Heading into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, we knew the movie would end with the team looking very different from when we first met them in 2014.
James Gunn has concluded his trilogy before making the leap to DC Studios as both co-CEO and filmmaker, and next up for him is Superman: Legacy, a movie that will see him put a new spin on the Man of Tomorrow. On his way out, Gunn leaves the door open for this team's story to continue in a very different form, with massive status quo shifts for some fan favourites and a brand new team of Guardians.
In this article, we're breaking down each member of that new team and explaining what becomes of the heroes who aren't counted among its ranks.
Needless to say, spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 follow after the "Next" button below...
Rocket
As the new leader of the Guardians, Rocket - who thankfully manages to survive his run-in with The High Evolutionary - is now getting to call the shots.
During the final battle with the villain, the hero finally accepts that he was once a raccoon taken from Earth by his creator and, thinking back to what his fellow animals went through, he confidently declares himself "Rocket Raccoon."
Adam Warlock
Following the death of his "mother," Ayesha, Adam is saved by Groot and learns from Rocket that the sentient tree believes in second chances. After this change of heart, the former antagonist joins the team.
While the fact he was pulled from his cocoon too soon means Adam isn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer, he appears to have matured and developed a love of music.
Kraglin
Some fans will likely find fault with the former Ravager becoming an official Guardian, but it's arguably been the case ever since Vol. 2 ended, even if he hasn't joined the team on their adventures.
After catching sight of Yondu during the final battle in a touching moment which saw him remember his old boss, Kraglin has finally mastered the yaka arrow and seems very confident in his abilities here.
Cosmo the Spacedog
Cosmo doesn't get the biggest role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but is ultimately made part of Rocket's team. She shows how strong her telekinetic powers are at several points, though, and should be a key member of this team.
Yes, the MCU has gender-swapped the character (big deal!) but Maria Bakalova is a perfect casting choice who does a great job in every scene she's part of.
King Groot
There's initially no sign of Groot during the movie's mid-credits scene, but it turns out the large object the team is sitting on is, in fact, their friend and teammate.
Groot has once again matured by this point and now looks very much like King Groot from the comics. He's massive and perhaps even larger than The Hulk, and while we don't get to see much of what he's capable of, we're guessing this is the character's ultimate form.
Phyla-Vell
One of the children created by The High Evolutionary who the Guardians rescue from his ship is also part of Rocket's new team and identified as Phyla-Vell.
Known as Captain Marvel for a time, she's incredibly powerful and a hero who has a great deal of history as part of the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe. Needless to say, we expect her to quickly mature and become an important character in future MCU stories.
The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's post-credits scene, Star-Lord is still on Earth getting to know his grandfather. However, after that brief scene, "The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return" is shown on screen, confirming Chris Pratt's time as the hero is far from over. Will he join The Avengers?
We'll see, but where is the rest of the team? Well, Nebula has decided to watch over Knowhere with Drax enlisted to care for the children they rescued. Mantis, meanwhile, has left to find herself and Gamora is happy being part of the Ravagers after giving Peter Quill a little closure.