Credit: Marvel StudiosGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) was released into theaters last week to much excitement. Fan reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with many saying it’s the best Marvel movie in years, allowing the film to stand alone and be enjoyable without the necessary viewing of the other MCU movies.
Which is great for a the fans who have issues with other iterations of the Guardians, including the characterizations of the characters throughout the Avengers films as well as those who didn’t like Thor: Love and Thunder (2022). Love and Thunder is the fourth installment of the Thor franchise, the second directed by Taika Waititi, and takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019). Thor has been travelling with the Guardians for some time, but leaves them to help stop Gorr and the Necrosword. Fan reactions were strongly mixed, with some enjoying the ’80s vibes and lighthearted turn the movie took and others saying it was too over the top and not worth watching.
This discourse was reignited on Twitter recently, when @D4hz4hn posted side by side photos of Groot and Rocket and asked “how much time passed between love and thunder and the holiday special because groot grew fast.” The post was retweeted by @jeremylovesyall who says “thor: love and thunder isn’t canon,” and he’s not the only one to hold that opinion.
thor: love and thunder isn't canon 😁👍 https://t.co/Az3WUvUaMG
— jeremy (@jeremylovesyall) May 9, 2023
“It’s gonna be so weird when Thor shows up in the next Avengers movie with some random child…they just made that weird fanfiction,” sayd @outatimefilmpod. One comment takes it further than the Groot inconsistency and brings up Quill and Gamora’s situation. “I’m really convinced that’s true because Quill was super fine about Gamora [not] liking him anymore,” says @jamesholyspirit.
However, other comments pointed out that Groot is able to change his shape at will, and therefore was able to grow at the rate he wanted. A handful of comments claim it’s just due to inconsistencies between films, with @ianmakesfilms stating, “don’t think about continuity, just think about how the films make you feel.”
The majority of comments argue back and forth about whether Thor: Love and Thunder should or shouldn’t be considered canon, and whether or not it’s an enjoyable movie. The discourse is really starting to back up the idea that fans are undergoing superhero fatigue, especially as different directors take different liberties with characters that cameo in other films, like the Guardians in the Avengers films or Thor: Love and Thunder. With everything happening in the Marvel Universe, it’s safe to say that the movies shouldn’t be taken too seriously and should just be enjoyed for what they are: superhero films.
What did you think of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? Share your thoughts in the comments below!