Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was the emotional final chapter of the James Gunn Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) trilogy, but the ending hides an even darker resolution. The Guardians of the Galaxy sub-franchise in the MCU was by far one of the best and most well laid out stories from the entire series. From the moment the misfit heroes joined together, to the heartbreaking moments that saw them go their own ways, it was an emotional roller coaster.

However, beyond the larger emotional context of the films, each movie in the series had one central individual dealing with grief and overcoming it. The first film saw Peter Quill grieve his mother and find a new family. The second saw Quill confront his father, who turns out to be kind of a monster. And the third sees Rocket Raccoon take center stage to deal with his childhood trauma and the terrible upbringing he experienced under the supervision of the High Evolutionary.

Rocket Freeing The Animals At The End Of Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 Is One Of The Movie’s Most Emotional & Heartwarming Moments

Rocket Is Able To Save Others From Suffering Through His Fate

By the end of the movie, Rocket achieves his goals, confronts his past, and finds a way to help others in the process. In one of the most brilliant final scenes of any superhero film, Rocket frees numerous animals who were being held by the High Evolutionary so that he could continue his torturous experiments.

As Rocket lets the animals run free, it’s clear to see that he is also experiencing a release from the trauma that has haunted him for so much of his life, and allows him to finally move on. However, the scene also contains layers that may not be immediately obvious. Especially considering the explosions and action sequences playing out around these emotional beats.

Rocket Seeing The Raccoons & Other Animals In The Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 Ending Has Some Easy To Overlook & Intensely Sad Implications

There Were A Lot Of Dark Memories On The High Evolutionary’s Ship

While Rocket was being experimented on, he appeared to be a part of a small group of various animals. This allowed him to form a mismatched family with these other victims of the High Evolutionary, and Rocket felt at home there, despite their many differences. However, the High Evolutionary eventually discarded the others, and continued to work with Rocket, who he likely viewed as his success story.

By the time GotG Vol. 3’s ending came around, the High Evolutionary had built up a much larger store of animals, with numerous raccoons in the cages. Seeing these raccoons likely transported Rocket back in time to his bitter and sweet memories inside the cage. But beyond that, Rocket also understood that these animals were here because of his success story, and the High Evolutionary’s cruelty continued to impact countless others in an attempt to replicate Rocket’s success.

Guardians Of The Galaxy 3’s Ending Having Some Deeply Sad Moments Makes Its Final Scenes Even More Powerful

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Is The Perfect Ending For The James Gunn Trilogy

GotG Vol. 3 is a movie that contains mulтιтudes. It’s funny, it’s action-packed, it’s sci-fi, it’s epic, and it’s deeply emotional. And rather than becoming overstuffed or too complex, this variation in the story makes it feel more authentic, better balanced, and more enjoyable. By giving the audience highs to celebrate with the heroes, it allows for the lows to land even more effectively. And then, when it peaks at the end, after having taken the audience on a journey, the emotions feel earned.

By creating this complex narrative, which evokes real emotion, James Gunn was able to take a story about a talking tree, an angry raccoon, an orphan in space, a dimwitted brawler, and an elite ᴀssᴀssin, and make it into something that feels relevant and important. Rocket may be a raccoon, but the emotions that he experiences drive home the message of the film in a big way, making Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 one of the best MCU movies to date.

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