Guardians of the Galaxy (2008 team)

Warlock and Gamora return and inform the team of the War of Kings. They split into three teams, one each to the Kree and Shi'ar, and one staying on Knowhere to coordinate. The Kree team is heard by Black Bolt and the Inhumans, but their request for peace is denied. The Shi'ar team is attacked by Vulcan and the Imperial Guard, leading them to ally with the Starjammers.

Star-Lord, Mantis, Bug, Jack Flag, and Cosmo are taken to the 31st Century by that era's Guardians, who warn them of the creation of an all-destroying energy rift called The Fault at the war's conclusion. Trapped in the future, Star-Lord's team is able to get a message to Warlock in the 21st Century. Warlock is unable to stop The Fault's creation, but is able to contain it with a spell that requires a stable, unused timeline. Warlock chooses the one he previously erased,[37] causing him to become the Magus. Star-Lord's team, with the help of Kang the Conqueror, are returned to this point in the timestream. To escape, Magus fakes the death of himself, Mantis, Cosmo, Major Victory, Martyr, and Gamora.[38]

Martyr frees herself with the help of Maelstrom, and enables Mantis to call the other Guardians for help telepathically. When they come to the rescue, Phyla-Vell is misled by Maelstrom into freeing Thanos. Thanos kills Martyr, but is captured by the Guardians and taken back to Knowhere as a prisoner.[39]

In the 2010 miniseries The Thanos Imperative, the universe is invaded by the Cancerverse, a universe that lies on the opposite side of the Fault, a rift in space-time formed at the end of "War of Kings". The Guardians take Thanos to the Cancerverse in an attempt to end the war early.[40] Along the way, Drax attacks Thanos and is killed.[41] They are ultimately successful at ending the war, but Thanos is left enraged and promising to kill everyone. Along with Nova, Star-Lord remains in the collapsing Cancerverse as the other Guardians escape.[42]

After the death of Star-Lord, the Guardians disband. Still believing in their cause, Cosmo recruits another team under the name "Annihilators".[43] Rocket Raccoon and Groot later reunite and decide to continue the Guardians' legacy after the duo prevent an incident on Rocket's home world, Halfworld.[44]

The new team appears on Earth to aid the Avengers against Thanos.[45]

Writer Brian Michael Bendis signing books at Midtown Comics in Manhattan, including copies of the Marvel NOW! version of the series

After Star-Lord's father visits him in a bar to tell him that it is forbidden for any alien species to visit Earth, Iron Man is attacked by Badoon appearing to attack Earth. The Guardians and their newest member Iron Man defeat the ship; however, London is still attacked.[46] The Guardians defend London and finish off the horde of Badoon but learn that, for violating the "Earth-is-off-limits" rule (the Spartax Earth Directive), they are to be placed under arrest by the King of Spartax. The Guardians manage to escape with the help of Groot, who had recently regrown after being destroyed by a Badoon ship's explosion. The team includes Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Groot, Rocket Raccoon, and Tony Stark. In April 2013, it was announced that Image Comics' Angela (Spawn) would join the Marvel Universe as the result of a legal battle between Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane. After appearing in the "Age of Ultron", she joins the Guardians. Captain Marvel and Agent Venom later have stints as team members as well.[47]

During the "Secret Wars" storyline, the Guardians of the Galaxy take part in the incursion between Earth-616 and Earth-1610. During the incursion, Rocket Raccoon and Groot are killed by the Children of Tomorrow, Star-Lord is teleported away trying to come up with a back-up plan, and Gamora and Drax the Destroyer are surrounded and confused by the corpses of their comrades.[48] During the subsequent conflict with the Beyonder-empowered Doom, Star-Lord is one of the survivors of the previous universe, piloting the 616 and Ultimate versions of Mister Fantastic in to mount a final assault on Doom's castle, and revealing that he kept a twig from Groot in his pocket until the right moment.

During the "Secret Empire" storyline, the Guardians of the Galaxy assist Captain Marvel, the Ultimates, the Alpha Flight Space Program, Hyperion, and Quasar into fighting the Chitauri wave. Captain America, who was brainwashed into being a Hydra sleeper agent by Red Skull's clone using the powers of Kobik, activates the Planetary Defense Shield trapping them outside of Earth.[49]

In 2020, Marvel announced a reboot of the series which will be written by Al Ewing and drawn by Juann Cabal. This new series will include a team lead by Star-Lord and Rocket Raccoon alongside Marvel Boy, Nova, Phyla-Vell and Moondragon fighting against the Gods of Olympus.[50] Wiccan and Hulkling later join as members.[51]

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• The Guardians of the Galaxy are mentioned by the Dark Surfer in the episode "When Strikes the Surfer" of the animated series The Super Hero Squad Show.
• The Guardians of the Galaxy appear in the episode "Michael Korvac" of the animated series The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. In this adaptation, the team consists of Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Quasar, and Adam Warlock. They arrived on Earth where they pursued Korvac. They battle the Avengers, who think Korvac is a pursued victim, and later team up with them to defeat Korvac.
• The Guardians of the Galaxy appear in the Ultimate Spider-Man episode "Guardians of the Galaxy". The team consists of Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Gamora, Groot, and Drax the Destroyer. The Guardians of the Galaxy were responsible for training Nova. Rocket Raccoon calls upon Nova and Spider-Man to help the Guardians of the Galaxy fight the Chitauri led by Korvac. In "The Return of the Guardians of the Galaxy", the Guardians land on Earth to repair their ship at the time when Titus was leading the Chitauri into claiming Nova's helmet. After the Guardians of the Galaxy's ship is repaired, they helped Nova and Spider-Man fight Titus and the Chitauri. After Titus was defeated even when S.H.I.E.L.D. arrives, the Guardians of the Galaxy leaves with Titus in their custody while the remaining Chitauri escapes.

