Bringing the best jokes and the saddest death, the Guardians were the best part of Marvel’s newest blockbuster.
Warning: The following contains spoilers for ‘Avengers: Infinity War’
In a gargantuan crossover movie like Avengers: Infinity War, it’s hard for all the characters to leave an impact on the audience. Everyone who has been watching Marvel movies over its ten-year reign likely came into Infinity War with a favorite character already, like I did. However, seeing them all lined up next to each other in the same movie makes us see all of the heroes in a different light. In order to make a memorable impact on the audience, the standout characters have to be entertaining, funny and have a big hand in the plot. The memorable characters are the Guardians of the Galaxy.
They’re the most fun.
The Guardians’ movies are easily the most fun in the MCU and they bring their hilarious dialogue with them to Infinity War. Unless its a heartbreaking scene (we’ll get into that later), every moment the Guardians are on screen, it’s pure fun. Humor always makes superhero movies more enjoyable. When they take themselves too seriously they end up being The Incredible Hulk.
That being said, most of the funny moments in the movie, even involving characters from other movies, are thanks to interactions with Guardians. The hilarious ego battle between Quill and Thor was even funnier thanks to the rest of the gang providing more jokes, which is in the clip below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_2EhBWANK4
Drax and his contagious laugh light up every scene he is in, which goes for the rest of the Guardians as well. My personal favorite Guardians moment is when Bucky grabbed Rocket in one hand and his machine gun in the other, shooting the enemy in both directions at the battle of Wakanda. Immediately after, Rocket asks how much for Bucky’s arm. There are countless funny moments in Infinity War that make it bearable to watch for over two hours and a lot of them are the product of the funniest characters, the Guardians.
They have the most meaningful death.
Even in a movie wrought with mass death, one stands out as the most heart-breaking. Gamora’s storyline with Thanos and her sister Nebula has been arcing through both Guardians movies and in Infinity War it comes to a tragic end. From the beginning of the movie when she asks Quill to kill her if Thanos gets ahold of her, we know Gamora will have to make a huge sacrifice by the end of the movie, but it was still a surprise to see her die at the hands of Thanos, who claimed to love her.
Her death, built up with numerous flashbacks and a cute relationship with Quill, stands out amongst the rest of the deaths in the movie because it felt real. Yes, there are Guardians sequels in the works, but they could certainly go on without Gamora, much to our dismay. Her death wasn’t a gimmick to end the movie on a cliffhanger. Gamora died a tragic death that brought real tears. Her personal connection to Thanos and genuine growth over the past movies made her death the saddest one in the film. It’s Gamora that actually gives the villain an interesting background and makes him something more than just a killer. Without Gamora and her sacrifice, Thanos is a very boring villain.
They have the heart.
Even with the weight of entertainment on their shoulders, the Guardians still provide the emotional moments of the movie as well. Quill’s breakdown may have cost the entire world, but hey, he cares about someone other than himself for once! Even after her death, Gamora brings the emotional fallout throughout the movie. The characters that don’t seem to care about anything actually care just as much as the very serious superheroes in the film that are less entertaining. Even Groot, now an apathetic teenage plant in this movie, comes to help fight in the end. Guardians director James Gunn revealed Groot’s final line in the film, which could’ve definitely made us tear up if it was dramatized more.
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“Dad”— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) May 6, 2018
Groot calls Rocket his dad, which we know isn’t biologically correct, but their father-son relationship has absolutely grown over their standalone movies and now Infinity War. Both characters appear to be the most apathetic and selfish, but they really have one of the most heartwarming relationships in the movie. The Guardians not only provide the laughs, but also the tears.
They have the best chemistry.
Going on along with being the most fun, the Guardians are used to being in a crowded movie, as their standalone movies prove. Each with their complimentary (or contrary) personalities, they work well in movies with large casts, better than other characters that came together for Infinity War. One contributing factor is their cooky personalities, that can bring jokes to any interaction, even with strangers in high stakes scenes. There isn’t just one goofy character in the group. They all spew jokes equally; not one character is the downer of the group (yes, even Groot’s angst provides laughs) and it’s that chemistry that makes them a force to be reckoned with.
Another aspect that separates them from other superheroes is their interesting appearance. They’re not just good looking strong people in costumes; one is a raccoon and another is a teenage plant! Save for Quill, each of the Guardians brings something different to the table other than just a special power. The Guardians are a group of heroes made of different species, making everything they do interesting to watch from a visual perspective.
If Infinity War did anything for me, it pushed my allegiance with Captain America over to the more entertaining, interesting group of superheroes, The Guardians of the Galaxy. Their standout performance in this huge crossover and the success of their standalone sequel proves they are a huge part of the MCU, despite being relative newcomers, and maybe even the best part of the superhero universe.
Related Topics: Avengers: Infinity War, Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel, Opinions
