It’s time to face the music as “Guardians of The Galaxy Volume 3” is such an endearing, heartfelt, and emotionally fitting farewell to our favourite group of space misfits. Throughout I laughed and cried as director/writer James Gunn truly delivers a gripping finale with insane action, humour and an impactful story. The Guardians films have always had an emotional core and meaning to them from when it began back in 2014 with Volume 1 with the theme of finding your tribe even if they are a dysfunctional lot and Volume 2 with the themes of fatherhood and grieving parents even though Quill’s turned out to be an egotistical planet, however, “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3” navigates the wounds of a broken childhood as Rocket becomes the driving force for this final instalment that will honestly tug at the heartstrings.
In Marvel Studios “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Photo: Marvel Studios
The success of “Guardians Of The Galaxy” has been a major win for Marvel Studios especially within the MCU transforming a not well known IP into one of the most popular franchises in the world, Gunn has truly made us care so much about a ragtag team with a talking tree and Racoon. 2019’s Avengers Endgame offered us closure to the Infinity Saga and a proper farewell for the original Avengers, “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3” does the same for the original Guardians. After Endgame, The Guardians bought Knowhere from the Collector. Kraglin (Sean Gunn) has been training Cosmo the Spacedog (Maria Bakalova) whilst also practicing with Yondu’s whistling arrow. Nebula (Karen Gillan), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper), Groot (Vin Diesel), and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) now revealed to be Peter’s half-sister in the Holiday Special have all been carrying out renovations, whilst Peter (Chris Pratt) spends his days listening to music and drowning in his sorrows, still mourning the loss of Gamora. Who’s still alive thanks to the Avengers time-travel mission, however she’s not the woman he once loved.
It really is good to have friends
Gunn once again brings his trademark humour and signature style to the MCU with “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 which is very likely to be his last MCU movie. Despite featuring tons of fun, action, and comedy as previous movies have done, Volume 3 is the darkest and most emotional one yet. A lot of that comes from exploring Rocket’s painful past and backstory, which comes in the form of flashbacks. Our favourite rabbit and Trash Panda as he gets called has been at the forefront of the marketing. This may be one of the most heartbreaking origin stories in the MCU, it’s emotionally potent with cruelty on display. Gunn had been laying the groundwork for Rocket’s origins since the first Guardians of the Galaxy with his cybernetic implants and scars revealed in prison. He also shows exceptional knowledge and ability to escape captivity and for invention. However, Rocket struggles to trust others, including the Guardians in the first two films but with the High Evolutionary played brilliantly by Chukwudi Iwuji, complete with a god-complex this villain is a key part in Rocket’s past.
Pieces of his past have been revealed through clips including his friendships with three other High-Evolutionary experiments from Batch 89: Lyla, Floor, and Teefs. these hints of his past are tragic but also point to his larger arc throughout the Guardians trilogy. He’s never dealt with what happened to him but overtime has become a protector and caretaker for Groot, the other Guardians, and of course the Galaxy itself. Throughout Volume 3 we see many different shades of familial love and the lengths his family are willing to go for those who they hold dear as this time the stakes are a lot more personal for the Guardians: simply saving a friend. Rocket’s friendship with Nebula has grown not only because they were the only two Guardians left after Thano’s snap but also because they share a similar trauma in their pasts and can relate to one-another. Whilst Quill has been the hero on the surface, “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3” is showing that the true hero of the trilogy has always been Rocket.
Photo: Marvel StudiosPhoto: Marvel Studios
Warlock Vs. Guardians
Alongside Rocket’s story, we also pick up threads from Avengers Endgame with Quill trying too get Saldana’s past-timeline Gamora to accept the Guardians as family, much like her counterpart once did. however all of this being much to her enraged dismay, giving her and Pratt moving and touching chemistry as Quill really wants her to be the Gamora she never became, the emotions truly bounce off each other. The pairing of Bautista’s Drax and Klementieff’s Mantis is such a breath of fresh air as both truly work well together since leading the Holiday special, the pair are hilarious and bring such warmth and love to this family as Mantis truly cares for her brother. Karen Gillan’s Nebula may be the standout for me, as her character has truly evolved throughout the MCU becoming an integral member of the Guardians she has more levity as she begins healing psychologically following the death of Thanos, who was the source of her abuse and torment, she’s a valued member of the family the Guardians have created whilst still retaining her seething deadpan, whilst on Knowhere Kraglin and Cosmo make a pretty great team.
