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- The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special checked in with Star-Lord and the other beloved members of the interstellar crew. The Disney+ special also offered another opportunity for live-action to delve further into Star-Lord's comic book roots. Star-Lord played a key role in 2015's Secret Wars crossover event, which more than likely influences the upcoming movie. His adventures in the multiverse could chart his future course in the next few years, especially with The Multiverse Saga unfolding across time and space in live-action.
T'Challa becomes Star-Lord in the What If..? animated series, providing fans with an intriguing new perspective on the character. Though no such analog exists in Marvel Comics, fans know that the character's history is rich and complex, holding many possible clues to the character's future both in live-action and animated entries in the MCU.
Star-Lord took a long and circuitous route to becoming an icon in the Marvel Universe, debuting in a magazine before transitioning into the comics proper. He only joined the Guardians of the Galaxy in the 21st century, leading to his meteoric rise in stature. But much more exists in the comics for the MCU to explore beyond his recent adventures.
Updated November 30, 2022, by Darby Harn:
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special checked in with Star-Lord and the other beloved members of the interstellar crew. The Disney+ special also offered another opportunity for live-action to delve further into Star-Lord's comic book roots. Star-Lord played a key role in 2015's Secret Wars crossover event, which more than likely influences the upcoming movie. His adventures in the multiverse could chart his future course in the next few years, especially with The Multiverse Saga unfolding across time and space in live-action.
He Started As A Space Cop
Star-Lord made his debut in the comics in Marvel Preview #4 in 1976, a magazine format comic book popular at the time. His first story presented him as essentially an intergalactic police officer who would go on a cosmic journey as envisioned by writer and co-creator Steve Englehart. That didn't happen, as Englehart left the title fairly quickly.
Comic book fans know the Guardians of the Galaxy shared no connection with Star-Lord originally. The original Guardians team debuted in 1969 in Marvel Super-Heroes #18. The character would not become associated with them until their reboot in Marvel continuity in the early 2000s.
His Father Isn't Ego
Ego the Living Planet counts among the most powerful Marvel cosmic beings and in the MCU, Peter Quill's father. In the comics, that's not the case. Quill still comes from power, though, as his father is an alien man named J'Son of Spartax. He served as the Emperor of the Spartoi Empire, a major intergalactic power akin to the Shi'ar.
J'Son crash-landed on Earth on his way back home and fell in love with Meredith Quill. He eventually left her and his son to return to his empire, which at the time was at war with the Kree.
He Is Far More Competent
Peter Quill stands among the most powerful heroes in the MCU, but he's often presented as somewhat immature and impulsive. The Star-Lord in the comics proves far more competent. Not only does he rate alongside the best martial artists in Marvel Comics, but he's also a brilliant tactician and strategist.
His special space suit also benefits him with superhuman strength and endurance, making him far more powerful than the live-action version, at least on the surface. The MCU version inherited some cosmic power from his father, Ego, though.
Master Of The Sun
Star-Lord gains vast power in the comics after fighting the Dark Olympians, becoming the Master of the Sun. The Dark Olympians include the most powerful Olympian gods in Marvel Comics and after Quill destroys a black hole they intended to unleash on innocents, he siphons their god-like power.
Quill uses this power to incredible effect, fighting Knull the Symbiote God and his infinite symbiote army when they invaded Earth in the King In Black crossover event. With Quill's cosmic potential in the MCU, it's possible that live-action explores this comic storyline.
The New Guardians Of The Galaxy
In the movies, Star-Lord helps form the Guardians of the Galaxy. In the comics, the team existed long before he ever became associated with them. He only joined the team in 2008 when the Guardians were reimagined after the epic Annihilation crossover event, which featured Annihilus invading from The Negative Zone.
The original team existed in what would become a dark, alternate future timeline in the comics and featured a different roster including Yondu, Vance Astro, and Charlie-27. The new team exists within Earth-616, the main Marvel Universe.
Secret Wars
Star-Lord significantly factors into the 2015 Secret Wars, among the most important Marvel Comics events. He counts among the few survivors after an incursion destroys Earth-616, the main Marvel Universe in the comics. He escapes along with other heroes including Mr. Fantastic, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel, and others in a life raft.
Doctor Strange scatters the heroes once they arrive, throwing them into harrowing adventures that the MCU likely explores to some degree given where the franchise is headed in Phases 5 and 6.
