The Top 5 Most Gut-Wrenching Scenes from Guardians of the Galaxy 3

Taking place after the infamous Blip and then being brought back in order to help defeat Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 sees our heroes now having headquarters on the planet Knowhere and are doing their best to protect the galaxy. After Rocket is attacked and critically wounded, the Guardians find themselves in a race against time and an evil man known as The High Evolutionary in order to save their best friend’s life.

As the film progresses, the audience not only learns more about Rocket’s mysterious past but also gets an inside look on how each Guardian is dealing with life post-Blip (as you'll recall, the only Guardians who didn't get blipped were Rocket and Nebula). So get your tissues ready because these 5 gut-wrenching scenes from the movie will definitely make you shed a tear or two! [Warning: Spoilers Ahead!]

1. Rocket Gets His Name

At the beginning of the film, the audience learns that Rocket was taken as a baby and experimented on, along with tons of other animals, by a man known as The High Evolutionary and a company named Orgocorp. Rocket quickly makes friends with the four other animals he is locked away with and proceeds to form deep connections with them. One by one, each animal decides where they want to go once they’re free and what their name will be. Remembering how beautiful he thought the sky was, our favorite raccoon admits he wants to fly into the night in a rocket, and it’s in that moment that Rocket officially gives himself his famous name.

2. Friends Reunited

As The Guardians fight throughout the film to save Rocket’s life, we see Rocket in a coma having flashbacks to his early years at Orgocorp. The audience also learns that Rocket escaped Orgocorp but still lost his three friends in the process and was carrying that guilt with him all along. Rocket finally reunites with his three long-lost best friends while in his coma and asks if he can go with them. His closest friend, Lylla the otter, embraces him and tells him yes. At this time, Rocket flat-lines in the real world. As he goes to walk towards the light, though, Lylla tells him, “Not yet,” and sends him back to keep living and fighting for what is right. Rocket then wakes up and is reunited with The Guardians in a tear-jerking group hug.

3. Saving The Day

While The Guardians finish fighting and saving locked away prisoners, Rocket finds himself in a room full of different animals all being held captive for experiments. Rocket sees a bunch of baby raccoons that look just like him and realizes that’s where he came from. He frees the raccoons, only to be stopped by The High Evolutionary. As the two battle it out and The High Evolutionary tells him he is nothing, Rocket tells him he has a name, and that it’s Rocket Raccoon. Rocket then destroys him once and for all, finally feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders. He and the rest of The Guardians then release all of the experimented animals and take them to Knowhere to live a free life.

4. Peter Quill Dies... Sort Of

As The Guardians all escape the exploding space ship and back to their headquarters, the gang finds themselves missing a member. Peter Quill, AKA Star Lord, went back to retrieve his iPod. The gang realizes this and sees Peter trying to make it back, but he ultimately gets caught in outer space, where the lack of oxygen freezes his body and expands his head. Just as everyone starts to cry, though, a new hero named Adam, also created by The High Evolutionary, flies over to Quill and saves him at the very last second. He brings him back down to Knowhere, to which a befuddled Peter asks them, “Did that look cool?” The Guardians all sigh in unison and amusement, forming another large group hug.

5. The Guardians Say Goodbye

After all is said and done, The Guardians individually realize they need to spend some time a part and go on separate journeys for a little while: Mantis goes off with her new pets; Gamora finds a home with the Ravagers; Drax stays to help rebuild Knowhere; Groot stays with Rocket; and Peter decides he’s going back to Earth to find his grandfather. Peter tells Rocket he’ll make a great leader than he ever was, leaving Rocket the new leader of The Guardians of The Galaxy. Rocket then integrates new members on to the team, continuing to save the day and fight for the greater good.

The film ends on a high note of everyone dancing and singing along to Florence + The Machine’s hit song “Dog Days Are Over.” While the movie had a lot of gut-wrenching scenes, it’s safe to say Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3 is a story that will make you cry, laugh, and want to dance. After all, who doesn’t love a happy ending?!