Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Retcons Vol. 1 in a Heartbreaking Way

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is finally in theaters, and its impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still being felt. The film promised to take its ragtag ensemble of characters on an emotional journey, one that paid tribute to Marvel Comics lore while doing something wholly new. In the process, one of Vol. 3’s most heart-wrenching storylines retconned a detail from the very first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 below! Only look if you want to know!

As the Guardians work to save the life of a dying Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) in the present day, Vol. 3 flashes back to Rocket’s early days of being experimented on and tortured by the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji). By Rocket’s side (through the bars of their adjoining cages) are a trio of other animal experiments, including an otter named Lylla (Linda Cardellini). Over the course of the flashbacks, Rocket discovers that he and his friends are going to get killed in the High Evolutionary’s latest plans, and maneuvers a way for them to escape and fly away in a nearby spaceship. Rocket and Lylla manage to escape their cages, but the High Evolutionary shows up and shoots and kills Lylla. 

Vol. 3‘s chain of events actually change — and counteract — how Lylla was first referenced in the first Guardians film, where she was listed as one of the known “associates” of Rocket on this Xandarian rap sheet. While that name-drop seemed to hint at Lylla initially being established as a known space bandit like Rocket and Groot, the reality is much sadder. Because Lylla was killed by the High Evolutionary before ever getting to escape and travel the skies, she wouldn’t be in Rocket’s file… because she isn’t notable to anyone living, outside of Rocket.

“I’m writing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and I finished the first draft of the treatment yesterday. I’m excited about it. I feel really great about it. But there’s one little thing that I had in the first movie,” writer-director James Gunn admitted during a panel appearance in 2017. “…I did something in the first movie of Guardians where it was in the background but it was distinctly there, and people know that it’s there. And I’m like goddammit. Because I have a really good storytelling reason for breaking the canon, and I stayed up last night figuring out if I’m gonna do it or not. I still don’t know.”

What did you think of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? How do you feel about it retconning the first film? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is now playing exclusively in theaters.