Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 includes plenty of Easter eggs, MCU references, comic connections, cameos, and more. Here is a full breakdown of them.
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3!
James Gunn packs Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 with Easter eggs and references to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s past, its future, and the comics. The second film of Phase 5 is the long-awaited conclusion of James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. Thanks to the writer/director’s deep love of Marvel’s comics and the overall connectivity of the MCU, Gunn’s movies are known for including plenty of Easter eggs, including the legendary one from the first film that still has not been found. Understandably, that has created a precedence for viewers to keep an eye out for all the Guardians of the Galaxy 3‘s Easter eggs and MCU references.
There is a core story at the heart of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 that is more important than the litany of references it includes. As the final film for the original Guardians team, the emotional sendoff for the characters (and James Gunn as he heads to DC Studios) is why the trilogy capper has been as well received as it has been. Still, there are plenty of details, cameos, and more that fly by during its two-and-a-half-hour runtime. Here is a breakdown of Guardians of the Galaxy 3‘s Easter eggs, MCU references, and comic connections.
24The Guardians of the Galaxy Takeover Marvel Studios’ Intro
The importance of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 becomes clear from the very beginning, as the characters completely take over the Marvel Studios logo intro. The logo intro format is kept the same, but instead of showing scenes from across the MCU’s history, this version is strictly focused on the Guardians of the Galaxy. While the intro logo sequence typically changes in some fashion to include the latest projects, this marks the first time that Marvel Studios has solely included footage of the characters present in the upcoming movie. This helps illustrate the beginning of the end for the Guardians of the Galaxy.
23Rocket’s Friend Lylla Pays Off Guardians of the Galaxy 1 Easter Egg
Guardians of the Galaxy 3 pays off an Easter egg from the original movie by introducing Rocket’s otter friend Lylla. She was referenced in the first Guardians of the Galaxy as a known associate of Rocket’s during his interrogation by the Nova Corps. Lylla’s appearance through Rocket’s origin and her subsequent tragic death make the Nova Corps’ knowledge of her a bit confusing. However, James Gunn previously mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy 3 might need to retcon a piece of information from this sequence. It now appears that Lylla’s story is what needed to change to make Rocket’s arc work.
22Rocket’s Friends Are Voiced By Two MCU Veterans
The introduction of Rocket’s friends Lylla, Teefs, and Floor bring two MCU veterans back with new roles. This comes as Linda Cardellini voices Lylla after previously playing Hawkeye’s wife Laura Barton as recently as 2021’s Hawkeye. Meanwhile, Floor is voiced by Mikaela Hoover, a longtime James Gunn collaborator who had a small role in the original Guardians of the Galaxy as a member of the Nova Corps. Asim Chaudhry voices Teefs in his MCU debut.
21Stakar Ogord’s Ravagers Team Returns (Without 2 Members)
Sylvester Stallone returns as Stakar Ogord in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and brings his Ravagers/Guardians team with him. Viewers see Stakar interact with Martinex (Michael Rosenbaum), Krugarr, and Mainframe (Tara Strong) once again, but two other members – Aleta Ogord (Michelle Yeoh) and Charlie-27 (Ving Rhames) – were left out of the film. There is no reason given for why Aleta and Charlie-27 are missing from Stakar’s Ultimate Ravagers lineup after Guardians of the Galaxy 2 teased the team getting back together.
20High Evolutionary’s Planet Counter-Earth
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 does a decent job of bringing High Evolutionary’s comic book origins and powers to the MCU, and that includes the introduction of Counter-Earth. The planet is pulled straight from the comics as the place where High Evolutionary wants his utopian society to exist. He reveals in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 that he has had to destroy and rebuild Counter-Earth multiple times as a result of his experiments needing to be refined. Counter-Earth has been part of Marvel’s comics since 1972 and has similarly been reborn a few times.
19The Origin of Rocket’s Name
The origin of Rocket’s name is revealed in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 through flashbacks to his origin. During one of his sessions with High Evolutionary, he sees a rocket fly into the sky as it leaves Counter-Earth. “Rocket” is one of the few words the small raccoon says at this point and it gives him a dream of one day flying through the skies with his friends. It is for that reason that when they decide to give themselves names beyond High Evolutionary’s designations – 89P13 for Rocket – that he reveals he wants to become known as Rocket.
