James Gunn confirms High Evolutionary fate after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
The filmmaker revealed where Chukwudi Iwuji's character is now.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn has shed light on the fate of the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), who served as the principal antagonist of the trilogy's final film.
The character has quickly become one of the most reviled in the entire MCU, due to his penchant for animal cruelty, which involved shockingly inhumane experiments on countless species – including raccoons.
As a result, some fans were disappointed when his fate was left ambiguous by the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ending, with Rocket refusing to kill his former tormenter, whose ship is later obliterated in a ball of flame.
Was he still on board when that happened? The question was posed to Gunn himself via Twitter, and the filmmaker revealed that the High Evolutionary did indeed survive the events of the film.
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In MCU canon, the High Evolutionary is currently "imprisoned on Knowhere", Gunn said, referring to the head of a dead Celestial that has served as the Guardians' base of operations in recent years.
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In response to a fan who questioned this decision, the director explained that Rocket's sparing of the High Evolutionary is a key part of his journey as a character, but doesn't signify a "code against killing when it's necessary".
"It’s the whole culmination of Rocket’s journey," he wrote. "His shift comes in that he doesn’t kill him – he goes from being the least empathetic to the most empathetic Guardian. It seems silly and hollow that he’d refuse to kill him and then leave him on an exploding ship."
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The creative, who is parting ways with Marvel to co-chair rival DC Studios, added that the High Evolutionary's survival is more clearly depicted in a deleted scene.
He added: "It’s really great actually but it messed up the pacing of the end. But you’ll see it in the extras eventually."
It is open to speculation whether this confirmation will pave the way for Chukwudi Iwuji reprising the role in a future project.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 brings an end to this generation of the galactic superhero team, with cast members Zoe Saldana (Gamora) and Dave Bautista (Drax) currently adamant they won't be reprising their roles.
Following the disappointment of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, fans were relieved to see this latest Marvel blockbuster receive a positive reception from critics, while the box office takings have also been strong so far.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is out now in cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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