_{By: Amanda Guarragi}

For many years the Guardians of the Galaxy have become everyone’s extended family in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They are one cohesive group that treats each other like family. That dynamic is something that The Avengers couldn’t grasp. And that’s what makes the energy for both groups so interesting. Like Thor, the Guardians, especially Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), have lost so much. This Holiday special goes back to the beginning of Quill’s galaxy quest with Yondu (Michael Rooker), and Kraglin (Sean Gunn) remembers one specific moment that ruined Christmas for Quill. After Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista) hear this, they go on a mission to bring Christmas to Quill on this new planet and restore his Christmas spirit. The one person that does come to mind for Drax is, of course, Kevin Bacon. Writer-director James Gunn takes Drax and Mantis on a sleigh ride to Earth in this Marvel special presentation to give Quill the ultimate gift. It is a fun way to close out phase four and still leave a little surprise for the future of the Guardians. 

Like all Gunn projects, the soundtrack is one of the most important aspects. He does handpick some of the best-hidden gems that will pull on memory for audiences. From the opening credits, the songs set the tone for the rest of the film, and they kick in at the right moment. Mantis and Drax are front and centre in this special presentation, and it was nice to see them go on the journey for Kevin Bacon. They have become a comedy duo of the Guardians family, so for them to venture out together made sense. Mantis also feels guilty because she has a secret that she shares with Quill later on. Mantis also gets a bit more reckless and physical in this presentation than in previous films, which is entertaining. For some reason, Drax’s schtick is getting old, and he’s not as funny as he used to be. The jokes aren’t landing in the same way, making for some awkward screen silence between him, Mantis, and Kevin Bacon. 

The special was fun for the most part, but it shied away from exploring Quill’s past with Yondu. Kraglin telling Mantis and Drax the story was convenient for the special and was just a way to give Quill Kevin Bacon. And the way that this unfolded was a bit underwhelming. The Quill we knew from before would have reacted differently to Kevin Bacon. In a way, it felt a bit out of character for him. Pratt also looks completely different as Quill. He looked defeated, uninterested, and out of it in this special. Sure, he lost Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and is still trying to process it, but it didn’t feel like Pratt was present. It feels like Quill has lost all hope in everything around him, and when Mantis tries to restore that, it falls a bit flat. A level of detachment from Quill makes this special feel a bit odd for his scenes specifically. There are great moments in this, but it felt off. There was also a different version of Groot (Vin Diesel) that they never really dive into, and it would have been fun to see him a bit more. 

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is the epilogue of phase four as it handles Quill’s past and how he’s currently feeling emotionally. The soundtrack made Mantis and Drax’s Earthly adventure incredibly fun for the most part. After many years of Kevin Bacon not making an appearance for Quill, this was the best way to bring him in. As much as we all love the Guardians, much like the original six, it feels like the characters have been exhausted, and it’s hard to develop them further. If this presentation shows anything, it’s that Vol. 3 is coming out at the right time to wrap up this band of misfits. The group of them have been a wonderful, crazy family for a very long, and it is time to say goodbye to these characters. Especially because Gamora was Quill’s whole heart, and without her presence, you could feel his emptiness. The holiday special will begin streaming on Disney Plus, on November 25th.