How GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3’s Post-Credits Scene Reveals the Team’s MCU Future

As with all films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, except Avengers: Endgame, the post-credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 teases a future of new adventures and story possibilities. Despite Vol. 3 being the end of the road for the ragtag band of cosmic heroes we’ve come to love, it does hint towards many new beginnings for an MCU Guardians of the Galaxy team. Here’s what the future may hold for the Guardians of the Galaxy based on one post-credits scene from Vol. 3.

Who Leads the Guardians of the Galaxy Team at the End of Vol. 3?

At the end of Vol. 3, the new Guardians of the Galaxy team is led by none other than Rocket Raccoon. And yes, he’s embraced his full comic book name after discovering that he is indeed a genetically modified raccoon during the events of the film. Peter Quill leaves Rocket in charge of the Guardians in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 after he goes back to Earth to reconnect with his family. Meanwhile, Nebula and Drax ultimately decide to stay on Knowhere. Nebula chooses to lead the colony that resides there, while Drax will take care of all the creatures the Guardians rescued from the High Evolutionary. He is no longer Drax the Destroyer, but Drax “the Dad.” And so, that leaves Rocket to be the leader of the MCU’s new Guardians of the Galaxy—an honor he absolutely deserves.

Who Are the Members of the MCU’s New Guardians of the Galaxy Team?

At the end of the film, a whole new Guardians of the Galaxy team is in play. But who are the members of the MCU’s new Guardians team led by Rocket in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 post-credits scene? Well, Star-Lord, Gamora, and Mantis have all left the team for various reasons. Although, this version of Gamora was technically never really a Guardian.

Remaining from the old team is a very bulked-up Groot, who now resembles his very first comic book appearance from 1960 in Tales to Astonish #13. Additionally, Kraglin is still around, now having mastered Yondu’s arrow. New to the Guardians of the Galaxy team are Adam Warlock, Phylla-Vell, and the creature called Blurp. Speaking of creatures, Cosmo the Spacedog is officially part of the team now.

In sum, the MCU’s new Guardians of the Galaxy team is Rocket Racoon, Groot, Kraglin, Adam Warlock, Phylla-Vell, Blurp, and Cosmo the Spacedog. We see our new Guardians on a desert planet together in the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 post-credits scene, about to go into action.

James Gunn has been adamant that this film is the end of the Guardians as we knew them. And he’s correct; this is indeed a whole new iteration of the team. But this new team also finally brings in several members from the comics who never made the MCU cut initially, chiefly Adam Warlock and Phylla-Vell. Both were important characters in the 2008 reboot of the Guardians team in the comics, the team that the MCU version is largely based on. And until now, both were absent in the MCU. There’s also still room for other famous Guardians from the comics, like Moondragon and Nova, to join the MCU’s vision of the team.

What Does the New Team Mean for the Guardians of the Galaxy’s MCU Future?

So yes, the post-credits scene reveals there still is a functioning Guardians of the Galaxy team at the end of Vol. 3. Similar to how the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron left us with a very different team of Avengers. This could all lead to a new MCU movie for the Guardians. Although, it wouldn’t really be a Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4, as it’s a new squad of heroes. But the possibility of seeing these new Guardians of the Galaxy in action on the big screen is definitely possible. If they’re not in a new movie of their own, then perhaps we will see the Guardians team appear in Avengers: Secret Wars or a Disney+ series.

As for the other important group from the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Gamora’s team of Ravagers is the same team we saw at the end of Vol. 2. That team features Starhawk (Sylvester Stallone), Martinex (Michael Rosenbaum), and other characters who were part of the original team from the comics. It’s possible we will see them together in a future project too.

This Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 post-credits scene only closes the door on the iteration of the team that we knew, not on the Guardians as a concept. We’re sure to see a Guardians team roaming the spaceways again before too long.