We know that Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn contributed to the script for Avengers: Infinity War, touching up some of the dialogue for the characters he helped make so popular and also coming up with the idea for the odd moment between them. It turns out he also altered a pretty important scene in the movie, though, along with his leading man Chris Pratt.
Infinity War screenwriters Stephen McFeely and Christopher Markus spoke to BuzzFeed recently and revealed that Gunn and Pratt campaigned to change something that Star-Lord did, or rather didn’t do, in the film. Specifically, they wanted him to attempt to kill his girlfriend Gamora. It sounds more noble in context, trust us.
Knowing that Thanos will eventually get the location of the Soul Stone out of her, Gamora makes Peter Quill promise that he’ll kill her before her adoptive father can get his hands on her, thereby putting the fate of the universe at risk. He tearfully agrees and when the time comes to live up to his promise, as they encounter the Mad Titan on Knowhere, Quill struggles to go through with it. He does eventually pull the trigger though, only for his blaster to fire bubbles, thanks to Thanos’ tampering with reality.
In the original script, however, Peter wasn’t able to do the deed. Gunn and Pratt insisted he pull the trigger though and McFeely and Markus came up with the alternate idea of Thanos having some fun with the Reality Stone. McFeely explained that he’s glad that this moment was changed, as it brings into focus a recurring theme throughout the movie.
“The more I think about it, the better it is that it got changed. Thanos has that same choice later [to kill Gamora], and he chooses to do it and succeeds,” McFeely said. “Wanda has that same choice later [with Vision]. A lot of characters have really tough choices to make.”
The two Guardians custodians were right to suggest this change. The moment shows that, however painful it is for him, Peter’s brave and respectful enough to do as Gamora wishes. In contrast, a later scene in Avengers: Infinity War which sees Quill impulsively attack Thanos has been criticized by fans for painting him as a bit dumb and hot-headed. We wonder what Pratt and Gunn thought of that moment…