Credit: Marvel StudiosGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has Marvel fans everywhere rolling in an emotional tidal wave. Not since Avengers: Endgame has there been such a tremendous response from audiences. That being said, how is Marvel going to follow a performance like that?
The final MCU entry from director James Gunn saw Star-Lord, Gamora, Mantis, and all the other Guardians fight the High Evolutionary and his fiendish revenge mission against Rocket Raccoon. As incredible as the action, humor, and soundtrack are, the true highlight of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise is its emotional weight. Now that their chapter has concluded, Marvel might already have its next emotional juggernaut.
Spider-Man Hits Close to Home
In our previous coverage, we’ve discussed the similarities between the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy with its friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and the emotional storytelling is definitely there. While Peter Parker might not wrestle with the Sovereign or rip the face off of a genocidal mad scientist, he definitely knows what it feels like to have and lose everything.
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Just like Rocket Raccoon and the rest of the Guardians, Peter will embark on his next adventure picking up the pieces of his life and trying to maintain that same quirky charm and sense of humor while the pain pulses beneath. Don’t believe us? Remember where No Way Home ended.
Peter has essentially lost everyone after the events of his previous movie. His friends, family, and life are all behind him now that no one knows he’s Spider-Man anymore. He might be gearing up to face Kraven the Hunter or Venom, but the real heavy-hitting elements of wherever the MCU sends him next will depend entirely on whats going on behind the mask.
Where Next for Marvel?
The reason both Spider-Man and the Guardians have worked so well is due to the heavy reliance on emotional storytelling. We’ve all been Peter Parker at some point in our lives. We’ve all known what it’s like to experience the death of someone we love, to get our hearts broken, to transition into a new phase in our lives, and to grow as a person.
The factors listed above are exactly why Marvel has such a huge fan following, in and out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We connect to both Spider-Man and the Guardians of the Galaxy not because they are superheroes, but because they are flawed, relatable, human characters doing super heroic things.
Has Marvel hit you right in the feels? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!