The start of Marvel Studios' Mutant Saga is right around the corner. An X-Men film already in the works shows how serious Kevin Feige and Co. are about making a good impression with the titular team. But the powers that be have to ensure they do things differently from their predecessors at Fox, who glossed over an important part of the X-Men's comic book history. Chris Pratt's Star-Lord could give the MCU's mutant team a leg up if Marvel Studios plays its cards right with his impending return to the big screen.
Of course, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 concluded with the lovable misfits going their separate ways. While his friends stayed in space, where they've lived their whole lives, Peter Quill returned home to Missouri to reunite with his grandfather. However, Vol. 3's credits featured a title card that teased the character's return. All has been quiet on the Star-Lord front since, but Pratt confirms that galactic irons are in the fire.
During an appearance on The Playlist's The Bingeworthy podcast, Pratt praised Marvel Studios' higher-ups before revealing that they've recently been talking about Star-Lord's return.
"So yeah, you'll see Star-Lord again, which is very exciting, but I'm not at liberty to say when that's going to be, but he's not going anywhere."
Pratt's refusal to tease when his hero will return feels noteworthy. The next two Avengers films, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, are going to be a who's who of the MCU and may feature characters who haven't appeared in a movie in over a decade. It stands to reason that Star-Lord fits into those movies' narratives somehow. But a minor appearance in an Avengers movie isn't his only option.
In Marvel Comics, Star-Lord rarely visits Earth, since he's busy stopping universe-threatening conflicts and leading the Guardians of the Galaxy. All that time in the stars has given him a pretty impressive alien Rolodex featuring many notable extraterrestrials.
Despite what Fox's franchise would have people believe, the X-Men also have many connections to the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe. For starters, in numerous continuities, the Phoenix Force, which has inhabited Jean Grey and many other mutants, is an ancient cosmic entity from space. Professor X even spent a fair amount of time away from Earth while he was married to the Shi'ar Empress, Lilandra Neramani.
An easy way for Marvel Studios to differentiate its version of the X-Men from previous ones is to lean into their cosmic connections. Star-Lord can serve as a guide for Cyclops and Co., a space veteran who's seen just about everything there is to see. There's also at least one mutant who has strong ties to Quill that the MCU could bring to life if it wants to ensure the Star-Lord mantle is passed on.
The MCU's X-Men Can Provide Star-Lord With a Protégé
During the "Trial of Jean Grey" event in the comics, the X-Men and Guardians of the Galaxy worked together to save the titular telepath from the Shi'ar Empire. The mission succeeded on more than one front because Star-Lord met and befriended Kitty Pryde, aka Shadowcat. Despite the distance between them, they stayed in touch and built a serious bond. Kitty eventually left Earth behind and joined the Guardians, using her phasing abilities to get the team out of jams.
Their relationship was tested when Peter had to leave the Guardians to rule the planet Spartax. In his absence, Kitty became Star-Lord and assumed leadership of the team. With Peter gone, their spark fizzled out, and Kitty eventually returned to Earth, put her sweet helmet in storage, and rejoined her friends at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
Shadowcat has yet to secure a spot on the X-Men movie's roster. Marvel Studios appears to be focusing primarily on the founding heroes like Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Angel before moving on to anyone else. Kitty's time is sure to come, though; the Mutant Saga can't come and go before she makes her presence felt. And even if a younger actor takes the role, there will still be a path for her to become the MCU's second Star-Lord.
Maybe Peter takes Kitty under his wing, teaches her the ropes, and then hands her the keys to the cosmic kingdom. After all, he only has so many fights left in him. Training the next generation of heroes would provide Peter with peace of mind as he finally walks away from the hero game completely and spends the rest of his days mowing lawns in Missouri.
