The Guardians of the Galaxy will next appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and the team's roster will be somewhat different in that movie compared to previous installments due to events prior to and during MCU Phase 4. Since the team's introduction in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, there have been a few changes to the titular lineup. The majority of these came in the first sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, yet events in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame have since forced more changes to the roster that will be seen in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the rest of Phase 4.
Outside of the Guardians of the Galaxy's Thor: Love and Thunder appearance, the team hasn't been seen much since Avengers: Endgame and the return of the many blipped heroes. However, that brief appearance offered the first official look at the team's roster in MCU Phase 4 after the events of Thanos's attempted destruction of Earth. One big change worth noting that took place between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and the Guardians in Phase 4 was the death of Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War, meaning she doesn't have a place on the team's roster in the Thor sequel.
Given the introduction of an alternate-universe version of the character in Avengers: Endgame, plus confirmation of an appearance of Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, could mean a return to the lineup. Until then, the roster remains largely the same as it was through the first two movies and the Avengers films. Still, Thor: Love and Thunder, as well as the overwhelming amount of projects in MCU Phase 4, may have led to some confusion regarding the team. Therefore, here is every official member of the Guardians of the Galaxy in Phase 4, plus their brief MCU histories, leading into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2023.
Peter Quill/Star-Lord
Chris Pratt's Peter Quill, a.k.a. Star-Lord, is the main character of the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Introduced as a child in Missouri in the 1980s, Quill was abducted from Earth by Yondu and the Ravagers on the orders of his father, Ego the Living Planet, shortly after the death of Quill's mother. Rather than deliver Quill to his father as instructed, Yondu and the Ravagers saw a use for Quill and trained him, leading to him donning the outlaw name Star-Lord many years later. Upon Quill finding an Infinity Stone, kickstarting the events of Guardians of the Galaxy, he came across his teammates, forming the titular team for the first time. They then defeated Ronan the Accuser and Ego before helping to defeat Thanos and save the universe.
In Phase 4, including Thor: Love and Thunder, Quill is still shown as part of the Guardians team. This was only natural, given both Chris Pratt's star quality and the character's natural leadership of this version of the team. It is safe to assume that this dynamic will be continued in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, having Quill still lead his family through the universe on what is said by writer-director James Gunn to be the Guardians' last adventure.
Drax the Destroyer
Drax the Destroyer, played by Dave Bautista, is another mainstay of the original team from Guardians of the Galaxy. Drax initially met Peter Quill in the Kyln, an interstellar prison run by the Nova Corps. Initially, Drax wanted to murder Gamora, as she was working for Ronan, who murdered Drax's wife and child. Eventually, though, upon Gamora agreeing to help Quill defeat Ronan, Drax became friends with the two, as well as the other initial members of the Guardians. Like Quill, Drax defeated threats such as Ronan, Ego, and Thanos, with the first and third avenging his family's deaths. Drax is also part of Phase 4's Guardians team, as shown in Thor: Love and Thunder, with Bautista continuing his role again in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Rocket Raccoon
Another of the initial Guardians from Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket Raccoon, voiced by Bradley Cooper, first encountered Peter Quill by attempting to fetch the bounty on the latter's head placed by Yondu. However, Rocket failed and was arrested alongside Quill, upon which both were transferred to the Kyln, where they encountered Drax and Gamora. Rocket, however, was exceedingly optimistic that he would escape the Kyln, given his boasts that he had escaped 22 different prisons in the past. This optimism was proven not to be misplaced, as Rocket's plan was instrumental in breaking the fledgling Guardians out of prison so that they could sell the Power Stone to the Collector.
Upon failing to do so, Rocket assisted Quill in retrieving the Infinity Stone from Ronan, saving the galaxy. However, unlike Drax, Gamora, and Quill, who formed close bonds together, Rocket was much more distant from everyone — barring his partner Groot and his later friendship with Thor — for fear of attachment. Following a conversation with Yondu, though, Rocket learned to open up to his team more. He went on to become a temporary Avenger during the five-year blip, being one of only two Guardians who wasn't lost to Thanos's snap. He was instrumental in the time heist of Avengers: Endgame and helped save not only the universe but the family he lost in Avengers: Infinity War. Rocket is also a part of Phase 4's Guardians in Thor: Love and Thunder and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Groot
Groot, voiced by Vin Diesel, is Rocket Raccoon's partner and was at his side throughout the entirety of Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. However, Groot sacrificed himself for his new family at the end of the first movie, before being grown anew by Rocket. Groot's growth was then shown from baby Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy 2, to the teenage Groot featured in Avengers: Infinity War. In the latter, Groot helped to try and defeat Thanos by sacrificing his arm to create Stormbreaker, Thor's new weapon, before being turned to dust by Thanos. Upon being saved in Avengers: Endgame, Groot retook his place at Rocket's side and rejoined the Guardians, as shown in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Nebula
Nebula, played by Karen Gillan, is the first character on this list not to be an initial member of the Guardians from the original Guardians of the Galaxy. At first, Nebula, the sister of Gamora, was a villain who sided with Ronan the Accuser on the orders of her father Thanos. As revealed in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, much of Nebula's resentment towards Gamora (and Thanos) and her opposition of the latter in the first Guardians movie, came from her desire for a true sister and Gamora's neglection of this in order to impress Thanos. After this revelation, Gamora and Nebula reconciled before the latter set out to kill Thanos herself.
Nebula then reunited with the other members of the Guardians on Titan during Avengers: Infinity War, and helped to fight Thanos. She was the other Guardians member, alongside Rocket, shown to survive Thanos's snap and also help the Avengers during the events of Endgame. In the process, Nebula was forced to kill a past version of herself still hellbent on proving her worth to Thanos. Upon doing this, she was reunited with the past version of her sister Gamora before going off with the Guardians to be seen in Thor: Love and Thunder and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Mantis
Mantis, initially intended to be Star Lord's sister, was introduced as a member of the team in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Portrayed by Pom Klementieff, Mantis was introduced as Ego's servant rather than his daughter. As she has empathic abilities, she was used by Ego to help him sleep. Upon forming a close bond with Drax, however, Mantis alerted the Guardians to Ego's evil plan and assisted the team in defeating him. Mantis then joined the Guardians, as they became her first true familial, and social, connections outside of Ego. Mantis joined the Guardians in their quest to defeat Thanos and was dusted in the process in Avengers: Infinity War. Her new family members Rocket and Nebula, with the aid of the Avengers, brought Quill, Drax, Groot, and Mantis back, where they were all seen as still a part of the Guardians alongside Thor in Phase 4's Thor: Love and Thunder.
Kraglin
Kraglin is the most recent member to join the Guardians of the Galaxy. Played by Sean Gunn, the character has been part of the Guardians films since the beginning, but he was initially introduced as Yondu's right-hand man and a member of the Ravagers. Upon Yondu's death in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Kraglin took Yondu's control fin and arrow and began practicing with the weapon alongside the Guardians on their ship. However, Kraglin wasn't present throughout Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. This was confirmed by James Gunn to be part of Kraglin's story in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 after Thor 4. These comments and his appearance alongside the Guardians in Thor: Love and Thunder confirm Kraglin is part of the team in MCU Phase 4.
While not a lot is known about the story of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 so far, the release date of the film isn't far off. With the third and apparently final Guardians film scheduled for release in May 2023, it is safe to say Marvel fans will know more very soon. For now, it is clear that the above members are Phase 4's roster for the team going into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, with the potential for old members, such as Gamora, to resurface as well.
