Before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 released in theaters, all the promotional material seemed to suggest a new love interest for Rocket Raccoon, who had become the trilogy’s central focus. Some quick Google searches confirmed the mystery mammal to be Lylla, an otter who Rocket meets at the High Evolutionary’s experimental compound, also undergoing the same horrific modifications as other test subjects — the lovable walrus Teefs and unusual rabbit Floor. We would soon discover that Rocket and Lylla’s relationship bordered on romantic, but majorly blossomed from a sense of mutual understanding and belonging. But that leads us to wonder if Rocket ever had a girlfriend as chronicled in Marvel Comics.
That curiosity gap is bridged easily enough. In the comics, Lylla is also Rocket’s girlfriend. She meets the defender of Halfworld through her Uncle Wal Rus, and they become romantically entangled. During the Rocket Raccoon comic series, and Rocket’s return to the Marvel Universe in the ongoing Guardians of the Galaxy comics, we discover that he and Lylla split prior to him meeting Groot and joining his fellow Guardians in Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, and eventually Mantis and Nebula. Rocket eventually learns that Lylla had moved on to marry an anthropomorphic rabbit named Blackjack O’Hare. He would soon learn that many of his memories with Lylla were implanted, leading to immense doubt as to whether he and Lylla were truly soulmates after all.
But fear not, Rocket didn’t stay lonely for long. In the crossover comic Guardians of the Galaxy & X-Men: Black Vortex Omega Vol 1, Rocket Raccoon teams up with X-Men’s Storm, soon to find out that the latter has a crush on him. We won’t judge Storm for her questionable choice in boyfriends, but we will cast some bombastic side-eye from afar. Since we had to see Storm flirting with Rocket post-mission, now you have to as well.
Honestly, we can’t really tell if Storm is serious or just trying to rile Rocket up and get a reaction out of him, but judging by the fierce blush covering her cheeks, we’ll go with the former. Let’s not even explore the specifics of how those two would procreate. Gross. And apparently, TikTok agrees with us. However, as disgusting and unethical as it is, Rocket doesn’t seem to object to the idea, so there might be a bit of Rocket x Storm action later down the MCU line.
Since X-Men is already in the early stages of development and the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy wrapped recently, it looks like Rocket’s schedule is clear. What better time for him to get over Lylla (too soon?) than to go on a date with Storm and make every single viewer cringe simultaneously? Well, this is the MCU after all, and stranger things have happened. Personally, I’d be all for it, but don’t start canceling me just yet. No one wants to see a mutant and an anthropomorphic raccoon go at it, but wouldn’t it be downright hilarious to see the awkward “dating” stage? I’m not saying it should happen, I’m just saying I wouldn’t be totally opposed to the concept.
If Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver can be an item (yes, they’re siblings) in a comic series that received so much backlash that it was cut from the Marvel canon, a little Rocket and Storm get-together wouldn’t hurt anyone.
