Guardians of the Galaxy (film)

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Guardians of the Galaxy was a 2014 live-action film based on the comic book, directed by James Gunn and featuring an ensemble cast of Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, and Benicio del Toro. It is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

After stealing a mysterious orb from an alien planet called Morag, human mercenary Peter Quill finds himself being pursued by Ronan, a Kree warlord bent on getting retribution on the Nova Empire after a war that he thinks, at least, ended badly for the Kree. While attempting to sell the orb, Quill is imprisoned by the Novas along with bounty hunter duo Rocket and Groot and Thanos' daughter Gamora, who works for Ronan. Quill then makes an uneasy truce with Rocket, Groot Gamora, and a fourth prisoner named Drax (whose wife and daughter were killed by Ronan) to sell the orb to the Collector, an alien who would be perfectly be able to repel any attempt to retrieve the Orb by Ronan.

This leads to the motley crew to work together to stop an even bigger threat and save the universe, as the Orb is revealed to be an Infinity Stone, more specifically the Power one, that in the hands of Ronan would turn him into from an already strong Kree on a Person of Mass Destruction.

The film was an unexpected success at the box office and got two sequels, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 released in 2017 and Vol. 3 in 2023.

Produced by Marvel Studios. Distributed by Walt Disney Motion Pictures.

Tropes used in Guardians of the Galaxy (film) include:

• Advertised Extra: Taneleer Tivan (also known as The Collector) has his own poster. But he appears in only one scene in the entire movie. After his defeat, he appears bruised and battered in a post-credits scene, wanting revenge on the Guardians for destroying his lair.
• Ascended Extra: Taneleer Tivan and Carina get their chance to shine after a brief introduction at the end of Thor: The Dark World. But before they could kill the Guardians, Peter uses an Infinity Stone to destroy Knowhere.
• Always Save the Girl: When Peter learns that Gamora has only minutes to live, he leaps out into space to protect her, with little regard for his own safety.
• Archnemesis Dad: Thanos, just Thanos.
• Big Bad: Ronan the Accuser.
• Breather Episode: This light-hearted film is sandwiched between the darker films Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron.
• Cain and Abel: Nebula and Gamora.
• The Cameo: Stan Lee is a humanoid alien (aka "Mr. Smiles") talking to a brown haired alien.
  • There's even a cameo of Howard the Duck.
• The Casanova/Chivalrous Pervert: Peter Quill. Notably, Gamora avoids becoming yet another of his sexual conquests.
• Character Development: What started as a bunch of five pirate scavengers become a band of heroes, even though they're still "a-holes."
• Co-Dragons: Nebula and Korath to Ronan.
• Curse Cut Short: Quill was going to say "What the fuck" but the last word was cut off by electricity sparking.
• Defeat Means Friendship: Quill saves Gamora from the Collector by touching the Power Stone.
• Denser and Wackier: Compared to the previous MCU films, there are more aliens and humor this time around. Even one of them is a talking raccoon.
• Disney Death:
  • Groot gets destroyed by the Kree during the Final Battle, but he is doing fine.
  • The Collector is apparently killed when Carina grabs the Power Stone. But at a post-credits scene, it is revealed that he is injured by the explosion and is still alive.
• Five-Man Band: The five archetypes are there, but their roles are more fluid than you expect.
  • The Hero, with elements of The Smart Guy: Peter.
  • The Lancer with elements of The Chick: Gamora.
  • The Big Guy, with elements of The Hero: Drax; a Literal-Minded Blood Knight. Although not the main character, he is the one who confronts Big Bad Ronan the most.
  • The Smart Guy, with elements of The Lancer: Rocket; a mechanical genius and tactical planner, who is very cynical and prone to disagreements with Peter.
  • The Chick, with elements of The Big Guy: Groot; a gentle soul, very protective of his companions, and averse to in-fighting. He is not above brutal violence against those that would threaten his friends, however.
• Flipping the Bird: Quill does this to the Nova Corps before being sent to the Kyln.
• Gadgeteer Genius: Rocket definitely lives in this neighborhood. Make sure he really needs the parts he asks for, though.
• Heel Face Turn: Gamora, later Yondu and the Ravagers.
• Heel Realization: Drax, who helps the Guardians get free from prison.
• Heroic Sacrifice: Groot did this to shield his friends from the exploding.
  • The His colleagues would've ended up as this, if the ending had taken a turn for the worse.
• High Heel Face Turn: Peter Quill saves Gamora from the Collector and his army by making the Power Stone explode. Gamora is deeply touched and turns over a new leaf.
• Historical Hero Upgrade: Cosmo the Russian cosmonaut dog was based on Laika, who was also a cosmonaut dog. Though unlike her historical counterpart, she didn't die in space.
• Lighter and Softer: The film is more humorous than previous MCU films.
• Literal-Minded: Drax' species has literal thinking.
• Love Interest: Maybe or maybe not with Gamora. She violently rejects Peter's advances at the beginning of the second act, in rather Tsundere fashion. Though despite regularly teasing their relationship to the audience, Peter and Gamora never share an on-screen kiss or are implied to consummate their relationship in any way. Whether they'll become lovers or just stay True Companions is left up in the air.
• More Dakka: Appears to be one of Rocket's core philosophies about life.
• Pokemon-Speak: Groot mostly says "I am Groot".
• Prison Episode: A good amount of the film is set at the Kyln, a high security prison.
• Ragtag Band of Misfits: What Peter Quill, Groot, Rocket, Gamora, and Drax are.
  • Even after becoming the Guardians of the Galaxy, they're still this.
• Origins Movie: The film counts as this.
• Power Glows: The Power Stone glows, especially when it's used.
• Purple Is Powerful: The Power Stone is purple, and glows purple. And makes the entire scene, including all the guardians, glow purple at the climax.
• Ridiculously Cute Critter: When Groot became a cute, chibi baby tree sapling after his heroic sacrifice and when he came back.
• Small Role, Big Impact: The Collector had little screen time but his explanation of the Infinity Stones set forth the third act of the film.
• The Stinger: Howard the Duck sits in a very damaged glass cage, mocking Tivan. At least, the latter has Cosmo to keep him company.
• Translator Buddy: Rocket helps explain to the team what Groot is saying.
• Troll/Visual Pun: At the end of the film, Peter pulls the ol' switcheroo on Yondu, handing over a dupe instead of the Infinity Stone. Yondu opens the ball to find a troll doll inside. Yondu is unsurprised, and even appears to appreciate the irony.
• Tsundere: Gamora.