Marvel Makes a Major Change to an MCU Fan Favorite

Over the past decade, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy have gone from obscure fan-favorites to household names, largely thanks to their string of appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In the comics, the Guardians of the Galaxy have thrived in some wild and unexpected ways — and in the latest issue of the current Guardians of the Galaxy title, that included a long-awaited change for one of the team's fan-favorite member. Spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy #10 from Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Kev Walker, Matt Hollingsworth, and Cory Petit below! Only look if you want to know! 

Guardians of the Galaxy's previous issue, Guardians of the Galaxy #9, chronicled a standalone adventure involving Mantis and Gamora, in which they tracked down the Soul Stone in hopes of retrieving the soul of Arthur Douglas, the "human side" of Drax the Destroyer. After they were successful, the opening of Guardians of the Galaxy #10 showed the team gifting Arthur's soul to Drax — but he isn't immediately able to merge it with his own. This fact essentially clouds Drax's mind in the ensuing battle, as he admits he is "distracted by my uncooperative soul."

Who Is Marvel's Arthur Douglas?

In Drax's initial Marvel Comics appearances, he was established to really be a human man named Arthur Douglas, who gets attacked by Thanos alongside his family. While Thanos would adopt Arthur's daughter, Heather, and mold her into the superhero Moondragon, Arthur's soul would be placed inside of a galactic warrior eventually known as Drax.

Over the years, Drax and Arthur's souls have been at the center of some intriguing stories, even briefly co-existing during the Infinity Wars storyline, which ended with Arthur staying behind to live out his life within the Soul Stone. While the two clearly have not yet merged in the pages of Guardians of the Galaxy, Drax does poke fun at his quasi-past by making a joke about jazz — a style of music that Arthur could proficiently play on the saxophone. 

Will There Be a Guardians of the Galaxy 4?

After the culmination of Marvel Studios' Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 earlier this year, fans have naturally begun to wonder if a fourth film could potentially be in the cards. It is safe to assume that writer-director Gunn will not be directing that project, especially with his new job co-running DC Studios, but he has said for years that he did not have plans to return for a fourth film.

"I absolutely never said I wouldn't do a Vol 2," Gunn told a fan in a 2020 Q&A. "As I planned to do a trilogy from the beginning if the first one worked. I have no plans to do a 4th."

What do you think of Drax getting reunited with his human soul in the pages of Guardians of the Galaxy? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!