James Gunn has confirmed that when he kills a character, they stay dead - and that includes both Yondu and the original Groot. Both of Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy films have been defined by certain hallmarks. Raucous opening credits sequences, killer soundtracks, and a healthy blend of irreverent humor, cosmic action, and lots of heart are all par for the course.
Both of Gunn's Marvel films have also featured pivotal moments where a character dies to save the rest of the team, with Groot sacrificing himself in the first movie and Yondu following suit in this year's sequel. However, given that both Guardians movies are comic book adaptations, fans have wondered whether these characters are going to stay dead too (something that comic book characters tend not to do). While Gunn had previously made it clear that Baby Groot is a different character from the Groot who died in the first Guardians film, he has now decided to set the record straight on Yondu as well.
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Gunn took to his Facebook to make clear where both Groot and Yondu stand in the MCU, after taking criticism on his Twitter when he complained about characters being resurrected. For Gunn, the occasional revival from the dead is fine, especially if it's clever or narratively consistent. He does, however, balk at the idea of cheapening an emotional death by immediately bringing the character back. So when it comes to Yondu, it looks like we won't be seeing him anytime soon:
"Although it is always possible to see Yondu in flashback or prequel, I personally will never bring him back to life in present time because it would nullify his sacrifice and the love from father to son that affects me so much personally as well as others all around the world. One of the reasons that Yondu is the most popular character from the second film is BECAUSE of this sacrifice, and the idea of bringing him back in Vol. 3 or 4 or on the Yondu Netflix series because he sells a lot of Funko Pops horrifies and sickens me. Like I said, I hate it. And I'll never do it."
Gunn's mention of flashbacks and prequels is interesting here. We've heard rumors that Yondu will be back in Avengers: Infinity War, which seems like the sort of cheap and immediate negation that Gunn was railing against. Of course, with the power of the Infinity Stones, there are all manner of ways that Yondu could appear without truly being back from the dead.
In the meantime, we've know that future Marvel films will spin out of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Considering the original Ravagers that were set up in this year's sequel, it's not hard to imagine a future Guardians film exploring Yondu's past with the group as they reform down the line. For now, however, Yondu looks to truly be gone from the MCU.
NEXT: Guardians of the Galaxy 3 is Marvel's Future
Source: James Gunn
