Marvel Theory: Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Will Kill Off Rocket

There's plenty of unfortunate evidence to suggest Rocket Raccoon will be killed off in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Rocket was an original member of the Guardians of the Galaxy team along with Peter Quill, AKA Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, and Groot. Voiced by Bradley Cooper, Rocket is a genetically altered raccoon who has cybernetic implants in his body. Prior to joining Peter and the rest of the ragtag crew, Rocket worked as a mercenary. In time, he emerged as the Guardians' pilot and technical expert. Aside from appearing in the Guardians trilogy, Rocket had roles in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

Prior to the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Marvel Studios announced plans for another sequel. A year later, Disney cut ties with Gunn following the resurfacing of controversial tweets. After more consideration, Gunn was reinstated. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is slated for release on May 5, 2023, as part of the MCU's Phase 5. Recent trailers for James Gunn's fourth Marvel Studios project (including The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special) have stirred speculation that the fan-favorite Rocket will fall victim during this version of the Guardians of the Galaxy's final adventure together.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Will Include A Character Death

chris pratt as star-lord screaming in gotg vol 3 trailer

The release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is right around the corner, and Gunn and Marvel Studios have been throwing out tidbits into what viewers can expect. Gunn even took to Instagram and confirmed via a fan question that a character will be killed off in the upcoming sequel. Gunn's confirmation didn't come with any indications on whether it will be a major or minor character. Some might argue that Gunn was remaining coy and that his answer could be justified with any death in the film. Others, however, believe that this is yet another sign that an original member of the team will meet their demise.

This wasn't the first time that Gunn hinted a major character will be killed off in the upcoming sequel. Since he keeps bringing it up, it's likely that the clock is ticking for one of the longtime characters. Groot sacrificed himself in the first installment before being reborn. The sequel then featured Yondu Udonta's death, sacrificing himself for Peter. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is expected to follow suit, but with a death that leaves a much larger impact. Rocket's death in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 would surely be tough to digest seeing as he served as an original member of the motley crew.

Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Will End Rocket's Arc

Since his introduction in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket Raccoon emerged as a fan-favorite character within the MCU. When he made his debut, Rocket was a career criminal with a brash personality and a cynical outlook on life. His closest ally was Groot, and he was reluctant to go out of his way for anyone else. That changed when he helped Peter and others escape from prison before officially joining together to form the Guardians of the Galaxy, eventually working together to defeat Ronan the Accuser. For the first time, Rocket found others that he felt comfortable with, and that character development would continue in subsequent films.

Even though Rocket never fully let go of his narcissism, he opened up more of his emotions in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. As a genetically-altered creature, Rocket experienced a lot of trauma in his past, but the films haven't put much of Rocket's MCU backstory into focus. It had been made clear that he was experimented on and carries a type of shame for what he had endured, and these events made him distrustful of others. Yondu quickly realized during Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 that he and Rocket had a lot in common, since it was hard for them both to admit to loving others.

Rocket's appearances in the MCU have proven that he continually strives to mature and effectively present his emotions. He went out of his way to console Thor in Avengers: Infinity War and lent his hand to Nebula when she was upset in Avengers: Endgame. Rocket might be highly skilled in weaponry and battle tactics, but his presence has grown through his emotional support. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 marks the end of the trilogy, and it's no secret that the Guardians team will change significantly after Vol. 3. Gunn is known to favor Rocket, so it's likely the character will leave the franchise alongside Gunn himself.

Why Rocket Is The Most Likely Character To Die In Guardians of the Galaxy 3

Baby Groot on Rocket Racoon's shoulder in Guardians of the Galaxy Movie

Rocket is the most likely character to be killed off in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 for multiple reasons. Peter Quill, portrayed by Chris Pratt, serves as the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and since the actor is one of the biggest stars of the MCU, it's likely he'll hang around. The MCU recently lost prominent figures like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson, so surely wouldn't want to completely take Pratt out of the equation. Groot already suffered a death, so probably wouldn't be put through another. Similarily, Gamora was killed off, but Zoe Saldaña's character came back as a multiversal variant in Endgame.

Drax actor Dave Bautista has been outspoken about his intent to leave Marvel Studios following the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, so it's possible that multiple major characters could meet their ends. James Gunn has mentioned how he relates to Rocket more than any other character, and since trailers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 have confirmed that Rocket's backstory will be explored, it would make sense for the MCU to conclude his arc fully. In order to do so, Gunn will unfortunately need to kill off Rocket, which could be why he was so adamant about returning to the MCU to finish Rocket's story properly.

How Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Could Kill Off Rocket Raccoon

It's nearly impossible to predict how Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could kill off Rocket, but the trailers for the upcoming film could give audiences some ideas. Rocket would surely want to go out with a bang, metaphorically or even literally. Trailers reveal that the team is set to go head-to-head with the High Evolutionary and Will Poulter's Adam Warlock, two incredibly powerful characters who could easily decimate the Guardians. Rocket, being a pilot and a master in weapons, is always putting his life on the line, perhaps it would make sense that he sacrifice himself to protect his team as a way to bring his arc full-circle.

When viewers met Rocket, he was a selfish mercenary driven by incentives for his services. He may have cared about Groot, but that's about it — Rocket wasn't looking out for anyone but himself. If Rocket were to sacrifice himself for his team, the action would not only be heroic, but it would also indicate how much the character has developed since his first MCU appearance. Either way, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will certainly be the end of an era.