As a trilogy, Guardians of the Galaxy took many liberties with the source material that changed the origins of certain characters while increasing their narrative importance. For example, Rocket, who initially had no ties to the High Evolutionary, was now the villain’s creation and his experiences with him changed Rocket forever. However, in the case of Peter Quill, he went from the son of the tyrant King of Spartax to the son of Ego, The Living Planet, now labeled as a Celestial entity in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 may not have had its focus on Peter Quill, but it didn’t shy away from giving him the necessary moments as a leader and character who dealt with loss. That said, from the second movie until Guardians 3, there was still a question of whether his status as a Celestial was intact. Though the obvious answer would be no due to the death of Ego, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 proved that the reality of his genetics may be more complex.
Is Peter Quill Still a Celestial?
Guardians of the Galaxy alluded to Peter’s unique lineage as it was his genetics that allowed him to withstand the power of an Infinity Stone. But in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, it was revealed that the mystery of his lineage was tied to the light that was provided by Ego. The light was what kept Ego alive and immortal and also allowed him to create his world and body. This same light allowed Peter to grow stronger the longer he stayed with Ego, and he could harness his own constructs as well. But once he learned that Ego wanted to spread his consciousness over the galaxy, killing everyone, Peter and the Guardians had to kill him and the light.
What the death of Ego meant for Peter was that he no longer had the connection to the light or its power. As a result, he was no longer immortal and couldn’t create constructs as his father had. Peter was now functionally human, and while he was okay with this, it also meant that he would have to deal with human weaknesses as well. This was best shown in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 when he was accidentally stranded in deep space. But even still, his near-death experience proved that Peter, though human, still had Celestial DNA in his genes and, therefore, may answer a deeper question regarding how powerful he could still be.
Does Peter Quill Still Have Powers?
Technically, Peter Quill no longer has the traditional powers of a Celestial that Ego had. However, even when he wasn’t on Ego’s planet, he was still unable to access the light. As a result, it could be assumed that his real “powers” lay in his genes, hence why he could accomplish the things he did in the first Guardians. That said, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 also proved that Peter, while powerless, may have still retained some benefits from his Celestial genealogy.
For example, when the Ravagers were shot off into space by Taserface in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, they froze and died in seconds. In the case of Peter, however, his freezing process was much slower, which provided enough time for Adam Warlock to save him. Even still, Peter bounced back faster than most the second he was back on Knowhere. As a result, it’s easy to assume that even without access to the light, Peter’s otherworldly parentage granted him some small perks that ensure he’s harder to kill than the average human. In the end, while Peter may not be a Celestial like Ego and lacks the powers too, his genes still promise that he can withstand some intense elements for a longer period than others.
To see Star-Lord in action, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is in theaters now.
