James Gunn has been telling fans for months that the beating heart of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is none other than Rocket Raccoon. And while Bradley Cooper’s sharp-tongued mercenary doesn’t exactly scream “emotional center,” the character’s tragic backstory makes him sympathetic enough to fill this role in the highly-anticipated sequel. Now, Marvel (via Collider) is giving us a new look at Rocket’s past in yet another clip from the film, which introduces us to some more genetically-engineered critters as well.
The scene winds the clock back to Rocket’s early years as a prisoner of the High Evolutionary, who kept him locked inside a cage with three other experiments: a walrus, a rabbit, and an otter, whom Gunn preiously confirmed to be Rocket’s love interest, Lylla, after she showed up in Vol. 3’s original teaser trailer last year. Instead of traditional names, these creatures are referred to by combinations of letters and numbers like “89Q12.” But as Lylla observes, this just won’t do, especially with their master about to bring them to the “new world,” so she suggests naming themselves.
With this, the walrus takes the name “Teefs” and the rabbit calls herself “Floor.” As for the young and innocent Rocket, he derives his own moniker from his dream to build “great machines that fly,” promising to take his friends soaring “into the forever and beautiful sky” once they’re free from the High Evolutionary’s clutches.
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Gunn was quick to point out that no actual animals were harmed in the making of this scene. In fact, he even shared a photo on Instagram featuring the actors who brought these creatures to life using motion capture suits. As always, Sean Gunn was the on-set stand-in for Rocket, while Cooper provided the character’s voice. He was joined by Asim Chaudhry and Mikaela Hoover as Teefs and Floor, respectively. But the biggest surprise is that Lylla is voiced and performed by Linda Cardellini, who has already shown up in multiple MCU projects as Clint Barton’s wife, Laura. You can view Gunn’s image below.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits theaters on May 5.
What do you think of this latest clip from the sequel? Let us know in the comment section below!
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