I’ve just realized Rocket’s immediate hatred of one Guardians of the Galaxy villain makes a lot more sense with his MCU backstory in mind – though it also makes things a whole lot sadder. The Guardians of the Galaxy are unified in having heartbreaking backstories, and the MCU timeline take on Rocket Raccoon is a perfect example of this.

Rocket manages to be both one of the team’s main sources of comic relief, and one of the most tragic characters among them, thanks to his backstory as one of The High Evolutionary’s experiments. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 delving into this backstory sheds a lot more light on this part of Rocket’s arc, and retroactively better explains Rocket’s feelings about another MCU character, too.

Rocket’s Origin Story Clearly Defines A Lot Of His Role In The First Guardians Of The Galaxy

Guardians of The Galaxy is an entertaining enough movie to rewatch on its own, but it’s also well worth revisiting today in terms of how the story looks different following its sequels. While this is true for each of the Guardians’ personal arcs as well, perhaps the most interesting of these is how Rocket’s initial story looks different now.

Guardians of the Galaxy makes no secret of the fact that Rocket was subject to some terrible things in his history, or the fact he’s still clearly emotionally damaged from these prior experiences. However, the movie only very briefly delves into any specifics on this matter, largely through Rocket briefly breaking down halfway through the story and stating:

“I didn’t ask to get made! I didn’t ask to be torn apart and put back together over and over, turned into some… some little monster!”

Though this makes it clear that Rocket’s life hasn’t exactly been sunshine and rainbows, we only gain full context into what this means in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, some 9 years later into Rocket’s arc. While the movie provides catharsis, as Rocket is able to confront and defeat his “creator”, it highlights some painful truths about his story.

Seeing how terribly Rocket was mistreated in his origin story – and how he lost the only friends he had in a brutal, awful fashion – explains a lot about Rocket that otherwise might not be so clear. It also makes a lot of moments in the original Guardians of the Galaxy feel different, including Rocket’s notable reaction to one character.

Rocket’s Origin Story Helps Explain Why He Hates The Collector Immediately

Before the Guardians of the Galaxy decide they need to give the Power Stone to the Nova Corps, the team initially looks at handing it over to The Collector, leading them to Knowhere before it becomes their base. The Collector isn’t exactly beloved by any of the team, but Rocket’s reaction seems to have the most layers to it.

Rocket is clearly unhappy upon entering The Collector’s lair and seeing some of his “collection”, and more unhappy to meet the character himself. When The Collector asks to pay Groot to own his carcᴀss upon his death, Rocket immediately tries to put Groot off the idea, and then goes to shoot The Collector when he jokes Rocket is Groot’s “pet“.

While it already made sense Rocket would react in defense of Groot, the fact the hero immediately dislikes the character makes a lot more sense given the selection of similarities between The Collector and The High Evolutionary. In fact, it sets up a scenario where it would almost be more weird for Rocket to not hate him.

With both The Collector and The High Evolutionary showing a total lack of regard for the rights and freedoms of others – and considering themselves to “own” those under their care – it’s easy to see how The Collector would remind Rocket of his former tormentor. It’s even easier to see why he would react poorly to this, consciously or otherwise.

Rocket’s Reaction To The Collector Makes 1 New Guardians Member Even More Special

Rocket’s initial conflict here with The Collector gets a resolution of sorts later down the line, wherein the Guardians obtain Knowhere – where his prior base was – and repurpose it as their own, and a place where people can be protected rather than kept as “specimens”. This includes one particularly notable Knowhere inhabitant.

Cosmo the spacedog is a focal Knowhere resident and becomes a member of the new Guardians team that’s shown in the ending of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. However, the canine is initially shown as the first part of The Collector’s “collection” that Rocket sees, adding more significance to the dog eventually teaming up with Rocket all these years later.

This also adds a nicer ending note of sorts to this part of Guardians of the Galaxy‘s story. Rather than simply recognizing that there are others who are like The High Evolutionary, Rocket is instead later able to work alongside someone who may better understand his struggles by having a similar experience with The Collector.

Though it’s not clear when the Guardians of the Galaxy team will next appear, hopefully the franchise will follow up on the group, and how their stories all tie together. Showing how Rocket’s dark backstory allows him to better understand those who’ve been through similar experiences could make for some emotional moments, and potentially add fresh layers to a rewatch of Guardians of the Galaxy all over again.