He Once Impersonated Steve Rogers
During another major Marvel crossover event, 2015's Secret Wars, Star-Lord impersonated Steve Rogers for a time. Peter Quill takes up Steve Rogers' persona to hide from God Emperor Doom, who rules Battlworld, the only surviving reality left in the multiverse.
While on Battleworld, Star-Lord faced off against a powerful Kitty Pryde variant from the Age of Apocalypse dystopian timeline. He also played an important role in Doom's ultimate defeat, allowing the multiverse to be reborn.
He Plays A Big Role In Civil War II
During the Civil War II crossover, Star-Lord and the Guardians of the Galaxy played a vital role. Captain Marvel enlisted them in her fight against Iron Man and his supporters over whether to preemptively knock out superhuman threats.
The team arrives as a backup for Captain Marvel's forces when they're outnumbered and outgunned by Iron Man. This storyline could have bearing on the MCU if it's adapted for the screen, though the exact circumstances would have to be different.
He Got Engaged To Kitty Pryde
MCU fans know Gamora is Star-Lord's chief romantic interest in the movies, but he got engaged to Kitty Pryde for a long period in Marvel Comics. Their long-distance relationship eventually led her to join him out in space and join the Guardians, potentially signaling future MCU developments depending on how Pryde is introduced.
The two remained together until the cataclysmic events that occur in Civil War II. As the story ends, Kitty finds out that Star-Lord knew Thanos was alive and imprisoned on Earth, but lied about it. Before this, everyone believed Thanos was dead.
Star-Lady
When Peter Quill assumes the Spartoi throne in place of his father, he has to leave the Guardians of the Galaxy behind. In his place, Kitty takes on the name Star-Lord and leads the team. This development somewhat prefigures her role as a pirate in the current Marauders run in X-Men comics, where Kitty leads a roguish mutant squad.
The team gets stranded on Earth after Civil War II after their ship is destroyed. When it's repaired, Kitty decides to stay home, yielding the title and leadership of the team back to Peter Quill.
Gamora Took Up The Mantle After He Died
Another powerful Marvel superhero took up the Star-Lord mantle after Quill died. Gamora adopted the name after his death in Earth-TRN42. This alternate reality unfolded in the 100th Anniversary Special - Guardians of the Galaxy #1 from 2014. Gamora wears the mask and signature jacket Quill once did.
This Star-Lord variant potentially appears in live-action or possibly animation given that The Multiverse Saga likely introduces numerous takes on iconic characters in the next few years.
He Merged With Groot
Gamora captures the Infinity Stones in 2018's Infinity Wars crossover event, leading her to warp reality. This warps numerous heroes together, including Star-Lord and Groot. The two Guardians merge into Peet, who made his debut in Infinity Wars #5.
The character exists in a pocket reality created by Gamora's using the Infinity Stones. He leaves this reality and joins in the final battle when Emma Frost, among the best X-Men villains, telepathically calls him to join the fight.
He Almost Died In Infinity Wars
The Earth-616 Star-Lord almost died in Infinity Wars when Gamora impaled him with her sword. Gamora's obsession to retrieve the Soul Stone, which contains the Soul World, led to a devastating sequence where she betrays the Guardians and attacks her friends. Doctor Strange saves Quill before he dies.
Star-Lord harbors no anger toward Gamora, though. He saves her life in the final battle, rescuing her from Devondra, a cosmic being who corrupted the Soul World and promoted Gamora's rash actions.
His Ship's Name Is Just 'Ship'
The Guardians of the Galaxy use a ship called the Milano in the movies (and later, the Benatar). In the comics, Star-Lord's ship is just 'Ship.' Comic book fans know Ship is actually a lifeform that has chosen to become a spaceship, but she can become any object she wishes to.
Star-Lord shares a telepathic link to the ship, giving them an added advantage in the many dangerous situations they face. Ship got destroyed a few times in the comics but can reform since she exists primarily only as consciousness.
Old Man Quill
The T'Challa Star-Lord may not be the only alternate reality version fans see in the MCU multiverse. Old Man Quill hails from the same universe as Old Man Logan and Old Man Hawkeye, where most superheroes died, and the Earth became a devastated wasteland ruled by the worst villains.
In this reality, Quill reigns as Emperor of Spartax. The Universal Church of Truth, formed by Adam Warlock, destroyed his entire world and family. The Guardians of the Galaxy join him on a mission to Earth to get revenge on the church for his people's destruction.