Star-Lord’s MCU Villain Story Hints At His Future Arc Years Before It Can Happen

Marvel Studios’ What If…? season 2 is set to show off Peter Quill’s strength as an MCU villain, potentially setting up a future storyline for Chris Pratt’s live-action Star-Lord after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Chris Pratt debuted as Star-Lord in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, introduced as a human who was abducted from Earth as a child and raised by Ravagers, though he proved his power as the first leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy team. 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 saw Peter Quill retire from the team and return to Earth, reuniting with his grandfather, but this isn’t the end for the MCU’s Star-Lord.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 confirmed that Chris Pratt would be returning to the MCU as Peter Quill’s Star-Lord, but while viewers wait for an announcement of when that might occur, Phase 5’s What If…? season 2 will showcase a brand-new version of Peter Quill. Set to premiere on December 22, 2023, What If…? season 2 will be releasing an episode daily for nine consecutive days, and episode 2 will take audiences back to 1988 Earth, prior to Peter Quill’s abduction. Instead of being taken and raised in space, however, What If…? season 2’s Peter Quill is very different, but could hint at a potential future for Pratt’s Star-Lord.

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What If…? season 2 will mark the returns of many villains from the MCU’s history, expanding on What If…?’s rogues gallery in the Multiverse Saga.

What If…? Season 2’s Star-Lord Suggests What His Main MCU Story On Earth Might Look Like

Presumably, the difference in the timeline in What If…? season 2, episode 2, “What If… Peter Quill Attacked Earth’s Mightiest Heroes?,” is that Peter Quill was never abducted by the Ravagers, and instead remained on Earth. Trailers for What If…? season 2 have proven that, had Peter Quill stayed on Earth and realized his Celestial abilities there, he would have transformed into one of the MCU’s youngest and most powerful villains. While this episode will mark the formation of What If…? season 2’s 1988 Avengers team, it will also deliver a dramatic twist on Peter Quill’s story, potentially hinting at a darker future for Chris Pratt’s live-action iteration.

The fact that an Earthbound Peter Quill becomes a villain in What If…? season 2 strongly suggests that Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord won’t find Earth so homely and welcoming as he first imagined. Quill returned to Earth in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 after retiring from the team, and is starting a new life living with his grandfather, but it’s likely things won’t remain so peaceful. Quill possibly romanticized life on Earth, and if it doesn’t live up to expectations, Star-Lord’s future in the MCU becomes less clear, as he could stay on Earth or leave again, or even potentially take a villainous turn as other MCU heroes have done.

Why Star-Lord’s Teased Earth Story Is Perfect For His MCU Arc

Being raised in space by Yondu and the Ravagers, Peter Quill knows everything an average individual needs to know about living among the stars, but this suggests that he’ll be embarking on something of a “fish out of water” storyline. Back on Earth, Quill may be faced with the reality that he doesn’t actually harbor any superhuman abilities – following the death of his Celestial father Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – so his thirst for heroism may drive him back into space. Star-Lord’s future in the MCU is unclear, but What If…? season 2 could provide some insight into what Peter Quill’s next steps might be.