by As Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 fans get ready for it, one of the film’s cast explained how it connects to The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on Disney+.
Before the group’s comeback in their own standalone sequel, The Guardians’ Holiday Special served as an original link between their final experiences in Avengers: Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder. This even includes a few significant plot twists for the intergalactic band of misfits, enhancing their position as major cosmic players.
One of these disclosures was the affirmation of the half-sibling relationship between Star-Lord and Mantis, which has been speculated ever since their initial appearance together in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in 2017.
This relationship had only ever been hinted at in deleted scenes from the 2017 sequel, but it ended up being a crucial subplot on Disney+ to wrap out Phase 4.
Mantis Star’s Links to Guardians 3 on Disney+
Pom Klementieff spoke on how Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 relates to The Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special in the Spring 2023 issue of Disney Twenty Three Magazine.
When asked how Mantis and Peter Quill’s relationship alters now that their relationship as half-siblings and half-brothers has been established, Klementieff joyfully remarked on how their bond is stronger than ever:
“Of course it creates a stronger bond between them. And it also brings bigger stakes. If anything happens to one of them, it’s going to be even more emotional.”
Reminiscing on how she and the cast made each scene in Guardians 3 extra memorable because it might have been their last time working together as a team, she said:
“It was a long shoot, but it was such a beautiful shoot. What I remember Is, each time we were shooting a scene, we thought, ’Oh, this could be the last time we’re shooting this as a group! So it made every scene very special, and very emotional as well. Even it the scene was funny, it was rooted in that feeling like the end to a chapter. So it really was special.”
The film is “the culmination of everything we love,” executive producer Sara Smith added, reflecting on how viewers have grown up with the Guardians for almost ten years:
“I feel like we’ve really grown up with the Guardians. We’ve seen them struggle, evolve, fall in love, become heroes, fail, make good choices and bad choices. All of that leading to this film, where we ultimately see them each individually come into their own. It’s really the culmination of everything we love about the Guardians: family, adventure, love, loss, and finding one’s place in the universe.”
Sean Gunn, a star of the Guardians movies, also spoke with the publication and discussed how Kraglin will find himself becoming closer to the group as a result of Yondu’s passing.
In his words, this team is “a place where people can find a family” they previously lacked:
“When Yondu died, Kraglin felt as adrift as Quill did – or maybe even in some ways more so, without a family. And it’s something that we havent quite explored yet. I think that the whole idea of the Guardians being a place where people can find a family who dont necessarily have one is a very important part of Kraglin’s story.”
You’ll have to watch the movie to see if this indicates Kraglin now views himself as a true Guardian, Gunn slyly retorted.
Christmas Special Prepares for the Emotional Journey of Guardians 3
Because Star-Lord and Mantis are brothers, the connection to the Holiday Special’s revelation will only heighten the emotion as this is the final chapter for the present edition of the Guardians.
With so many other tale details already established, it’s unclear how much of this information will be incorporated into the plot. Yet, the fact that fans are aware of the connection will only increase their interest in what transpires.
The Holiday Special is required viewing in order to catch up on what’s coming in Guardians 3, making this the first time the MCU has moved from cinemas to Disney+ back to theatres.
The familial elements that will be present in this new sequel will also be reinforced by the introduction of Star-Lord and Mantis, especially in light of the widespread expectation that not everyone on the crew will survive.
On May 5, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will hit theatres. Disney+ now offers the Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special for streaming.
