James Gunn shares test footage of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’s’ coolest new critter

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is officially in theaters, and while you’ll likely shed a tear as our favorite intergalactic heroes set off to face their most brutal enemy yet; there’s also a piece of your heart that will grow larger in love.

Not only are we going on another grand adventure with our favorite group of vagabonds, but we’re also opening up a tightly guarded piece of Rocket’s past, one he kept close to his chest for many reasons. Fans knew that Rocket Raccoon had a tragic backstory, one that was not just terribly unfair but absolutely brutal. Lucky for audiences, we don’t see too much of it — but there’s still enough there to ensure that we realize much of his life was surrounded by pain, and the most undeserving kind.

Another character who faces tragedy and still has faith in the good of the world, somehow, is the girl who saw Rocket when he was still 89P13 — Lylla. James Gunn shared a video with test footage of the galaxy’s number one otter, and it’s got to be the sweetest thing we’ve seen in a long time. Lylla, like Rocket and their other two pals, was one of the animals The High Evolutionary used in his experiments in pursuit of making the perfect species. While the sweet creatures may not have been perfect in his eyes, they certainly are in ours.

Before you scroll through the comments under the video, we recommend staying away unless you’ve already seen the film or you aren’t fussed about spoilers. We’re not giving any away here, but we noticed some shortly after watching the clip.

The High Evolutionary was a deeply depraved evil, so it’s no surprise that he didn’t see the most magical thing taking place in front of him – the fact that no matter the torment these sweet animals went through, they still hoped for more. They dreamed of days under the sky, fresh air, and open space. That trumps a perfect species; it’s better than whatever false world he was attempting to worship.

Of course, what would have been even better was The High Evolutionary ceasing to exist at all, but when you talk about takeaways from a film like this, that’s the one. In his attempt to attain perfection, he lost everything and the life forms he saw as less than; they found love and companionship, things far more meaningful than a facade of flawlessness.

You can see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in theaters now, and as we’ve said a million times, you won’t want to go into the theater without tissues.