18Guardians of the Galaxy 3’s Colored Suits Honor 2001: A Space Odyssey
Guardians of the Galaxy 3 references an iconic piece of sci-fi cinema with its colored suits. The brightly colored space suits worn by Star-Lord, Drax, Mantis, Nebula, and Gamora as they break into Orgoscope were initially thought to reference the popular video game Among Us. However, James Gunn confirmed on Twitter that they are instead references to the Stanley Kubrick classic, which included similarly colorful space suits.
17James Gunn Includes Several DC Actor Cameos In Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Before James Gunn moves over to DC Studios, his time making The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker led to a few DC actors cameoing in Guardians of the Galaxy 3. His wife and Peacemaker star Jennifer Holland plays Administrator Kwol and The Suicide Squad‘s Daniela Melchoir plays Ura, both Orgoscope employees. There is also a brief cameo from Pete Davidson. These are just the beginning of the actors in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 to be in Gunn’s DC and Marvel movies, as Nathan Fillion, Mikaela Hoover, Michael Rooker, Sean Gunn, Pom Klementieff, and Sylvester Stallone also count.
16Nathan Fillion’s Third MCU Role
Speaking of Nathan Fillion, his Guardians of the Galaxy 3 cameo gives him his third different MCU role. He plays Master Karja, an Orgoscope security guard, in the movie. This follows his time playing an alien prisoner in Guardians of the Galaxy. He also had a background cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Simon Williams, an actor who becomes the superhero known as Wonder Man – who will now be played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in a Wonder Man Disney+ show.
15Star-Lord Takes Responsibility For Thanos’ Snap
One of the biggest MCU references in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 comes as Peter Quill acknowledges that he is partially responsible for Thanos’ snap. While he recaps the events of Avengers: Infinity War, he mentions that his reaction to learning about Gamora’s death led to an emotional response that allowed the Mad Titan to get the upper hand again. Peter’s action resulted in him receiving plenty of criticism online following Avengers: Infinity War‘s release. Now, the Guardians of the Galaxy 3 MCU reference shows that he takes some responsibility for Thanos snapping himself and half of all life in the universe out of existence for five years.
14Star-Lord Gets The MCU’s First F-Bomb
Star-Lord sets an MCU record in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 by uttering the first complete f-bomb in a Marvel Studios movie. After years of censoring various attempts to say the word, Peter can explicitly be heard saying “Open the f***ing door” during an exchange with Nebula. The Guardians of the Galaxy movies have come close to including an f-bomb in the past, with Groot arguably including a version of it in the second film.
13Peter’s Backpack Contains A Photo of His Mother & Grandfather
Peter Quill’s mother and grandfather make cameos in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 thanks to a photo of them. The polaroid picture of them with Peter is found by Gamora inside his backpack, which is the same one he had when Yondu abducted him in 1988. This is the first time that the movies have revealed that Peter Quill has anything other than the Awesome Mixes to remember his mother by. Thanks to the Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Easter egg, he could have been looking at a photo of his mom and grandpa all these years.
12High Evolutionary Created The Xeronians and Animen
High Evolutionary mentions several species that he has created over the years, and this means a few deep-cut Marvel references are included as Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Easter eggs. He mentions Xeronians and Animen as aliens he created in addition to the Sovereign. Xeronians were introduced in the comics in 1972 as a peaceful humanoid alien race, although their king came into conflict with the Hulk, but they do not have connections to High Evolutionary. However, Animen made their comic debut in 1995 as servants of High Evolutionary.
High Evolutionary mentions several species that he has created over the years, and this means a few deep-cut Marvel references are included as Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Easter eggs. He mentions Xeronians and Animen as aliens he created in addition to the Sovereign. Xeronians were introduced in the comics in 1972 as a peaceful humanoid alien race, although their king came into conflict with the Hulk, but they do not have connections to High Evolutionary. However, Animen made their comic debut in 1995 as servants of High Evolutionary.
11Howard the Duck Makes His Usual Guardians of the Galaxy Movie Cameo
It would not be a Guardians of the Galaxy movie without a Howard the Duck cameo, and James Gunn keeps the streak alive with the Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Easter egg. He is briefly seen during a scene on Knowhere that allows Seth Greene to reprise his role. It marks the fourth overall appearance by Howard the Duck in live-action in the MCU following his quick cameo in Avengers: Endgame. It appears his fate afterward includes staying on Knowhere with the Guardians.
10Guardians of the Galaxy’s Broker Returns On Knowhere
The Knowhere game scene includes another Guardians of the Galaxy 3 cameo, as The Broker is also among the participants. The character was last and only seen in the first movie refusing to buy the Orb from Star-Lord. In many ways, the Broker is responsible for the formation of the Guardians of the Galaxy, as his actions led to Star-Lord, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot crossing paths and being arrested.
