Where can you find this year’s best Christmas party? Knowhere! Of course, that only makes sense if you’re an MCU fan who’s seen director James Gunn’s fantastic new The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special on Disney+. Drax and Mantis turned that Celestia skull into the universe’s biggest winter wonderland to cheer up their friend Peter. But the MCU’s Christmas celebration also gave us new insights into the group heading into their third film. Here’s everything we learned from The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special ahead of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
The Guardians Bought Knowhere From the Collector
It was unclear what happened to the Collector after Thanos attacked Knowhere. (The Reality Stone really does mess with reality!) Now we know he survived, but decided not to stick around his old base of operations. He sold that skull of a Celestial to the Guardians. It’s their new home, and as Knowhere’s leaders they’re overseeing the heavily-damaged colony’s restoration.
Knowhere is a special place to the group. It’s where they first started to come together as a unified clan. And it’s also the last place any of them saw the original Gamora alive. But having an established home base also means it will be easier for their many enemies to find them.
James Gunn even shared a little bit more on how they could afford this base.
Cosmo the Dog Joins the Group
Speaking of the Collector, one of his old specimens is the newest Guardian of the Galaxy. The Soviet Union’s test animal/space explorer Cosmo the Dog has joined the group. She can speak with a Russian accent through a translating device and has telekinetic powers. The adorable pup in a cosmonaut suit also refuses to take gruff and loves treats. She’s obviously a very good girl.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Have a New Ship: The Bowie
The Guardians are already on their third ship ahead of their third feature film. The Benatar (which replaced the Milano) is out and The Bowie is in. We can easily imagine why Quill named a ship after David Bowie. But why the new transportation? What happened to the Benatar? That we do not know. You might say it’s a real “Space Oddity.”
Kraglin Still Can’t Control His Flying Arrow
Kraglin is determined to carry on—or rather fly—Yondu’s legacy. But despite his best efforts and the giant fin attached to his skull, Kraglin still doesn’t have the “hang” of his arrow. Unlike in Thor: Love and Thunder, we didn’t even see him attempt (and fail) to use it during the holiday special. That was for the best, though. You’d have to be really naughty to deserve a wayward flying arrow on Christmas morning.
Groot Got Swoll
Groot is a growing young tree. And we don’t just mean by age. Referred to as both YA Groot and Swoll Groot by James Gunn, the wide chonky boy has a very different build than that of his lean father. He also has a more outgoing personality, which was on full display when Swoll Groot rocked out to “I Don’t Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime is Here.)” And he’s even quite the artist. (We’d very much like Santa to bring us some of his sculptures.)
Gamora Is Still Missing and Peter Is Still Sad
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was wholesome fun. (Not in spite of the human abduction, either, but because of it!) Not everything was perfect, though. Gamora from 2014 is still missing. She disappeared after Thanos’s defeat in Endgame. Quill still hasn’t found her, and he’s obviously not over her. A reunion with Gamora is the one present he truly wants, but is that even possible? The Gamora that is out in the galaxy is not the one who loved him.
It probably doesn’t help that Quill also doesn’t have his buddy Thor around anymore, either. The two clearly had developed a real admiration for one another during the God of Thunder’s brief time with the Guardians.
Peter and Mantis Are Siblings
Star-Lord’s life has been full of loss. He lost his mom, his entire Terran family, his home planet, his father, Yondu, and the love of his life. But this Christmas he gained a sister. Mantis shared an important secret with him: Ego is her dad, too.
Peter says finding out Mantis is his sister is the greatest Christmas gift he could ever get. It’s also a pretty terrific present for MCU fans. Their familial connection will only make what’s sure to be an emotional Vol. 3 even more meaningful.
But we also hope the movie includes more scenes of Nebula dancing. The fact she has some…uh…let’s call them moves?…might be the biggest Guardians of the Galaxy revelation ever. And that’s the type of gift the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe can enjoy.
Originally published on November 28, 2022.
