skrull War didn't involve the Guardians, it wouldn't take much to adapt the story to feature Star-Lord and the team. Ko Rel and Nikki are both Kree and the Skrulls are mentioned numerous times in the game, so tackling the Kree-Skrull War is a definite possible storyline for a potential sequel.
3 Annihilation
Annihilation was one of the most far-reaching events in Marvel's history at the time, spanning the entire galaxy as the Annihilation Wave swept entire planets under its control. The Wave was led by a being known as Annihilus, a creature from another dimension known as the Negative Zone.
The War in Annihilation bears some similarities to the Galactic War featured in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, most notably the role Thanos plays in facilitating the enemy assault. A sequel could merge elements of Annihilation with its own original story beats, potentially as a continuation of the Galactic War.
2 Classic Guardians
The Guardians of the Galaxy's current lineup has become synonymous with the team largely thanks to the MCU films, but the original team's roster was made up of some very different characters. The original versions of Yondu Udonta and Nicholette "Nikki" Gold were part of this alternate, future Guardians team.
A sequel to Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy could easily bring this future team to the present day or the present-day Guardians into a desolate, dystopian future. It could also adapt new versions of other members of the team like the first installment already did with Nikki.
1 Original Sin
Original Sin was a 2014 comic event that featured Marvel characters across every theater, both in space and on Earth. The event dealt with the mysterious murder of Uatu the Watcher and the theft of his eye, an artifact the allows the user to peer into the future and unlock the hidden pasts of Marvel characters.
Eidos Montreal could use this storyline to dig further into the backstories of each Guardian while also introducing new characters from other areas of the Marvel universe. The murder mystery element could also be a feature of the game that places more weight on dialogue options and critical player choices.