Rocket Is the ‘Secret Protagonist’ of Guardians of the Galaxy 3, Says James Gunn

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn has revealed his motivations for returning to complete the trilogy, saying he wanted to finish Rocket’s story because he is the “secret protagonist.”

In the latest issue of Total Film magazine, Gunn stressed the importance of wrapping up character arcs in Guardians 3. He explained that his main focus was on Rocket Raccoon because he is at the heart of the overarching story and deserving of the spotlight.

“The most important thing for me was Rocket’s story, and then, following that, everybody else,” Gunn said. “Rocket is the secret protagonist of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and has always been the centre of it for me, and this is really fulfilling that. The reason I came back, and decided to do this movie, was because I really felt like Rocket’s story needed to be told – and it was left hanging after Vol 2.”

Rocket has featured heavily in the various trailers in the lead-up to the release of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 on May 5. The latest footage showed more of baby Rocket while setting the stage for “one last ride” with the titular band of misfits led by Star-Lord.

Gunn reiterated that telling Rocket’s story is “the most important thing” about the third installment. However, he also pointed out that Vol. 3 works as a standalone film as well as a film that ends a trilogy and ties up the loose threads of its ensemble cast.

“The first movie is about the mother, the second is about the father, and the third movie is about the self,” he said. “That’s what this journey is.”

Gunn previously called the movie a torturous and emotional farewell compared to the more cheerful Disney+ Holiday Special, though the seasonal short shouldn’t be overlooked as it did reveal some important details about the team and what might be coming next.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.