Following James Gunn’s departure from Marvel Studios and the conclusion of the trilogy with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, fans have been anxious regarding the fate of everyone’s favorite ragtag band of intergalactic heroes. Thankfully, the movie’s first post-credit scene gives us a glimpse of the team’s future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, revealing both its new and returning members.
Whether a stream of tears was blocking your view or you were wondering who a specific new face was, this article takes a deep dive into the team members of the Guardians of the Galaxy in a post-Gunn world. Be warned, major spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 are ahead.
Who are the New Guardians of the Galaxy Members?
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s first post-credit scene reveals every member of the new team preparing for a mission on a faraway planet. The squad — consisting of Rocket Raccoon, Kraglin, Cosmo, Adam Warlock, Blurp, and Phyla-Vell in matching uniforms alongside Blurp and Groot — discuss their favorite music artists before charging into battle with a stampede of typical Gunn-style aliens to Redbone’s ‘Come and Get Your Love.’ Not a dry eye in the theatre.
Rocket Raccoon
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s bittersweet ending results in the team’s largest shakeup yet. Nebula and Drax stay behind to aid in providing a new home for the prisoners freed from the High Evolutionary. Mantis decides it’s finally time to explore the galaxy on her own terms, and Peter (Star-Lord) finally returns to Earth to reunite with his grandfather.
As the scene unfolds, Rocket voices the audience’s concerns by asking if it’s the end. However, in a touching gesture, Peter declares that “The galaxy still needs its Guardians” and designates Rocket as the team’s new leader.
With James Gunn confirming that Groot in Vol. 2 and onward is the original Groot’s son again in 2022, Rocket is the only remaining member of the original team.
Groot
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s post-credit scene takes place at some point in the future, as evidenced by Groot now towering over the rest of the team. Dwarfing his progenitor, Groot is now absolutely colossal. A total unit. An even beefier boy.
Related: Best Marvel Post Credit Scenes, Ranked
Kraglin Obfonteri
Kraglin Obfonteri has been an essential part of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise since the beginning, serving as Yondu’s right-hand man in The Ravagers. He eventually joined the Guardians a year after the events of Avengers: Endgame, equipped with his late mentor’s Yaka Arrow.
Despite his official status as a Guardian, Kraglin has been chiefly portrayed supporting character rather than a core team member. Kraglin now appears in uniform with the rest of the team and even boasts he can handle an entire stampede of incoming aliens on his own.
Cosmo
Cosmo appeared briefly as an Easter Egg in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, growling at Rocket when the team visits The Collector and licking the latter’s face in a post-credits scene. She officially joined the Guardians in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (which we highly recommend watching), though her powers weren’t fully explored until Vol. 3.
In the comics, Cosmo was a dog sent to space by the Soviets in 1966, mutating due to cosmic rays and gaining psionic powers. Eventually ending up Knowhere, he (Cosmo is genderswapped in the MCU) became its security chief and eventually a Guardians of the Galaxy member.
Cosmo shares the same Soviet origin in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though how she developed powers is never explained. Her abilities include enhanced intelligence, an increased lifespan, telepathy, and telekinesis. She can also talk using her collar and hates being called a bad dog. She’s a good dog. Don’t you forget it.
Adam Warlock
Serving as the deuteragonist throughout the majority of the film, Adam Warlock is given a second chance in the movie’s final act, saving Peter Quill from an icy death. With his mother now a pile of golden dust, Adam finds a new family in the Guardians as perhaps its most powerful member.
In an on-set interview with Slash Film, Gunn revealed that Adam is one of his favorite characters and was originally supposed to perform a significant role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Instead, he was relegated to a post-credit tease due to the number of characters involved in Vol 2’s plot.
Phyla-Vell
While her name is never spoken in the movie, the movie’s credits reveal the mysterious white-haired Britney-Spears-loving Guardian as Phyla-Vell. We first encounter her caged along with other “Star Children” in the High Evolutionary’s ship, acting as their leader when given instructions by Drax to aid in their rescue.
The Star Children were the High Evolutionary’s final experiment, genetically enhanced beings designed for his “perfect world.” As shown by Phyla running around a giant hamster wheel for hours without breaking a sweat, they possess incredible physical abilities, as well as extreme intelligence.
In the post-credits scene, Phyla, now older, is shown manipulating Cosmic Energy, similar to Captain Marvel and Monica Rambeau. Phyla-Vell is the daughter of Mar-Vell (the original Captain Marvel) in the comics — though there doesn’t seem to be any direct link to the MCU’s depiction of Mar-Vell.
First appearing in Captain Marvel #16 in 2003, Phyla-Vell has briefly taken on the mantle of both Captain Marvel and Quasar and was a temporary member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Nova Corps described her power as a “continental-level threat.”
Blurp
Blurp is Adam Warlock’s furry F’saki companion, whom he adopted after completely disintegrating its former owner at the behest of his dear mum. In an interview with Empire, Gunn jokingly states, “Probably the most important character to the Marvel Universe going forward is Blurp.”
Realistically, Blurp is another ‘little guy’ for audiences to adore and obsessively purchase merchandise of — and we absolutely love it.
