Does Rocket die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? (The answer might surprise you)

Does Rocket die in Guardians of the Galaxy 3? That’s been the question on every fan’s mind ahead of the film’s release, but was there an actual reason to be concerned?

Heading into the final film in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, fans have been juggling a lot of emotions. Excitement for a new film in the franchise and to see the Guardians back on our screens. Eagerness to see how Gunn would bring his trilogy to an end. Sadness over knowing the film is set to serve as the last chapter in Gunn’s trilogy. But also fear, primarily in regard to what the film might mean for our beloved heroes — particularly Rocket Raccoon.

As we’ve seen in the trailers, there’s a sense of foreboding surrounding the fate of our favorite space raccoon. The stakes are high, and Peter Quill and the rest of the Guardians must band together to save Rocket’s life. But it’s not going to be an easy task. The mission they embark on is dangerous and fraught with peril, and failure could mean the end of the Guardians as we know them.

All of this raises the question that’s been on every fan’s mind: does Rocket die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3? The trailers certainly seem to suggest that someone on the team won’t make it out alive, and with the emphasis on Rocket’s fate, it’s natural to assume the worst. But were the trailers actually a red herring designed to distract fans from another character’s death? Or does Rocket meet his untimely end?

Warning: There are spoilers ahead pertaining to the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. If you do not want to spoil the film and learn any information about Rocket’s fate in the film or the fate of any member of the Guardians team, this is where you’ll want to bounce. 

Does Rocket die in Guardians of the Galaxy 3?

Within the opening act of the movie, Adam Warlock appears on Knowhere and attacks the Guardians. During this battle, Rocket is seriously injured and we later return he was sent to retrieve Rocket on the order of The High Evolutionary. As we learn, The High Evolutionary is set on taking back what he feels is rightly his — Rocket — as it seems he was responsible for the experiments that made Rocket into what he is.

After the attack, the Guardians embark on a journey to get the answers needed to save Rocket’s life with Rocket spending most of the film in critical condition. There are many close calls across the film, but the closest comes toward the final act in which Rocket appears to die and reach his afterlife.

In an emotional moment, Rocket is reunited with Lylla, another one of The High Evolutionary’s test subjects who Rocket fell in love with and who died at the hands of The High Evolutionary. As Rocket is engulfed in a soft white light, he sees his other slain friends Teefs and Floor and it looks like Rocket is going to walk into the light with the group as he flat-lines in the real world. However, Peter and the Guardians are able to save Rocket’s life just in time in a moment that coincides with Lylla telling Rocket that while they’ll see one another someday, he’s not ready for the “forever and beautiful sky” yet, as he’s brought back to life and awakens from his coma.

Do any of the Guardians die in Guardians of the Galaxy 3?

While Marvel had fans thinking a member of the Guardians team would die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, none of the Guardians are killed during the film as Rocket, Peter, Gamora, Nebula, Groot, Drax, and Mantis are all alive as the film comes to an end. That’s not to say that each member of the team doesn’t face some danger within the film as there are more than a few fakeout deaths across the movie.

The team’s central adventure is centered around the quest to save Rocket’s life with a few moments across the film hinting their efforts wouldn’t pay off. During an early fight scene in the film, Drax is shot twice with alien technology and it’s made to look like he was killed only for us to find out minutes later that he was not. Oh and let’s not forget out the Guardians’ first battle with Adam Warlock nearly sidelines most of the team and is what initially caused Rocket’s injury.

Of the many fakeout deaths across the film, none was more convincing than when it looked as though Peter was going to die after making the mistake to go back for his music device and losing precious seconds needed to flee The High Evolutionary’s ship before it exploded. It was quite convincing that Peter was going to die in space before Adam Warlock came to his rescue in the knick of time.

Although some might complain that Marvel took the safe route in not killing any of the Guardians, the decision was the right call as the ending Gunn and his team crafted for each of the characters was perfect and the death of a Guardian would have overshadowed the brilliance and beauty of the film.