Guardians of the Galaxy
Movie, 2014, Phase 2, Set in 2014
Guardians of the Galaxy is #10 of 69 in release order and #12 of 69 in chronological order in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The story
Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser.
Guardians of the Galaxy recap
In 1988, young Peter Quill's mother dies and he is abducted from Earth by Ravagers led by Yondu. Twenty-six years later, Quill steals an orb on the planet Morag that Ronan the Accuser, a Kree fanatic working for Thanos, wants. Gamora, Thanos's adopted daughter, is sent to take it, while bounty hunters Rocket and Groot want the price on Quill's head. All four are arrested on Xandar and meet Drax, who wants Ronan dead for killing his family. They break out of prison together and take the orb to the Collector on Knowhere, who reveals it holds an Infinity Stone, the Power Stone. A drunken Drax calls Ronan to Knowhere, and Ronan takes the stone, sets it in his hammer and heads for Xandar to destroy it.
Guardians of the Galaxy ending explained
The Guardians attack Ronan's ship with the Ravagers and the Nova Corps. When it crashes, Groot wraps the others in his branches and dies saving them. Quill grabs the stone, and the team shares its power to survive and destroy Ronan. Quill hands Yondu a fake orb and gives the real stone to the Nova Corps. He opens his mother's last present, a second mixtape, and learns his father is not human. A cutting from Groot grows into a sapling.
Post-credits scenes
Yes. In the mid-credits scene, the regrowing baby Groot dances in a pot while Drax watches. In the post-credits scene, the Collector sits in his wrecked museum with Cosmo the space dog and Howard the Duck.
Where to watch Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy is streaming on Disney+ in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 8.0/10, Rotten Tomatoes 91%
Where it fits
- Release order: after Captain America: The Winter Soldier, before Marvel's Daredevil.
- Chronological order: after Captain America: The Winter Soldier, before Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
What to watch before Guardians of the Galaxy
In release order, 8 Marvel Cinematic Universe essentials come before Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), from Iron Man (2008) to Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).
Cast
- Chris Pratt as Peter Quill
- Zoe Saldaña as Gamora
- Dave Bautista as Drax
- Vin Diesel as Groot (voice)
- Bradley Cooper as Rocket (voice)
- Lee Pace as Ronan
- Michael Rooker as Yondu Udonta
- Karen Gillan as Nebula
- Djimon Hounsou as Korath
- John C. Reilly as Corpsman Dey
- Glenn Close as Nova Prime
- Benicio del Toro as The Collector
Directed by James Gunn.