Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
By now, MCU has confirmed that it ain’t a big fan of love stories, seeing that it has hardly let any of its romances live long. But Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has sadly confirmed that dooming love isn’t its only toxic hobby.
Vol. 3 had a lot resting on its shoulders and safe to say, it has managed to do all of that while exceeding expectations in the process. But outlining all the good the MCU is still capable of (despite the trash train Phase Four has been) and adding a fresh batch to the last two films’ forgotten starry cameos (including Miley Cyrus!) isn’t the only thing James Gunn’s swan song does — it also highlights the trend Marvel trilogies have going on that the never-ending dose of heartbreaks in Vol. 3 have finally pushed into the spotlight.
This is the third film of the Guardians’ chaotic intergalactic adventures and despite surviving against all odds and emerging victorious against an all-powerful villain, the team disbands with Star-Lord leaving to reconcile with his grandfather on Earth, Mantis heading out to find her roots, and Gamora rejoining the Ravagers (after sharing looks full of longing with Quill, but evidently, even Gunn can’t bypass MCU’s no-love-survives-here rule).
Rocket is left as the Guardian’s leader — as if there was ever any doubt — while Gamora and Drax get busy with settling everyone they rescued on Knowhere. But we also know that Dave Bautista and Zoe Saldana have no plans of ever reprising their roles.
That is one morbid third film, if you ask us, and as one repeatedly-betrayed MCU fan pointed out, this is not the first time it has happened.
As rightfully pointed out in the tweet, Captain America: Civil War saw the Avengers choosing sides, only to go their different ways by the end of the film — the very team that had weathered multiple threats and saved Earth together was no longer a single unit. Spider-Man: No Way Home left the superhero without his friends, his family, and well, his identity and existence as Peter Parker.
But these are not the only examples. Avengers: Infinity War ended with half the characters disappearing into dust. And well, Quantumania cost Scott Lang what little faith the MCU fandom had left in him.
Is it the trilogy curse or does the Marvel universe like reveling in its self-created sadist bubble? Who knows, but we are definitely going to be extra wary of future MCU trilogies.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is in theaters.
