Rocket Has Never Been a Hero Until Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Director Reveals

James Gunn has always planned on ending the Guardians trilogy with Rocket’s backstory. The long-awaited history of the iconic raccoon has finally been unveiled in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Here’s how Gunn built up Rocket’s heroic arc specifically for Vol. 3:

“I was very careful through all the movies, including the Avengers movies and Thor and everything, that Rocket never does one single action that is for anyone other than himself or his friends,” Gunn admitted in a recent interview with The New York Times.

He added: “[Rocket]’s not a hero like the rest of [the Guardians]. Morally, he’s much more stunted than Nebula is by the end of the Avengers series. He has just cut himself off completely from feeling for people,”

“And at the end of Vol. 3, in that moment where he accepts himself by taking those raccoons and then starts looking around the cages, that’s the moment to me where he sees, ‘Oh my God, everything is me. We’re all a part of this universe and every life has purpose, meaning, and is worthy of respect.’”

Gunn concluded: “That’s who he is now: He’s not a bad guy, he’s strictly a good guy.”

READ MORE: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Crosses Major MCU Box Office Milestone

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is a heartfelt goodbye to fans, to Gunn leaving Marvel to focus on building his new DCU slate, and of course, to the Guardians on their last journey together in their own film.

Chris Pratt’s previous claim on setting the darker tone for the threequel was intentional, given how the film “matured in its emotionality the same way that probably the audience has matured.”

And it rings truer than ever. We have been with the Guardians since their 2014 debut, and now that a new team has been formed, there is little doubt that the potentially brighter future for the franchise remains grim, unless Gunn himself returns to helm yet another film for the group.

You can catch Rocket's heroic arc unfold in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 still showing in theaters worldwide.