Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Guardians of the Galaxy #3
The Guardians of the Galaxy have always been a team of rogues, doing a bit of good and bad as they make their way across the galaxy. However, they're more than just a team: they're a family. Which means that a loss to that family is going to hurt more ,and cut deeper. With the death of Peter Quill in Guardians of Galaxy #2, the Guardians are going to have to figure out how to move on without him in the third issue, if they even can.
In Guardians series from Al Ewing and Juan Cabal, the earthly gods of Olympus have returned in Guardians of the Galaxy #1 but cosmically altered and prepared to sow war and destruction across the galaxy. Nova (Richard Ryder) seeks out the Guardians' help, but Gamora turns him away, feeling as though the Guardians have earned much-needed rest and time to recover. Regardless, Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon sneak off and leave to help Nova anyways. They are also joined by Marvel Boy, Phyla-Vell, and Moondragon. However, the resulting battle in Guardians of the Galaxy #2 was more than they bargained for, and Peter sacrifices himself so that they could all escape. He remote pilots the ship away from Olympus (so Rocket wouldn't go back for him) and detonates a bomb, blowing up Olympus with himself at its epicenter.
This tragically brings things to Guardians of the Galaxy #3, where Rocket must return to Halfworld alone, then tell the rest of his family that Peter is gone. As he exits the ship alone, the rest of the Guardians know what happened. Gamora knocks Rocket to the ground, taking out her anger and grief on him, telling him to leave and never come back. She says that he's dead to them now. With that, Rocket leaves, feeling guilty and heartbroken.
It's a tragic scene, made all the more tragic by having it come from the perspective of Groot. In the scene, he talks normally with regular English, while Rocket, Gamora, and Drax are limited to the three words of saying who they are: "I am Rocket. I am Gamora. I am Drax" Readers have to rely on the motions, facial expressions, and stylings of the characters' dialogue to understand what's going on. As it's a very emotionally charged and animated scene, it's not hard to understand. Even so, Gamora's words of rejection to Rocket are translated a few pages later.
With Star-Lord gone and Rocket being forced to leave the Guardians, Gamora takes on the mantle of leadership, resolving herself that the team will continue to guard the galaxy as Peter would have wanted. Meanwhile, Blackjack O'Hare has been hired to kill Rocket, so it seems as though fans will still be seeing plenty of the character despite him no longer being with the Guardians. Who knows? It's possible that the Gods of Olympus could have survived along with Star-Lord. The Guardians could all reunite. Superheroes and superhero teams don't stay dead and broken for long. Fans will just have to wait and see as the latest Guardians of the Galaxy series continues.
Guardians of the Galaxy #3 is on comic book store shelves now.