Photo: Marvel Studios
Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) makes his cosmic debut in the MCU. His arrival was teased back in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Poulter brings such gravitas and energy to the role. The main antagonist, The High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), is perhaps one of the most despicable and twisted villains you will love to hate since Thanos. Having an antagonist that is directly connected to Rocket’s backstory makes the emotional gut-punches even stronger
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” is filled with banter, cosmic action-set pieces as the Guardians go on various space escapades that bring them closer to understanding the true malevolence of Rocket’s creation. The humour throughout derives from the ensemble performances and Gunn’s brilliant script that truly understands the characters dealing with Rocket’s narrative. The score by John Murphy is strong with familiar themes and it compliments another awesome mix of songs that feature throughout such as including Bruce Springsteen’s “Badlands” to the Replacements’ “I Will Dare,” Faith No More’s “We Care A Lot” and the Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??” alongside our favourite Guardians tunes from the first film.
Photo: Marvel StudiosPhoto: Marvel Studios
Final Thoughts
Overall , “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3” is top-tier marvel and finishes the story that began in 2014, delivering well-earned closure for this family of misfits that we’ve grown to love over the years. The movie is ultimately a fun good time, however, it’s bittersweet to know that this could be the last time we’ll get this group of cast members and directors together. If anything, this is the best sendoff the Guardians could have ever had. The arcs that began over a decade ago get resolutions as Gunn truly understands what makes these characters tick better than any other creator in the MCU, With the filmmaker now heading off to spearhead the new DC studios, I have my full faith in Superman Legacy as “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3” is an emotional rollercoaster and a cosmic spectacle as writer-director James Gunn gives himself and this franchise a gripping, heartfelt, and stupendous swan song in the MCU. “I LOVE YOU GUYS”
The following piece was written during the 2023 Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the television series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
Overview Of Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion is set in the present-day Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Nick Fury learns of an invasion of Earth by a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls. Fury, joined by Everett Ross, Maria Hill, and the Skrull Talos, who has made a life for himself on Earth, races against time to stop an invasion and save humanity.
Brief Summary (Contains Spoilers)
Ben Mendelsohn as Talos (Marvel)
The series starts off with Talos pursuing Everett Ross for the murder of a CIA agent, who had information about a potential Skrull rebellion. Maria Hill arrives on scene and discovers that Everett is a shapeshifting Skrull and contacts Nick Fury to request assistance. Nick returns to learn that not only has Talos been exiled from the Skrull Council, but Gravik is taking the lead with the rebellion. Fury approaches an old acquaintance by the name of Sonya Falsworth to propose an alliance, but to no avail. In the meantime, Talos reunites with his daughter, G’iah who shares with him the location of a Skrull attack in Russia. The mission to stop the attack not only end in failure, but in the death of one of Fury’s team mates. Fury and Talos is forced to escape to fight another day.
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Gravik (Marvel)
Gravik gains the support of the Skrull Council to lead them in a new war. Fury is blamed for the attack in Russia and the death of one of the team members, and is discharged of his duties. Sonya learns from another rebel that Gravik has a new weapon, a machine that can help enhance their strength with the use of powered DNA. The rebel’s next target is the Royal Navy. Their attempt to launch a missile at another aircraft is however thwarted by collective efforts from Fury, Talos, Sonya and G’iah. G’iah attempts to run away but is confronted by Gravik who shoots her and leaves her for dead.
Emilia Clarke as G’iah (Marvel)
G’iah, however, survives and lives to fight another day. We quickly learn that there is a rebel Skull Imposter posing as one of the Avengers. The rebels turn their focus on the President of the United States, and posing as Russian soldiers almost succeeds in their attempt, however, they leave behind many casualties. The rebel Skrulls tries to convince the United States President to attack one of the Skrull compounds. Gravik is willing to call off the attack in exchange for something from Nick that could potentially tip the scales in the favor of the rebels.
The last episode ends with a short but grand face-off between Fury and Gravik with a special twist…but I will leave this for you as the viewer to experience on the screen.
The summary has been written in such a way as to not spoil too much for the viewer.
Gravik as a Skrull (Marvel)
Final Views
I really enjoyed the suspense and surprises that the series brought with every episode. Even though the series was only 6 episodes long, it kept the suspense alive and it kept the golden thread going that is taking place within the broader MCU. As you may recall, Captain Marvel’s movie end where she flew off to find a new home for the Skrulls and this series continue many years later where some of the Skrulls feel the promise of a new home has been broken. Even the blip is referenced and it keeps the memory alive of a world still affected by Thanos’ snap.
The rating for this series is definitely a 4 out of 5. The story had a feel of a crime drama and spy thriller. The fight scenes were amazing and I personally felt the last episode could have been longer to give us an even longer fight. There are many questions that this television series have going through my head that I won’t list over here to limit spoiling the experience for you as the viewer. I can only hope that some of the questions will be answered in future Marvel Studios productions.
Olivia Colman as Sonya Falsworth (Marvel)
Olivia Colman’s portrayal of Sonya Falsworth was really amazing to watch and I really hope we get to see more of her in future productions. Emelia Clark and Kingsley Ben-Adir brought in a breath of fresh air as G’iah and Gravik respectively. As always, having Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury is epic to say the least, and I encourage keeping both eyes on his performance throughout the MCU.
