Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 just came out and it might be one of the best Marvel films yet. It’s just superb. The opening scene is probably the most brilliant one of any film ever in the history of all time and things. But beyond its amazing parameters is a larger narrative. What’s the relationship between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and the MCU as a whole? Well, it’s quite expansive.
GotG 2 poses a lot of questions that need answering and has profound implications for the MCU, even beyond Infinity War. That being said, this cosmic movie is surprisingly narrow in scope, so a lot of its connections to the larger MCU must be speculative in nature out of necessity. But most people enjoy predictions and speculations in certain doses concerning fantastical universes, like fan theories about Star Wars. To kill some time until Ragnarok arrives, let’s dive into those Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 MCU implications. There are, of course, spoilers ahead. You've been warned.
Ever since Nebula was first introduced in the Guardians of the Galaxy, she has expressed her burning desire to kill her adoptive father, Thanos. Her arc of redemption was predictable even then, but GotG Vol. 2 makes it abundantly clear. Her drive to kill Thanos is so absolute that it's a veritable certainty she will strike the definitive blow in Infinity War. Perhaps then, she'll officially join the Guardians for their third installment.
Ayesha Of The Sovereign Still Has A Big Role To Play
Photo: Marvel Studios
High Priestess Ayesha of The Sovereign is based on a character from the books, but given a new backstory in GotG Vol. 2. In the source material, she's an artificial creation of a group of mad scientists called the Enclave, who are also the creators of Adam Warlock (more on him in a moment).
Well, it seems Ayesha has maintained her connection to Adam, but now is given credit for being his creator. Adam is not a villain in the books - nor is Ayesha. In fact, her authority and actions are a bit comical in GotG 2, implying that her role isn't that of a world-wrecking bad guy. Whatever comes of her, she is the creator of perhaps the most important character in the MCU.
Adam Warlock becomes the possessor and guardian of the Soul Gem. In case you didn't know, the Soul Stone is the only remaining Infinity Stone yet to be introduced in the MCU. Now, supposedly, Adam Warlock will not appear until Guardians of the Galaxy 3, which will come out after Infinity War. However, it is generally known that Thanos is going to succeed in collecting all of the Infinity Stones, so Adam is going to acquire it from him in one way or another.
Will he possibly show up in Infinity War Part 2 despite reports to the contrary? Maybe. Or maybe he will receive the stone in Guardians 3 after being introduced as an antagonist of the Guardians. Ultimately, he is one of the most important beings in the Marvel Universe and is likely Thanos's nemesis. Perhaps Thanos will survive Infinity War and fans will get to see the two face off down the cosmic road.
Where is the Soul Stone? It still hasn't been introduced in the MCU. But Adam Warlock is now waiting in the weeds, the eventual guardian of the stone. The Soul Stone is the only sentient stone and contains within in it a universe called Soulworld, where Adam traps his most dangerous foes. Bold prediction: Thanos will ultimately be defeated by being trapped within Soulworld, after which Adam will take the Stone for safekeeping.
Howard the Duck makes another cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and he will definitely be seen again. Not only will he be in the next Guardians flick, but he will be the eventual savior of the entire Marvel Universe when he defeats Exitar the Executioner in the final Marvel movie, Avengers: The Celestial Ending. But none of this is real, so go ahead and ignore it. (But seriously, you'll see him again.)
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Peter's dad, Ego the Living Planet, is identified as a Celestial (which he's not in the books, but that's okay). The Celestials are a race of immortal cosmic giants of unrivaled power. They are essentially the judges of the universe. They've been alluded to before: the Collector's museum in GotG was in Knowhere, the severed head of a Celestial, and when the Collector explained the Infinity Stones' origins, fans saw a Celestial wielding the Power Stone to destroy a planet (who was very likely Exitar the Executioner).
At one point in GotG 2, Peter is bestowed with his father's power and says he sees "Eternity." There actually is a being in the books named Eternity, who essentially comprises the entire universe. He's not known as a Celestial in the books, but neither is Ego, so maybe this is just a subtle nod to the character, or maybe it's an allusion to a future in which Eternity exists as a Celestial. Either way, after Thanos is defeated, who could possibly take up the mantle of the big bad(s) in the MCU? The Celestials.
