Even though Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is several years away, there has been a lot of talk over what moviegoers can expect from the next installment - especially in the way of new faces. In addition to a large portion of the original cast returning, director James Gunn has said that we will meet "a couple of new characters who will be very important to Guardians movies and probably important to the Marvel Universe as a whole." Granted, it will be great to see our the rogue adventurers return to the big screen, but with comic book movies, change is important, so including new people will be a welcome addition.
Although they may not be as well-known as the characters from Earth, Marvel’s cosmic players are numerous, so Gunn and the creative team will have a lot to pick and choose from when it comes to adding new players to Guardians of the Galaxy 2. While we can already rule out several characters (don’t expect to see Rocket’s soulmate), there are still many individuals who could be introduced, whether it’s the team opening up their ranks to others, a new ally or another enemy. Taking into account that these people could also be important to the MCU, here are the characters who fit the criteria for appearing in the 2017 blockbuster.
6. Major Victory
James Gunn has already said that he wants Peter Quill to be the only primary human in Guardians of the Galaxy 2, but there might be some wiggle room to feature one who happens to be superpowered. Major Victory, also known as Vance Astro, was part of the original Guardians of the Galaxy roster. Originally a U.S. astronaut, he was kept in suspended animation for one of his missions, during which time he developed psionic powers. When he woke up, it was a thousand years later. After working with the original Guardians, he eventually made it back to the present-day and teamed up with the modern incarnation of the team on several occasions.
He may look alien, but that colored appearance is actually a copper-alloy suit that he wore out in space. The time traveling elements of his history might need to be altered for the MCU, but it would be fun to see an extraordinary human fighting alongside Quill and the others. For an extra degree of connectivity, he could also be given him a juiced-up version of Captain America’s shield, showing off his fandom for the Avenger.
5. Moondragon
We questioned whether Moondragon was briefly glimpsed in the most recent Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer, but frankly, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 would be a much better fit for her. There’s nothing to say that Nebula has to be the only bald-headed female in this series. Captured as a child by Thanos’ forces, she was trained by the Mad Titan’s father at an interstellar monastery. Unlike most people who gain special abilities, she obtained hers through intense mental training that awakened the mental potential in all humans. When Thanos destroyed the monastery (because he could), Moondragon escaped to Earth, and since then she’s been a recurring player in the Marvel cosmic universe.
Interestingly enough, in Drax the Destroyer’s comic book origin, he was a human killed by Thanos and had his spirit placed in a new body, and Moondragon, originally named Heather, was his daughter. It might be hard to establish a similar relationship in the movies since Drax saw his wife and daughter killed, but that doesn’t mean that another type of platonic relationship couldn’t be established between the two.
4. Quasar (Phyla-Vell)
Phyla-Vell was one of the original members of the modern Guardians of the Galaxy, so if anybody deserves to be picked to join the group in the sequel, she’s one of their best bets. Her abilities range from super strength to flight to energy absorption, so as a heavy-hitter, she’ll certainly be helpful in getting the team out of bigger jams. Phyla-Vell is Kree, and since we met the species in the first movie, it might be cool to add one of them to the team roster in a protagonist role.
If Guardians of the Galaxy 2 also introduces Moondragon, then adding Phyla-Vell also provides a great opportunity to see their relationship explored - the two being lovers in the comics. Depending on which aspects of the MCU the sequel will connect to, she could also function the connecting point with Captain Marvel since Carol Danvers originally gained her powers from Phyla-Vell’s grandfather Mar-Vell. Could she be one of the characters who James Gunn teases as being important for the universe as a whole?
3. Mantis
Mantis is one of the cosmic Marvel characters who has her foot both in space events and Earth events within the larger comic book continuity. A talented martial artist and recently gaining telepathic abilities, she was an Avenger for many years and briefly served as a counselor for the modern Guardians of the Galaxy - although she has refused to rejoin the team in recent stories.
There was a rumor last month that Mantis might appear in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but with all the characters that are already slated to appear, it could be wiser to save her for Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and set up her connections with the Avengers in a later movie. In the comics, she is believed by the Kree to eventually become the mother of the Celestial Messiah, "the most important being in the universe." If such a prophecy exists in the MCU and the Kree are more deeply explored in the next movie, then Mantis is a must-have for the cast.
2. Angela
Although she was originally an Image Comics character, Angela has become a major player in the Marvel comics since 2013. Her introduction revealed that she (previously named Aldrif) is Thor and Loki’s long-lost sister that was killed as an infant, but later pulled back from Heaven during the Age of Ultron storyline. After various stories involving her Asgardian family and acquaintances, she is currently a member of the Guardians and exploring the universe with them, although they didn’t get off to the best start with her.
As for how she could fit into Guardians of the Galaxy 2, it’s worth pointing out that the only other type of cosmic stories we’ve seen in the MCU have been the Thor movies. Given her Asgardian heritage, Angela is the perfect character to bridge those two similar, yet in many ways different worlds beyond Thor: The Dark World’s post-credits scene. By 2017, she’ll have cosmic adventuring on her resume in the comics to warrant a spot on the cinematic team, so it’s entirely possible that it could pan out for her.
1. Adam Warlock
Without Adam Warlock, an artificially "perfect" human who acts as a cosmic protector, the original Infinity Gauntlet story from 1991 might have gone completely different. Although he originally owned the Soul Gem, he lost it when Thanos acquired it along with the other five Infinity Gems and the Infinity Gauntlet - giving the Mad Titan almost limitless power. Warlock organized superheroes from around the Marvel universe to help him defeat the purple warlord, and it was he who took control of the Infinity Gauntlet and Gems after the battle and divided the gems to different people to ensure that much power wouldn’t fall to one individual again.
Given the key role Warlock played in the original storyline, Marvel would be wise to use him in a similar capacity for the Avengers: Infinity War movies. If that’s the case, then Guardians of the Galaxy 2 would be wise to introduce him as an ally to the Guardians who is keen on defeating Thanos. As much as we expect Guardians of the Galaxy 2 to be a self-contained story, it still needs to establish its relationship with the rest of the MCU, and Warlock could easily provide that connective tissue, not to mention that he can be used to introduce the Soul "Stone."
