James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy, one of the most acclaimed movies in the MCU, told the origin story of the titular team. Spacefaring ‘80s kid Peter Quill teams up with a talking tree, a gun-toting raccoon, an alien assassin, and a hulking mercenary who takes everything literally to save Xandar from the wrath of Ronan the Accuser.

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After the Guardians were assembled and became five of the MCU’s most beloved characters, they spent the rest of the Infinity Saga teaming up with such Marvel heroes as Thor, Iron Man, and Doctor Strange.

Nebula

Gamora hugs Nebula in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2

As an antihero sibling whose allegiances are constantly changing, Gamora’s adopted sister Nebula is like the Guardians’ own Loki. She betrayed them over and over again until she eventually became fully good-natured and joined the fight against Thanos.

Nebula became an official Avenger before becoming an official Guardian, because most of the Guardians were “dusted” by the Mad Titan, and in the five-year interim, the survivors folded into Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Nova Corps

Nova Prime in the Nova Corps HQ in Guardians of the Galaxy

The Guardians only meet after being arrested by Nova Corps and locked in the Kyln together. After they escape, they become five of Nova Corps’ most wanted fugitives. Ironically, what brings them together as a team is agreeing to help Nova Corps defend Xandar from Ronan.

They offer Nova Prime a plea deal: they’ll help them save Xandar to earn a clean slate and avoid more jail time. Convinced that Star-Lord is “not 100% a d*ck,” Nova Prime accepts the deal.

Iron Man, Doctor Strange, And Spider-Man

The Avengers fight Thanos on Titan in Infinity War

When the trailers for the first Guardians movie were released, it was unclear how these offbeat new characters would fit into the wider Avengers-verse, but they ended up being one of the best parts of Infinity War. They initially fight Iron Man, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man when they find them on Titan and assume they’re working for Thanos. When they realize they have the same enemy, they team up.

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This mini sub-Avengers unit makes a terrific team in the Battle of Titan, one of the MCU’s most spectacular sequences, as they combine their superpowers to protect the Time Stone from the Mad Titan. Quill is hilariously blunt with Tony Stark (who’s used to those interactions going the other way).

The Ravagers

Yondu and the Ravagers on their ship.

For the final battle of their first movie, the Guardians reluctantly teamed up with a rival band of pirates to take down a common enemy. The Ravagers are the ones who picked up Quill from Earth and kept him around instead of delivering him to Ego.

At the beginning of the first Guardians movie, Quill is on rocky terms with the Ravagers. But they eventually let bygones be bygones as they assemble a fleet to defend Xandar from Ronan and his armies.

Mantis

Mantis and Drax on Ego's planet

The second Guardians solo movie established that the team would gain a couple of new members in each sequel. In Vol. 2, Mantis joins the team. She’s introduced as a loyal servant of Ego, but eventually comes to recognize that Ego is malicious and dangerous.

If it wasn’t for Mantis, the Guardians might not have been successful in their battle against Ego – or even known the extent of his villainy. Mantis gladly gives the Guardians all the information that Ego wanted her to hide from them.

T’Challa

Star Lord T'Challa in What If Episode 9

Apart from joining forces for the Avengers’ last stand against Thanos, T’Challa and the Guardians of the Galaxy never officially teamed up in the “Sacred Timeline.” However, in an alternate What If...? timeline, T’Challa became the de facto leader of the Guardians in Quill’s place.

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T’Challa actually made a much better leader for the team than Quill. His guarding of the galaxy was a lot more effective and the name “Star-Lord” became much more legendary with the heir to the Wakandan throne under the mask.

Thor

Thor and the Guardians in Avengers Endgame

After the MCU’s incarnation of Thor was injected with a healthy dose of quirky Taika Waititi-ian humor in Thor: Ragnarok, he made a perfect addition to the Guardians of the Galaxy in Avengers: Infinity War.

Responding to a distress call from the Asgardians’ ship after it’s attacked by Thanos, the Guardians bump into an unconscious Thor drifting through space. Rocket and Groot accompany the God of Thunder to get his new weapon forged and they’re at his side for his glorious arrival in the Battle of Wakanda via the Bifrost.

Yondu

Yondu holding Quill's face in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol.2

The Ravagers mutiny against Yondu in the Guardians sequel when his emotional connection to Quill starts to soften him up. They lock him up with Rocket and Groot, with whom he develops an unlikely friendship ahead of the final battle. By the end of the movie, Yondu has accepted his responsibilities as a father and become a full-fledged Guardian of the Galaxy.

Throughout the movie, he forges a heartfelt bond with Rocket as he realizes they’re basically the same person, and makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Quill. As Quill’s biological father Ego explodes beneath them and Yondu allows himself to die so Quill can live, he tells his adopted son, “He may have been your father, boy, but he wasn’t your daddy.”

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