How 'Guardians of the Galaxy' #1 Paves the Way for War

Warning! This article contains spoilers for today's GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 so, Members of the Merry Marvel Marching Society, roll on at your own risk!

After INFINITY WARS (2018), the Guardians of the Galaxy were broken. However, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2019) slowly brought the team back together and healed their lingering wounds. Peter Quill and Gamora finally embraced their love for each other, Rocket’s life was saved, and even Drax the Destroyer came back from the dead with a new lease on life. Unfortunately for the squad, however, writer Al Ewing and artist Juann Cabal aren’t giving them a break in this week’s GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1. That’s also why the Guardians, as we knew them, may be no more...

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 has its finger to the pulse of Marvel’s cosmic universe. Everything is connected here, from the upcoming EMPYRE event to recent action in ANNIHILATION: SCOURGE (2019) and NEW MUTANTS (2019). But the galaxy has a more pressing threat at hand: the reborn Olympian Gods.

In AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME (2019), the Olympians were slaughtered by Nyx and her children. Even Zeus fell to Nyx’s power. But the gods were never destined to stay dead. Near the end of AVENGERS: NO ROAD HOME #10, Zeus and his brethren were reborn as fearsome cosmic entities. Now, the Olympians are a scourge upon the universe. They’ve already annihilated a peaceful Kree colony, and there’s no one left to stop them. According to Nova (AKA Richard Rider), the Nova Corps was devastated during GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2019). That’s why he turned to the Guardians for help despite their need for a long vacation.

As it turns out, the team has made a home for themselves on Halfworld, the location of Rocket’s classic adventures in ROCKET RACOON (1985). The doctors on Halfworld were able to repair and replace Rocket’s damaged implants in GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2019) #12, and the team simply decided not to leave. They’ve embraced their status as a makeshift family, but now the family has broken apart. Gamora rejected Richard’s plea for assistance, and she seemingly spoke for Drax and Groot as well.

But Peter and Rocket felt the need to answer Nova’s call. Phyla-Vell and Moondragon didn’t hesitate to go as well. Intriguingly, Peter had a vision of the Master of the Sun, which is a deep cut from one of his earliest appearances as Star-Lord in 1977's MARVEL PREVIEW #11. Later stories established that the Master wasn’t what he appeared to be, and yet Peter couldn’t simply ignore the Master’s words in the past or present.

Intriguingly, Nova is the only person who realizes that someone is actively destabilizing the galactic players. He’s heard rumors of the Shi’ar’s new ruler, Xandra; who was introduced in MR. AND MRS. X (2018). Recent issues of NEW MUTANTS (2019) have established that Gladiator is installing Xandra on the Shi’ar throne. What Nova doesn’t know is that the Young Avengers’ Hulkling has also ascended to the throne of the united Skrull and Kree empires. That’s the power move that may doom the galaxy in EMPYRE.

In the interim, the new Guardians were joined by Noh-Varr/Marvel Boy for an assault on New Olympus. While their initial plans were sound, the raw power of the Olympians was too much to handle. And deep within Olympus itself, Moondragon and Noh-Varr discovered that Hercules has already been captured by his father. Regardless, Hercules is eager to help the new Guardians and he would certainly be a welcome addition to the team...if they survive.

Now, the battle for the Marvel Universe will play out in upcoming issues of GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.

Read GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 at your local comic shop today!