The Film Journey of Rocket Raccoon: Then and Now

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on Friday, May 5, and while it will wrap up the heroics of the current team line-up, writer and director James Gunn has notably treated audiences to the backstory of our favorite foul-mouthed raccoon: Rocket.

Before audiences are treated to his origin story, let’s wind it back to some of Rocket’s best moments in the MCU to date.

“Right little man...”

We’re first introduced to Rocket alongside his “personal houseplant/muscle” Groot in one of the first film’s opening shots on Xandar. Both are on the search for Star-Lord as their latest bounty target, and in the closing moments of a scuffle, we see Rocket pull out the big gun and subdue Star-Lord in a hilarious sequence. Rocket chuckles and says under his breath, “right little man.”

“Ain’t no thing like me, except me!”

One of the most enjoyable parts of the first film is the constant reminder that Rocket is indeed, a talking racoon. Everyone in the group seems to understand this, with the exception of Rocket himself. After Rocket questions exactly what a raccoon is, Star-Lord is emphatic in his response, “What’s a raccoon? It’s what you are, stupid.”

Rocket then gives us one of his iconic lines in the franchise: “Ain’t nothing like me, except me!”

“This One Here’s Our Booty!”

The complete line-up of the Guardians officially meets in The Kyln, which is described as the worst prison where the guards could care less about what happens to the prisoners inside. As one of the prisoners threatens the group, Groot immediately manhandles the foe while Rocket utters his speech: “Let’s make something clear. This one, here’s our booty! You wanna get to him, you go through us! Or more accurately... We go through you!”

“Bunch of Jackasses Standing in a Circle”

After losing the orb to Ronan and Nebula, the Guardians inevitably feel defeated, or as Star-Lord notes, like “losers.” That is, in that they’ve lost things they’ve cared about along the way. But when he gives a moving speech, and the rest of the Guardians stand in approval, Rocket is the last one to join in while saying, “What the hell, I ain’t got that long of a life span anyway. Now I’m standing, you all happy? We’re all standing up now. Bunch of jackasses standing in a circle.”.

Rocket, Baby Groot, and the detonator

In Volume 2’s closing act, the Guardians enact a plan to dispose of Ego and put an end to his conquest over the rest of the universe. A vital part of the plan involves setting off an explosive, but there’s only one issue: Baby Groot is the one tasked with the job. The smallest Guardian eventually gets the job done, but not before we’re treated to an adorable conversation that goes like this:

“I am Groot.” “NO! That’s the button that will kill everyone. Try again.” “I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot.” “NO! That’s exactly what you just said! How’s that even possible? Which button is the button you’re supposed to push? Point to it. NO!”