Spoiler Warning: While Michael Rooker has been rather tightlipped about his character Yondu in Guardians of the Galaxy at his various comic book convention appearances, he let the spoilers fly when USA Today came knocking. Be warned that this article contains extensive spoilers on Yondu’s background story in Guardians of the Galaxy.
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In an interview with USA Today, Rooker reveals exactly how Yondu ties into the origin story of Peter Quill becoming Star-Lord. According to Rooker, Yondu took Peter from Earth after Peter endured a tragedy. Then, Yondu became Peter’s surrogate father figure.
Rooker explained, “He’s feeling lost, vulnerable, defeated, emotionally drained and hurt, and here is Yondu in this light coming down and brings him up into the spacecraft and takes him away. It might have been pretty horrific, but also a bit cool.”
After Yondu takes Peter up into the spacecraft, he raises Peter alongside the Ravagers, who are described as an outer-space biker gang. Yondu and Peter initially scheme to steal the orb together, but when Peter takes it and ventures off on his own, Yondu and the Ravagers chase him.
According to Rooker, Yondu is not really a good guy nor a bad guy. He just has some interesting issues.
It’s not so black and white — I should say blue and white. And I enjoy roles that are like that, even if they’re not in some galaxy somewhere other than ours.
Rooker will not be sporting the loincloth and large head fin, like the Yondu in the comic books. However, Yondu does have a smaller mohawk, and he will use a whistle-controlled arrow. Rooker also grew his nails out to give them a long and pointy demon look.
