Star-Lord from Marvel's GOTG is one of Marvel's best games, but the top-notch writing and impressive character development is arguably the biggest reason why it has garnered a beloved following. While the decision to make Star-Lord the game's only playable character was initially met with some criticism, this ultimately turned out to be the right move, as it not only best served the story being told, but also helped to develop the character into a deeper and more likable protagonist, ultimately eclipsing the popular MCU portrayal.
Before the release of the 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy film, the of the Guardians team were relatively obscure characters that hadn't made their way into mainstream pop culture yet. James Gunn's film reinvented the titular team of anti-heroes, with Chris Pratt's Star-Lord as the film's lead. While opinion of the MCU's Star-Lord and Chris Pratt's portrayal has varied a bit over time, the reception to the character has overall been positive, and his fanbase grew because of it.
Although he takes some inspiration from the MCU's iteration, GOTG's Star-Lord differs from the MCU's version in a lot of ways. It's in some of these ways that the Star-Lord from the game improves on the character from the films. While both versions of Peter Quill are outlaws turned heroes that were abducted from Earth at a young age, the actual origin story differs considerably. The MCU's version of Star-Lord loses his mother to cancer before being picked up by Yondu, whereas in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, he sees his mother killed by aliens who had come to Earth to find him. However, both resulted in a Star-Lord that is immature and clings to his childhood, an element that sets up his most interesting character arc in Crystal Dynamics' game.
Star-Lord's Father Figure Role To Nikki In GOTG Forces Him To Grow Up
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy's excellent narrative introduces the character of Nicholette Gold early in the game. While the comics version of the character is an adult that s the original Guardians team as its sixth member, the game's version is the child of one of Peter's former romantic partners, Ko-Rel, a Kree member of the Nova Corps. After doing some math, Star-Lord realizes there's a good chance that Nikki is his daughter and takes on the role of a father figure to her for the rest of the game, especially after the death of her mother. When Nikki s Raker after seeing the Promise, Star-Lord plays an important role in mentoring her back, playing the role of her father. This story is perfect for Peter Quill, as it challenges his usual lack of responsibility and childlike attitude and forces him to grow into the kind of loving and caring parent that his mother was, bringing his story full circle.
While the ending of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy reveals that Nikki is not Star-Lord's biological daughter, he still brings her into the team's found family and takes on the responsibility of helping to raise her. Hopefully, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy will get a sequel that can further expand upon Star-Lord and Nikki's relationship, and further his growth as a father, teammate, and hero.
