A decade in, and a ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ veteran is still discovering new things about their character

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is closing in at warp speed, and it’s safe to say that we’ll be seeing Marvel’s favorite found family in a way we’ve never seen them before.

With top-of-the-line emotional stakes, impending mortality, and Vol. 3 being the capstone of one of the MCU’s best trilogies, we’ll surely be seeing brand new sides of the Guardians come this weekend (and we’re not just talking about Groot’s newfound gains).

Apparently, we’re not the only ones witnessing brand new layers of these beloved misfits; the very people who fill their shoes have fielded the task of learning their characters for the last decade now, and even with the end in sight, the job’s not done yet.

In an interview with ComicBook, Guardians regular Sean Gunn opened up on the lifelong learning job that comes with portraying one of the Guardians, noting how his arc – which has taken him from sidekick to superhero – continues to evolve in Vol. 3 as he etches a place for himself in the Guardians roster.

“I think that that’s kind of part of the gig, is that you have to take in what he’s taking in. And Kraglin’s been on a hell of a ride. From being the sidekick in the first movie to the second movie, he has such an emotional journey, and all his friends are killed, essentially, and he’s adrift, just like the Guardians have been adrift. And in the third movie, he’s finding his place within the family, within the Guardians family. And being able to sort of experience that firsthand, it’s such a cool part of my job and being able to relate to it.”

Indeed, with Kraglin now being a fully-fledged member of the Guardians, complete with his inheritance of Yondu’s arrow, audiences will get to see Gunn’s ex-Ravager in a particularly intriguing new light. Given his history with Star-Lord, with whom he goes further back then any other current Guardians member does, exactly how he gels with the team and subsequently finds his role within it could end up being a dark horse point of interest for the film.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will release to theaters on May 5.