• The Guardians of the Galaxy appear in the Avengers Assemble episode "Guardians and Space Knights". Their first designs were based on their appearance in Ultimate Spider-Man, and were voiced by the same actors. Their later appearance changed their design and voice actors to reflect their subsequent animated series, which reflected the characters' designs in the feature films.

• The Guardians of the Galaxy appear in the Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. episode "It's a Wonderful Smash". In their self-titled episode, the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. run into the Guardians of the Galaxy when they come across a plot by Super-Skrull to create gamma-powered Skrulls on an unnamed planet. In the episode "Planet Monster" Part 2, the Guardians of the Galaxy are among the superheroes that help the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. and the Avengers fight the forces of the Supreme Intelligence.

• The Guardians of the Galaxy appear in their own self-titled episode of Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers.

• A Guardians of the Galaxy animated series closely modeled after feature film was released in September 2015.[63]

• The Guardians of the Galaxy appeared in Marvel's Spider-Man in a two-part crossover.

• The Guardians of the Galaxy appear in their own Lego short Lego Marvel Super Heroes - Guardians of the Galaxy: The Thanos Threat.[64]

• The Guardians of the Galaxy appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the characters portrayed in a more comedic manner.[65] The group's founding members are Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, and Groot.[66] They first appeared in the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy and return in the 2017 film Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, both directed by James Gunn.[67] In the latter movie, the team's membership expanded with the addition of Mantis while temporary aided by Yondu Udonta and Nebula in their fight against Ego the Living Planet. Sean Gunn's character Kraglin also assists the team in the final confrontation.

• The team appears in Avengers: Infinity War,[68] in which they aid Thor and the Avengers in confronting Thanos in his attempt to collect all of the Infinity Stones in order to use the Infinity Gauntlet to kill half of all the living beings in the universe. Thanos succeeds in collecting all of Stones, murdering Gamora in the process, and when he disintegrates half of all life in the universe with a snap of his fingers (an act known as the Infinity Snap), Star-Lord, Drax, Mantis, and Groot are among his victims, with only Rocket and Nebula spared.

• In Avengers: Endgame, after Thanos has destroyed the Stones and is executed by Thor, Rocket and Nebula help the Avengers travel back in time to retrieve the Infinity Stones from the past, in order to reverse the Infinity Snap. They are successful, but the Thanos of 2014 becomes aware of the presence of this other Nebula, and has her captured, sending 2014 Nebula to the present in the former's place. The Avengers are successful in reversing the Infinity Snap, bringing Thanos' victims back to life, but 2014 Nebula summons Thanos to the present, where he destroys Avengers headquarters in order to acquire the Stones to kill the entire universe. Nebula successfully convinces 2014 Gamora to join her in opposing Thanos, and kills her 2014 counterpart, though 2014 Gamora has no emotional connection to Quill. The combined forces of the Avengers, the Guardians and all of their allies succeed in repelling his forces, and killing Thanos once and for all. Afterwards, Thor joins the Guardians, quipping that they are now the "Asgardians of the Galaxy", and jokingly argues with Star-Lord over command of the team.

• The Guardians of the Galaxy are scheduled to make an appearance in Thor: Love and Thunder.[69]

• A third film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, is in development.[70]

• Rocket Raccoon appears in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 as a playable character.
• The Guardians of the Galaxy appear in the MMORPG, Marvel Heroes.
• The Guardians of the Galaxy appear in Lego Marvel Super Heroes. The team consists of Groot, Rocket Raccoon, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, and Star-Lord. The game's Guardians of the Galaxy achievement also considers Ronan the Accuser and Nova as members of the team.
• The Guardians of the Galaxy appeared in Marvel: Avengers Alliance.
• Star-Lord, Drax, Gamora, Rocket, Groot, Yondu, and Ronan appear as playable characters in Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes.
• Rocket Raccoon and Gamora appear as playable characters in Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. Groot appears as part of Rocket's moveset.
• Many Guardians-related characters are featured in the mobile game Marvel: Contest of Champions by Kabam as playable characters, including Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, Ronan, Groot, Angela, Yondu, and Nebula
• The Guardians of the Galaxy appear in Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series.
• Star Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot (as a child and adult), Mantis, Yondu and Nebula appear in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2
• Star Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket Raccoon and Groot appear in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, where they are also the starting characters to pick in the game’s storyline, while Groot and Rocket are a two-in-one playable characters.

• A Guardians of the Galaxy three pack for the Marvel Universe 3 3/4" toyline includes a Rocket Raccoon, Star-Lord, Drax, and a miniature Groot. The three were rereleased individually as part of the Avengers Infinite toyline.[71]

• A Drax figure and a Rocket Raccoon Build-A-Figure have been released in their Guardian uniforms as part of the Marvel Legends line.

• Film versions of the team were released as part of the Marvel Minimates toyline in late 2014.[72]

• Hot Toys released the film versions of Guardians of the Galaxy 12" figures (30 cm) starting in January 2015 with Peter Quill aka Star-Lord. Rocket Racoon, Groot, Gamora, and Drax were subsequently released in 2015.

• An attraction titled Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, opened at Disney California Adventure Park on May 27, 2017. It is a re-branding of the former The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction, utilizing the existing structure and ride system.[73]
• In 2017 it was announced that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind would replace the Universe of Energy at Disney World's Epcot.[74] The attraction is a "storytelling roller coaster" with cars modeled after the Milano starship from the feature films, which spin in order to direct passengers to different parts of a narrative, and is scheduled to open in time for Disney World's 50th anniversary celebration in October 2021.[75][76]

The Guardians of the Galaxy appears in Marvel Universe LIVE! stage show.