Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Last updated:
August 10, 2025

James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is Marvel Studios’ follow-up to the unexpectedly beloved first film. It doubles down on humor, heart, and psychedelic space visuals, while deepening the backstories of its core characters—especially Star-Lord, Rocket, and Yondu.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

Opening: Dancing Baby Groot and the Abilisk Fight

The movie opens in classic Guardians style: an epic alien battle with an absurd twist. The Guardians are hired by the Sovereign race to protect valuable batteries from a giant tentacled creature called an Abilisk. While the others fight, Baby Groot joyfully dances to “Mr. Blue Sky” by ELO. The mission is a success, but Rocket secretly steals some batteries, setting off a chain of trouble.

Encounter with Ego

Fleeing the Sovereign fleet, the Guardians are saved by a mysterious man—Ego (Kurt Russell)—who reveals himself to be Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) long-lost father. He invites Peter, Gamora, and Drax to his beautiful living planet home. Rocket, Groot, and the captured Nebula remain behind, only to be attacked by Yondu’s Ravagers, who are then betrayed by their own crew.

Yondu, Rocket, and the Ravager Mutiny

Yondu’s authority crumbles as his men mutiny, led by Taserface. Many loyal Ravagers are executed. Yondu and Rocket bond while imprisoned, realizing they are both self-destructive and afraid of genuine connection. Baby Groot hilariously fails several times while trying to bring Yondu his prototype fin.

The Truth About Ego

On Ego’s planet, Peter learns he is part Celestial and can manipulate energy. He also grows closer to his father—until Ego reveals his true plan: he has planted seedlings of himself across the universe and will use Peter’s Celestial power to activate them, consuming all worlds into his essence. Even worse, Ego confesses he gave Peter’s mother the brain tumor that killed her, to sever his human ties. Peter snaps, leading to an all-out battle.

The Final Battle

The Guardians regroup—Rocket, Yondu, and Baby Groot escape the Ravagers and join the fight. Nebula decides not to kill Gamora, beginning their path toward reconciliation. Baby Groot plants a bomb in Ego’s core, while Peter unleashes his Celestial powers against his father. Ego is destroyed when the bomb goes off, but the planet’s collapse begins killing everyone inside.

Movie Ending

As the planet crumbles, Yondu makes the ultimate sacrifice. Using his spacesuit for Peter, he soars into space holding him, but dies from exposure to the vacuum. Before dying, Yondu tells Peter: “He may have been your father, boy, but he wasn’t your daddy. I’m damn lucky you were my boy.”
The Guardians give Yondu a Ravager funeral. The previously banished Ravagers show up to honor him, proving he regained their respect.
Nebula leaves to hunt down Thanos, vowing to kill him herself. Mantis chooses to stay with the Guardians. Rocket quietly reflects on Yondu’s sacrifice, realizing the depth of chosen family. The team flies away together, stronger than before.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

Yes—this movie has five mid-credits and post-credits scenes:

Kraglin learns to use Yondu’s arrow (with painful results).
Stakar Ogord reunites with his old Ravager team—a nod to the original Guardians from Marvel Comics.
Ayesha unveils “Adam”—teasing Adam Warlock’s future appearance.
Teenage Groot—Peter scolds him for being messy.
Stan Lee with the Watchers—Stan finishes telling his story, humorously implying he’s been the same character in all MCU films.

Type of Movie

Sci-fi superhero action-comedy with heavy emphasis on family drama and emotional character arcs.

Cast

Chris Pratt – Peter Quill / Star-Lord
Zoe Saldaña – Gamora
Dave Bautista – Drax the Destroyer
Vin Diesel – Baby Groot (voice)
Bradley Cooper – Rocket (voice)
Michael Rooker – Yondu Udonta
Karen Gillan – Nebula
Pom Klementieff – Mantis
Kurt Russell – Ego the Living Planet
Elizabeth Debicki – Ayesha
Sylvester Stallone – Stakar Ogord

Film Music and Composer

Score by Tyler Bates, with the soundtrack (Awesome Mix Vol. 2) including 70s–80s hits like “The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac, “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass, and “Mr. Blue Sky” by ELO. The music is tightly integrated with character moments, especially the “Brandy” motif tied to Ego’s philosophy.

Filming Locations

Filming took place primarily at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayette County, Georgia, with extensive green screen work and CGI environments. Some outdoor scenes were filmed in Georgia’s Tallulah Gorge State Park. The locations serve as digital canvases for the film’s bold, surreal color palette.

Awards and Nominations

Nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 90th Academy Awards.
Won Best Visual Effects at the Saturn Awards.
Multiple nominations for its soundtrack and visual design in various critic associations.

Behind the Scenes Insights

James Gunn wrote and directed, ensuring a consistent vision from the first film.
Baby Groot was deliberately made smaller to reset his personality and make him more childlike.
Kurt Russell filmed many scenes without green screen so he could interact more naturally with actors.
Michael Rooker wore Yondu’s makeup for hours even on days when he wasn’t filming, just to stay in character.
The “Brandy” song was chosen before the script was finished, influencing major plot beats.

Inspirations and References

Inspired by the cosmic side of Marvel Comics, particularly the 1990s Infinity Watch and Annihilation storylines.
Strong visual nods to 1970s sci-fi paperback covers and psychedelic album art.
Ego’s expansion plan draws from classic “space god” narratives in comics.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

Early drafts had Peter’s powers remain after Ego’s death, but this was changed to raise future stakes.
A deleted scene showed Nebula briefly piloting the Milano and awkwardly bonding with Rocket.
Another cut moment had Yondu teasing Rocket about his “cute raccoon face.”

Book Adaptations and Differences

A junior novelization exists but follows the film closely with slightly toned-down violence and humor. The comics differ drastically—Ego is a more traditional villain, and Star-Lord’s father is J’son, not Ego.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

Baby Groot dancing during the opening battle.
Yondu and Rocket’s jailbreak with the arrow massacre set to “Come a Little Bit Closer.”
The Sovereign’s remote drone battle played like a video game arcade.
Yondu’s death and Ravager funeral.

Iconic Quotes

Yondu: “He may have been your father, boy, but he wasn’t your daddy.”
Drax: “You are beautiful… on the inside.”
Rocket: “I’m sorry. I can only afford to lose one friend today.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

Howard the Duck makes a cameo again.
The Watchers’ scene with Stan Lee references multiple past MCU roles.
Several background Ravagers are based on characters from the original 1969 Guardians comic team.

Trivia

This was the first MCU film to be released in 8K resolution for IMAX theaters.
Sean Gunn not only plays Kraglin but also serves as Rocket’s motion capture double.
The Sovereign’s golden skin required daily metallic paint sessions for actors.

Why Watch?

Because it’s one of the rare superhero sequels that balances laugh-out-loud humor, jaw-dropping cosmic visuals, and genuine emotional payoffs. If the first Guardians made you care about a talking raccoon, this one will make you cry over a blue alien with a glowing mohawk.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Detailed Summary