I highly recommend watching Iron Man (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), Thor (2011), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Captain Marvel (2019), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), WandaVision (2021), Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) before watching Secret Invasion. These movies provide the detailed backstory to most of the returning characters. These movies and television series are based on the list of recommendations made in Marvel Studios’ Legends as well.
There is no post-credits scene, so no need to wait till the end. The whole series is now available on Disney Plus so make sure to watch. This series is rumored to tie-in with both The Marvels and Armor Wars, upcoming movies in the MCU.
The following piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the comic book material being covered here wouldn’t exist.
The mantle of the Prowler has been carried by many characters in the Marvel Universe. I will be writing briefly about some of the famous characters.
Aaron Davis
Uncle Aaron Davis as the Prowler (Marvel Unlimited)
Aaron exposed his brother Jefferson to a life of crime, and while Jefferson went out to redeem himself and become both a law-abiding citizen and a police officer, Aaron continued his life as a career criminal, known by the name Prowler, the cat burglar. Oscorp was one of the targets during one of his burglary jobs. While their he left with a chemically engineered spider, Specimen 42, which was the same spider that bit Miles.
Even with no super powers, Prowler is a force to be reckoned with because of both hand-to-hand combat ability and superior technology that is supplied to him via the Tinkerer. He regularly faces off against Mac Gargan who uses the alias Scorpion. As with most Spider-Man villains Uncle Aaron eventually crossed paths with Spider-Man, who in this case is his nephew, Miles Morales.
Hobie Brown
Hobie Brown as the Prowler (Marvel Unlimited)
Hobie is a talented and innovative kid, and when no-one considers listening to him or giving him a chance at proving himself he ends pursuing a life of crime. He targets the Daily Bugle with the intent of impressing his girlfriend, Mindy. However, this attempt brought him face-to-face with Spider-Man and resulted in a life-changing defeat. Spider-Man gave Hobie a chance to share his story and let him go, only to return at some point to ask Hobie to stand in as Spider-Man for a short while.
Spider-Man was implicated in the death of Captain George Stacey and this encouraged Hobie to use his Prowler persona to hunt down Spider-Man, but in the end he was overpowered and came to the conclusion that Spider-Man can’t be a murderer. He eventually married his love, Mindy and tried to have a normal life. This is short-lived when his little brother got murdered, presumably by the White Tiger. The Prowler and White Tiger faced off in a massive fight but as most murder mysteries go, someone else was responsible for the death of his little brother.
Hobie even applied to join the Defenders, but the application was not successful. Hobie teams up with Spider-Man to help find evidence to clear his wife, Mindy when she gets framed while working for the infamous Justin Hammer. In a similar fashion Hobie teams up with Spider-Man again, but this time to help clear Spider-Man’s name when he gets accused of theft. Hobie eventually joins up with the Outlaws, teaming up occasionally with Sandman, Rocket Racer and Silver Sable.
Hobie and Rocket Racer decides to enter the Great Game, a super-powered fight contest organised by wealthy people. This didn’t end well for Hobie as he ends up paralyzed after the competition due to a spinal injury. A hospital worker who learned of Hobie’s secret stole the Prowler costume.
Rick Lawson
Rick Lawson (Marvel)
Upon learning about Hobie’s secret role as the Prowler, Rick went as far as breaking into Hobie’s home to get his hands on the Prowler costume. The next homes he targeted was those of other patients. He eventually crosses the path of the Vulture. Vulture, still cross with Prowler about a previous failed job doesn’t go easy on Rick, but Spider-Man intervenes and both villains are forced to flee. Vulture returns to attack Rick at home and Spider-Man arrives to save the day, webbing up the Vulture, taking Rick to hospital and returning the Prowler costume to Hobie.
Final Thoughts
Donald Glover as Uncle Aaron Davis in Spider-Man: Homecoming (Sony Pictures)
I highly recommend watching Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse to see another possible hero wearing the mantle of the Prowler. The abovementioned biographies are covered in brief to allow you as the reader to explore more of the Prowler’s stories and adventures when going through comics, watching the movies or even subscribing to Marvel Unlimited. This is definitely one of those characters who I would like to see explored more, either in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or even in a Sony Pictures Movie. Mahershala Ali voices Uncle Aaron in Sony’s Spider-Verse movies. Donald Glover plays the role of Uncle Aaron Davis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I’m really holding thumbs that we get to see him wearing the mantle of the Prowler in a future Marvel Studios production. Just imagine him teaming up with the Sinister Six and giving our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man a tough time. But for now, get to a cinema near you and experience Across the Spider-Verse on the big screen.