Friends, it’s almost time to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 at a theater near you! James Gunn’s big three-quel is promising to be the end of an era in the world of upcoming Marvel movies, and the trailers have backed those claims rather effectively. One such subject that’s gotten a lot of attention, and given me much strife, is that of Rocket Raccoon. So to prepare for whatever comes next, I rewatched all the previous Guardians of the Galaxy connected movies, focusing solely on Rocket’s story, and oh boy do I have thoughts.
If you want to follow the run of titles I watched to refresh my memory, all you’ll need is the list provided in this feature and a Disney+ subscription. Whether you partake in this exercise before or after seeing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, it’s all there for you to put the pieces together for yourself. So let’s take a look at Rocket Raccoon’s character arc, and the thoughts that came from just locking into his story throughout the MCU.
Rocket Raccoon Is One Of My Favorite MCU Characters
It’s hard to beat the Marvel cinematic introduction that James Gunn gave Bradley Cooper’s Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy. Introduced as he’s on the hunt for Star-Lord/Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), we hear our genetically modified friend cracking wise about random Xandarian passers by, including a slightly altered cameo from Stan Lee!
Writer Bill Mantlo and artist Keith Giffen’s Marvel creation can be seen in the following titles, laid out in chronological release order.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2015)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
First impressions are everything, and this is one of the best in the MCU, as right from the start I knew what I was getting out of his character, and latched onto him as a favorite. The character work done by Bradley Cooper and Sean Gunn, as the respective voice and motion capture actors ,only makes the technical magic that brings Rocket to life all the more impressive.
Yes, there’s tons of CGI characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a lot of them are fun and exciting to follow. But Rocket Raccoon is one of the gold standards for this practice, as I totally buy into his existence, suspending disbelief in the name of following his emotional journey.
One Of The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Best Character Arcs Belongs To Rocket
Rocket Raccoon isn’t just one of my preferred Marvel heroes because of his attitude, but also by how his story plays out across what we’ve seen so far. His story asks the question, “How does a snarky trash panda who curses his own existence go on to become a hero?” The answer is simple, and we get it in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie.
By finding the family he’s always wanted, Rocket’s initially bitter exterior makes way for some more personable and warm moments. A lot of that comes from his interactions with his friend Groot (Vin Diesel), but even that connection becomes stronger once this raccoon realizes that the two of them are part of a much greater family with the rest of their Guardians. A fact that helps, but also hurts, as we wind through the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and even Avengers: Infinity War/Endgame.
Groot’s Relationship With Rocket Is So Pure
Speaking of Groot, the relationship between this “infantilized Sequoia” and his best friend is one of the purest things you could find in a Marvel Studios production. Their history together shows them thick as thieves from the beginning, but things start to change when Groot’s resurrected form starts off as a baby that Rocket Raccoon has to take care of.
Also, let’s not forget that Rocket’s tears shed during the “We are Groot” scene in Guardians of the Galaxy only makes Groot’s sacrifice hit all the harder. When he’s not busy telling his little buddy not to pick fights with random creatures on other planets, Rocket’s having difficulty detailing how Groot needs to use the bomb meant to kill Ego (Kurt Russell) in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Like any good dad, some days are better than others when “raising” Groot. That said, it never changes the fact that there’s love between these two beings.
Rocket And Yondu’s Friendship In Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 Is Underrated
While everyone links Rocket Raccoon to Groot, and rightfully so, there's a friendship that I found to be totally underrated when revisiting Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. I totally forgot that several scenes saw Rocket sharing the screen with Yondu (Michael Rooker), as they were separated from the main group in the hunt for Star-Lord.
Yondu’s emotional confrontation with Rocket comes to a head when the connection is made that both of these hardened badasses actually have emotional stakes that have been following them for quite a while. Identifying with the blue Ravager all the more, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 broke this friendship up before it could get started, and you can see Rocket’s upset when he realizes that Yondu is sacrificing himself. And yet, he understands that the mission requires it, which hints at another thread that runs strongly through Rocket’s legacy.
Loss Has Defined Rocket Raccoon From Day One
The heartbreak that Rocket Raccoon experiences in Avengers: Infinity War hammers home something that we might see pop up in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Seeing our raccoon anti-hero lose all of his friends, except for Nebula (Karen Gillan), is truly crushing at the end of the MCU’s massive two part event. Good luck trying to watch Groot dust away before Rocket’s eyes without ever shedding a tear at some point.
Despite the horrific events that unfolded on the road to Avengers: Endgame, Rocket still maintained his heroism. Loss may define Rocket Raccoon, as it’s the force that hardened him to the world in the first place. But throughout subsequent movies, Rocket doesn’t just fall back into old habits when he loses friends. He pushes through to honor them, and maybe see them again some day.
Rocket Raccoon Totally Deserved Bucky’s Arm
Ok, so Rocket’s prosthetic preoccupation was a joke throughout the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and a hell of a call back in Avengers: Infinity War. As the Guardian in question swore that he’d get the robotic arm of Bucky “The Winter Soldier” Barnes (Sebastian Stan), it felt like nothing more would come of that gag.
I certainly never thought we’d see it pay off, but then in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, an act of kindness from Nebula tied it all together. Gifting Rocket that mighty arm he wanted served two purposes though: It closed the loop on a long standing joke, which is fun on its own. But then it established an emotional connection between Rocket and Nebula, as she cared enough to get him that gift. Rocket Raccoon’s found family once again came through, proving that they truly know and love him.
Rocket’s Origin Story In Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Is Going To Break Me
It would be foolish of me not to discuss the pre-release material we’ve seen running up to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. With the introduction of LInda Cardalini’s Lylla, a new clip has been released that shows us a very young Rocket, bonding with his friends over their shared creation by the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). Without even seeing the full story, you can already tell by how Rocket Raccoon talks about his past, or rather doesn’t, this isn’t going to end well.
Rocket has gone from a lovable grouch to a true hero leading up to this movie. James Gunn even says Rocket Raccoon is the “secret protagonist” of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 flies off into the forever and beautiful sky starting with early showings on May 4th.
