As if Rocket Raccoon’s backstory couldn’t get more tragic, one easily overlooked Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 line adds some harrowing context. Although the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy is one of the MCU’s most comedic, the members have some of the saddest backstories. From deaths of loved ones to imprisonment and torture, healing from their pasts is what bonds the Guardians.

The best part about the Guardians trilogy is how each member of the team gets their chance to shine. While their group dynamic gets stronger with every movie, we also get to learn about each individual Guardian. Rocket was a crucial supporting character in the first two films, but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 finally put his journey in the spotlight.

Rocket’s Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 Backstory Is One Of The MCU’s Saddest

In a franchise full of tragedy, it’s a feat to have one of the saddest backstories in the MCU. Bits of information were dropped about Rocket’s history in the first two Guardians movies, but Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 finally painted a full picture. Knowing how much he suffered, he undoubtedly places high on the list of the saddest MCU backstories.

Rocket was among a litter of baby raccoons that were taken from Earth and put into the High Evolutionary’s custody. The geneticist sought to create a perfect species and experimented on living creatures until he achieved his desired results. Rocket was one of his experiments, and the High Evolutionary saw large potential in him.

Being one of the High Evolutionary’s favorites was somehow a worse fate for Rocket, as it meant that he was extensively experimented on. While he was eventually able to escape from captivity successfully, he had to see some of his friends die in the process. It was a bittersweet moment for Rocket that weighed heavily on him for years to come.

1 Easily Overlooked Line Makes Rocket’s MCU Backstory Way Sadder In Retrospect

With the amount of iconic lines that have come out of the Guardians trilogy, some subtler moments can easily be overlooked. One of the heaviest details about Rocket’s past is hidden in plain sight, both in his ᴀssigned experiment number and in a line at the beginning of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

When the scientists drop off Rocket at the beginning of the film, they mention that he’s part of batch 89 and his subject number is 89P13. That means there are presumably 89 lots of creatures who went through the High Evolutionary’s experiments, yet Rocket is one of the only experiments that the villain deemed a success.

Considering how Rocket was treated despite being valuable in the High Evolutionary’s eyes, it’s disturbing to think about what the creatures who came before him went through. They might not all be ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, considering that others like Floor, Lyla, and Teefs survived, but most of the poor creatures from the 88 prior lots likely suffered an unfortunate fate.

Rocket’s MCU Backstory Being Sadder Makes His Final Decisions In Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Even More Heroic

With the absolute torture that the High Evolutionary put Rocket through, his final decision in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is even more heroic. He risked his life to go back and save all of the animals in captivity because he did not want them to go through the same pain that he did.

Rocket’s backstory also adds weight to his decision to spare the High Evolutionary. It would’ve been understandable if the Guardians killed the villain, but Rocket saw no reason to stoop down to his former captor’s level. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 clearly showed how much pain the High Evolutionary caused him, but Rocket was the hero that the villain doubted he could be.