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Rocket Raccoon from Guardians of the Galaxy is easily one of the most iconic characters of Marvel. His stellar humor sets him apart after Iron Man and Deadpool. Although the movie is led by Star-Lord Peter Quill, Rocket Raccoon is one of the reasons why the audience cannot get enough of the franchise.
Besides his charisma, he also has a fierce intellect and good battle experience that leads him to see the bigger picture and make decisions for the benefit of the entire group. Unlike Peter Quill, who is motivated by financial gain sometimes, Rocket Raccoon is more concerned with the betterment of the group in Guardians of the Galaxy, making him leader material and worthy of his own spin-off series.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 was released in theatres on May 5, 2023. According to James Gunn’s interview with Deadline, this would be the last installment in the franchise. So, audience demand for a Rocket Raccoon standalone series is higher than ever.
Disclaimer: This article contains some spoilers from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.
Guardians of the Galaxy: 3 reasons why Rocket Raccoon deserves a standalone show
1) Amazing sense of humor
Rocket Raccoon has a sense of humor that can only be paralleled by the humorous legends of the MCU, such as Iron Man or Deadpool. He is sassy and not afraid to speak his mind. His sharp wit and lack of filter have given birth to some of the most iconic quotes in MCU. After all, who can forget the epic burn that Rocket Raccoon delivered when he said to Iron Man:
“You’re only a genius on Earth, Pal.”
He is never known to shut up, even while fighting an all-evil entity like Thanos. He would be perfect with his own show, which would demonstrate his charisma even more.
2) Rocket Raccoon has the most tragic backstory
Unlike his sense of humor, Rocket Raccoon’s backstory in Guardians of the Galaxy is pretty dark. His origin story has never been fully explained in the MCU comics. From what is known, he was a genetically engineered being and was given sentience by AI. This brilliant soul was only limited to janitorial duties in an asylum. James Gunn mentioned in 2017, before the release of Guardians of the Galaxy, how tragic Rocket’s backstory truly is (Via. MCU Exchange):
“A little bit more horrible than what it is in the comics.”
In the same panel, James Gunn suggested that Rocket became who he is because he finally cracked under the constant pressure of scientific experiments being done on him, or he was permanently damaged due to it.
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, James Gunn finally gave Rocket a backstory. Rocket’s backstory explores one of the most heinous villains of the MCU after HYDRA- High Evolutionary.
His mission was to create highly sentient beings to make the universe perfect. However, to achieve that goal, High Evolutionary often took a ruthless, cruel path of experimentation that is not for the faint of heart. The experiments went as far as to be able to destroy the actual soul and the body of the subjects.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 showed Rocket in pain due to experimentation and enhancement surgeries. It showed how Rocket did not even know what he was, and it is one of the reasons why he would fight people on what animal names they called him.
He has a cathedral of scars that make him one of the most traumatic characters in the Guardians of the Galaxy, and he deserves a standalone show of his own for the MCU to delve deep into his psyche.
3) He is a natural leader
Rocket’s character in Guardians of the Galaxy is much more than his tragic past or witty banter. He is a leader who often surpasses even Peter Quill himself. Unlike Peter Quill, he is extremely resourceful in many situations, as he was born into the universe outside of the Earth.
His genetic engineering makes him extremely powerful, and his cybernetic skeleton allows him to sustain any situation without many issues. So, he is much more suited to be the leader of the pack than Peter Quill. He also has amazing piloting skills and stellar tactical prowess due to his extreme intelligence, which makes him a born leader of Guardians of the Galaxy.
From Loki to Agatha: Coven of Chaos, many MCU side characters are getting their own show to explore their brilliance even more. After the release of Vol. 3, fans only hope they will see more of Rocket Raccoon in his own standalone show in the future.