9Guardians of the Galaxy 3 References Drax’s Daughter Again
More Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Easter eggs comes through references to Drax’s daughter. Her role in Drax’s past is alluded to several times, although she never makes an appearance. Drax’s daughter is named Kamaria in the MCU, but she is known as Moondragon in the comics. While Kamaria is presumed to be dead in the MCU, there is hope that Moondragon will eventually make her way to the live-action franchise.
8Guardians of the Galaxy 2’s Abilisks Return
Another familiar site in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 comes with the return of Abilisks. The giant tentacled alien species were last seen in the beginning of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as the creature the team fought to protect the Sovereign. They play a very different role in the third movie, as Mantis learns to bond with them. This is possible because Abilisks do not eat humans, just batteries.
7Michael Rooker’s Yondu Cameos & Repeats A Familiar Line
Michael Rooker’s Yondu has a cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 as Kraglin sees him during the finale as a form of inspiration and motivation. The appearance includes Yondu saying a familiar line from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, as he repeats a section of his “I don’t use my head to fly the arrow boy, I use my heart” quote to instruct Kraglin. It proves to be a major moment for Kraglin, as it allows him to finally begin to have control of the arrow and fin that used to belong to Yondu.
6High Evolutionary’s Eagle Might Reference James Gunn’s Peacemaker Show
High Evolutionary’s collection of animals for his experiments might include a reference to James Gunn’s Peacemaker show as an eagle is among the captives. While it could be a coincidence, the fact that Peacemaker’s eagle sidekick Eagly was featured in the DC show makes it seem a bit more purposeful. The eagle is prominently featured a few times during Guardians of the Galaxy 3‘s ending. Since Peacemaker was the last project Gunn worked on before returning to the MCU, a reference to Eagly would be understandable.
5Peter Quill’s Grandpa’s Name References His Comic Backstory
A clever Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Easter egg comes through the official name reveal for Peter Quill’s grandpa. It is revealed that his name is Jason Quill, which is a reference to Peter’s biological father in the comics, J’son. In the comics, J’son is the ruler of the Spartax Empire. While this does not necessarily mean that Jason Quill is secretly a former member of a royal alien family, it is still a fun reference to make after Gunn made Ego Peter Quill’s father in the MCU.
4Drax Finally Becomes A Dancer In Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Another callback in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 comes when Drax becomes a dancer. He begins dancing along with everyone else on Knowhere, including the freed kid prisoners, during the finale. It directly connects to a memorable saying of Drax’s in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: “There are two types of beings in the universe. Those who dance and those who do not.” While Drax originally said that neither he nor his wife were dancers, his dancing in the end is a sign of his growth.
3New Marvel Hero Phyla-Vell Is Created By High Evolutionary
A major new Marvel hero debuts in Guardians of the Galaxy 3 thanks to High Evolutionary’s experiments, as Phyla-Vell is confirmed to be among the kid prisoners. She is one of the most powerful cosmic Marvel heroes and becomes an official member of the new Guardians of the Galaxy team during Guardians of the Galaxy 3‘s post-credits. The MCU has changed Phyla-Vell’s origin by connecting her powers to High Evolutionary’s experiments, as her powers traditionally come from the Quantum Bands. It is possible such an upgrade could still come in the future depending on where Phyla-Vell goes from here.
2Guardians of the Galaxy 3 References Kevin Bacon’s Holiday Special Kidnapping
The final Guardians of the Galaxy 3 post-credits scene includes a reference to Kevin Bacon’s role in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Peter’s grandpa is shown reading a newspaper that includes a headline about a story where Kevin Bacon reveals details about an alien kidnapping. This is a direct reference to how Mantis and Drax kidnapped the movie star to try and cheer up Peter for his Christmas present. While he returned peacefully, it appears Kevin Bacon still wanted to share his adventure with the press.
1The Legendary Star-Lord
The very last of Guardians of the Galaxy 3‘s Easter eggs come with the end-credits tag that says “The Legendary Star-Lord will return.” After struggling to become known as Star-Lord, Marvel Studios has given Peter Quill’s superhero name an upgrade that is pulled straight from the comics. It is a reference to his solo comic run known as Legendary Star-Lord from 2014-2015 written by Sam Humphries. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 might be the end of his time with the Guardians, for now, but the new superhero name is a nice nod to his comic history.
