Movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are always filled with Easter eggs, references, and shout-outs, and Guardians Of The Galaxy was no different. Fans are still combing the film for any hidden trivia they might have missed. They hadn't even found everything by the time the sequel came out, and it was time to begin the hunt all over again.
Like its predecessor, Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 is full of little details that only those with keen eyes will have found. For the rest of us, there are articles like this breaking down some of the bigger secrets in Guardians 2.
The Original Guardians
In Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2, Sylvester Stallone has a small role as Stakar Ogord, the leader of a Ravager faction that Yondu used to belong to. During the film's credits, he is seen reuniting with a group of Ravager captains. To most viewers, these are just random characters, but fans of the comic will know better.
Stakar's team is a reference to the original Guardians of the Galaxy in the comics. There they were a group of superpowered warriors who protected the galaxy from the threat of an alien race called the Badoon. Yondu was also a member of the original team in the comics.
Adam Warlock
Much of the conflict in the film revolves around an alien race called the Sovereign, who the Guardians do a job for early in the movie. When things go sour, she sends a drone fleet after them in retaliation. At the end of the film, her plans have come to naught, and she is seen next to a golden birthing pod whose occupant she names Adam.
In the comics, Adam Warlock was created by a group known as the Enclave and played a pivotal role in the Infinity War. It remains unseen what role he will play in the MCU.
The Watchers
Stan Lee made a cameo in every MCU movie that was released until his death in 2018. His appearances were one of the things fans looked forward to the most in each movie. Naturally, he shows up in Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 but this time in the company of some interesting guests.
The tall, pale aliens listening to Lee's character are known as The Watchers. In the comics, they are one of the oldest species in the universe. Their culture is dedicated to observing and gather information on everything in existence without interfering in events. Will they show up again? Who knows?
The Grandmaster Appears
The Grandmaster (Jeff Goldbum) was one of the most memorable characters in Thor: Ragnarok. Delightfully unhinged, and willing to kill anyone who disappoints him, he's a treat in every scene he's in. But this was not the psychotic gamemaster's first appearance. No, he first appears during the credits for Guardians 2.
His cameo is so small that one could easily miss it, but during the end credits a little circle pops up with the Grandmaster dancing to the music. Why is he there? How did he get there? Does this have any relevance to the events of the movie? Probably not, but it sure is funny.
Baby Groot's Secret
For a character who could only speak three words, Groot was one of the breakout characters from the first film. His sacrifice during its final battle was one of the most emotional in the series. Many people assumed that the sapling that appears in Rocket's care at the end was some form of reincarnation. Sadly, this is not the case.
Rather than being the original Groot regrowing himself from near death, Baby Groot is the first Groot's son. On the one hand, this is sad because it means the Groot from the first movie is truly gone. But its also heartwarming on another level, as it means he trusted Rocket to look after his kid.
Quill's Grandfather
You have to feel sorry for the unnamed Grandfather of Peter Quill. On the same day that he loses his daughter to cancer, his grandson is abducted by aliens. That's a lot of tragedy to befall one man throughout a single night. Sadly, it seems that fate is not yet done messing with the poor man either.
As Ego begins to absorb all the planets that he had visited over the years, Quill's Grandfather is right at ground zero when one of the seedlings begins to expand. His car is nearly consumed, but he is saved when Peter triumphs over his father.
A Glimpse Of Eternity?
At the climax of the film, Ego manipulates Peter's mind intending to get him to join the Celestial in his quest for universal conquest. During this, Peter whispers one word, "Eternity." While he could be referring to the concept, some fans have speculated that there is more to this utterance than meets the eye.
In the comics, Eternity is a sentient force of creation. It is first encountered by Doctor Strange, who advises on how to defeat Baron Mordo. Could Peter be referring to this cosmic entity when he says Eternity? Perhaps, or perhaps not, but it is an interesting theory.
Howard's Return
In the post-credits scene in Guardians Of The Galaxy, The Collector is licking his wounds after the destruction of his hideout. During the scene, a raspy voice asks him why he lets a dog lick him in the face. Then the scene cuts to and a duck-like creature who fans will recognize as Howard the Duck.
In what seems to be becoming a series tradition, Howard makes another appearance early on in Guardians 2. Here he is seen partying with the Ravagers on Contraxia. During the scene he makes a crude attempt at propositioning a woman, saying, "You know what they say, you're outta luck until you've gone duck!"
Stan Lee The Watcher?
As mentioned earlier, Stan Lee is seen in the presence of an ancient alien race known as The Watchers during the credits of the movie. But what might seem like a one-off gag may be hinting at the character's true nature. During the scene, he mentions having once been a Fed-Ex worker. The same Fed-Ex worker who appeared in Captain America: Civil War.
So is it possible that all of the Stan Lee cameos are all the same character, appearing in different periods and even different galaxies? According to Marvel boss Kevin Feige, that is exactly the case.
Korg?
It turns out that The Grandmaster may not have been the only character from Thor: Ragnarok to make his first appearance in Guardians Of The Galaxy 2. During the space-jump scene, two members of the rock-like species known as the Kronan can be seen as having it out.
Another Kronan named Korg would later show up in Ragnarok as a gladiator forced into service for The Grandmaster's amusement. Could one of these living slabs of stone be the very same Korg that would later appear in Ragnarok? So far it remains unconfirmed, but given the MCU's keen eye for detail, it seems possible.