Does Rocket die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3?
Some fans fear the raccoon could be set to meet his end...
Warning: This article contains major spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.
Ahead of the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, much of the discussion centered on the fact that this film would be darker in tone to the previous two instalments in James Gunn's MCU trilogy.
This naturally led some fans to speculate that one or more of the intergalactic superhero team could be killed off, and since it was heavily teased that Rocket's past would feature in the film, many feared the raccoon could be one of those set to meet his end.
Now that the film has arrived in UK cinemas, we know exactly what fate awaits Rocket. So, read on for everything you need to know, with the obvious warning that there are major spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 ahead.
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Does Rocket die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3?
No. Although Rocket spends the vast majority of the film in a coma and appears to be on the brink of death, he actually makes it out alive.
At the very beginning of the film, he is left in a critical state after being attacked by Adam Warlock (Will Poulter) – and the other Guardians spend much of the rest of the movie attempting to save him, a task complicated by a kill-switch they must overwrite.
Eventually, after Peter Quill and Groot have successfully retrieved a file that will bring him back to consciousness, they use this to try and save him, but he flatlines – and for a brief moment it looks like he really is about to die.
While Rocket is flatlining, he appears to briefly make it to the afterlife, where he is met by his old friends Lyla, Teefs, and Floor – who we were introduced to in flashbacks before they were killed by the High Evolutionary.
Lyla tells him that it isn't yet his time to die and he seems to take this message to heart, suddenly waking up again fully conscious. From there, he goes on to confront the High Evolutionary and plays his part in the Guardians' return to Knowhere.
At the very end of the film – after Peter Quill announces he is leaving to go home to Earth for a while – Rocket is named the new leader of the Guardians, so not only is he alive when the new credits roll, he also has a new sense of purpose.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 3 is now showing in UK cinemas, while other instalments in the franchise are available to stream on Disney Plus. Sign up to Disney Plus now for £7.99 per month or £79.90 for a full year.
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.