After another watch of the 2023 MCU delight that is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, I’ve just realized that Adam Warlock’s role in the film is way more important when looking at Star-Lord’s ending than it seemed to me previously. While the Guardians of the Galaxy movies have often been less embroiled in the overarching story of the MCU timeline – bar their obvious ties to Thanos – they’re undeniably some of the best movies that the franchise has released, balancing a comedic tone and playful exploration of the wider galactic reaches of the franchise with some genuinely emotional and gripping moments.
One scene that blends these two concepts together comes towards the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, wherein Adam Warlock decides to save Star-Lord from freezing to death stuck out in space after the High Evolutionary’s ship explodes despite having spent a not inconsiderable amount of the movie being a major enemy of Quill and the rest of the Guardians. While the scene is immediately an important one in terms of showing Star-Lord narrowly escaping death’s door – and taking Warlock from villain to hero – it is also a moment that seems to add more context to Quill’s decision to return to Earth later on as well.
Adam Warlock Saving Star-Lord Is A Major Moment In Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3
Adam Warlock deciding to save Peter Quill after spending the majority of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as a key villain in the story – even doing the damage to Rocket at the start of the movie that ends up leading to the events of the film – is something of a major plot twist, even if it’s one that makes a lot of sense given that Warlock is conventionally a hero in Marvel’s own comics. Indeed, it’s this gesture of heroism that takes Warlock from being an enemy to the Guardians to later becoming one of their newest members in the lineup of the team that’s shown in its finale.
For Adam Warlock, this moment marks a big swing in his personal arc as he realizes the error of his previous ways, seeming to recognize the healthier connections the Guardians and their allies have – compared to his own with his mother and the High Evolutionary – after Groot saves him beforehand in the hopes of letting him have a second chance. As yet another character who’s shown being punished for not living up to the High Evolutionary’s standards – despite the villain stating that he’d intentionally made the Sovereign to not match up in some ways – it makes sense that this idea resonates with Warlock, and changes his allegiances.
This arc is also initially teased somewhat by Adam Warlock’s affinity for the fuzzy F’saki Blurp that becomes his pet, and who he takes in out of guilt about killing the creature’s previous owner.
However, this moment is obviously important for more characters than just Adam Warlock, as without the Sovereign’s actions, Star-Lord’s story would have seemingly ended there with his death. This is arguably what convinces both Quill and later Guardians leader Rocket that Warlock is a good fit for the team – balancing his previous grievous injury of Rocket with him saving another member of the crew down the line – but being saved from this near-death experience by a former enemy appears to have an even more significant impact on Quill’s own Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ending, too.
Star-Lord’s Reaction To Adam Warlock Saving Him Further Explains Why He Decides To Live On Earth With His Grandfather
Throughout the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Peter’s tragic backstory is underlined as the reason he has avoided Earth following him being kidnapped and made a member of Yondu’s Ravagers when he was young. Not only is Peter traumatized to some degree by being kidnapped to begin with, he’s also scarred by the fact that this came not long after his mother Meredith’s pᴀssing – which he also ᴀssociates with his grandfather Jason shouting and being angry at him, though it’s suggested from the offset that this may have just been Jason trying to avoid Peter having to see his mother die.
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, this is initially what puts Star-Lord off the idea of reuniting with his grandfather, even though he knows that Jason effectively lost his daughter and grandson in one night. However, seeing the good that can come from someone a second chance with Adam Warlock looks like it also plays its role in changing Quill’s mind about the matter. With Warlock having done far worse to the Guardians than Jason ever did to Quill – and yet still turning things around and eventually saving Peter’s life – it seems this may provide one final challenge to Star-Lord’s convictions to not give his grandfather another chance too.
Similarly, Warlock choosing to save others and be a part of the Guardians when given the opportunity is also a reminder of the fact that people can change and that change can be truly good for them, potentially allowing Quill to more easily accept that part of him wanted to go and see his grandfather and put the spacefarer lifestyle down for a while to connect with the only other living person who knew and loved his mother like he did. Either way, this moment lets Warlock and Star-Lord’s arcs intertwine in a way that’s increasingly fascinating when you look at it, since both their stories change so drastically afterward.
Adam Warlock Joining The Guardians Also Explains Why Star-Lord Leaves Them
Though the majority of the original Guardians roster seemingly leave when the new iteration of the team is formed to add a sense of finality and catharsis to the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Star-Lord’s decision to leave – despite previously being the prior leader of sorts for the group – also appears to be tied to the new addition of Adam Warlock into the team alongside several of its other members. Quill has both less reason to worry about his remaining teammates, and more reason to believe they’ll be safe, having seen one of their newest members save his own life beforehand.
Similarly, with Adam Warlock being a decidedly powerful addition to the new Guardians of the Galaxy roster – alongside other considerable additions like Phyla-Vell and a now seemingly even stronger Groot – there’s more reason than ever to believe the new squad will be able to take care of one another and come out of the fights they enter at least relatively unscathed. As such, there’s also more reason for Quill to be able to pᴀss on the Guardians leader role without concerns about what that could mean for the group, further justifying his choice to go live on Earth at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
