(This video was supposed to be out before Vol. 3, so just pretend that Vol. 3 hasn't come out yet while you're watching it) PATREON: www.patreon.com/storystreet INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/storystreets/ Engagement Question: Who's your favorite member of the original Guardians crew? Star-Lord, Rocket, Gamora, Drax, or Groot? For me, Rocket has always been my favorite from a character perspective, but I've always had a soft spot for Drax in terms of pure entertainment. Dave Bautista really is the true star of these movies And as always, thank you so much for watching! I hope it meant something to you.
I think the remarks on gotg 3 rang true and good foresight on the how story went in the third. I am the biggest fan of mantis. Her sudden and mysterious emergence of being a person and being the ultimate empath were interesting to see. she's like a new born but functionally is superhuman. Her existence being so new I think shows she has the most bravery when she risks her new found existence to help others. She's got the best bits of comedy imo.
If we talk about favorite characters ,star-lord is my choice . Peter is a child scarred by love ,love by an ill mother ,love from someone who is so prideful that doesn't even show pete ,that he loves him so much and love of a being that is so so scared of mortality that would kill anybody for it . And him understanding that shows a willingness to be himself with everyone ,yandu ,rocket ,drax and so on . To ,even if a little ,embrace what we call mortality
One of your best videos. You managed to sum up my feelings on the MCU and give me some perspective on my place in the universe - like only Storystreet can. Thanks man. Your videos keep getting better. I look forward to the next one!
I'm going to drop a few spoilers for Volume 3, but Drax is my favorite out of all of them. In the first movie, he is a father driven by pain, hate, and malice, he is unable to do anything but live every moment thinking of the past. All he wants and all he feels he needs is to kill the murderer of his wife and daughter. He is so hate-filled, one of the jokes is that he can't dance, he reminisces only on the past moments when he and his wife never danced. He only speaks of his past as a fact-of-the-matter statement, never saying he's hurt or damaged, but only the fact that his "Wife" and "Daughter" were taken away from him is what drives him. He hardly ever mentions their name, because he doesn't linger on the memory more on the loss. And only after he is humbled by Ronan, does he take a step back to think about the now. What is happening in front of him instead of what was happening in the past. Leading into the second movie he tries to hide this pain and anger through laughter. He has no real care for his life as he does for others. If he can do something comfortably while performing a task for someone else, he will. And that's where the subtlety of the second part comes in. Drax feels a incredible loss, but it's only when Mantis talks to him, is he able to sit on it, and think, he begins to talk about his daughter, not in terms of the loss of a "Daughter" and "Wife", but what made him love and cherish them. His daughter was innocent, and possibly kind, and he sits on that fact and thinks about those memories. He comes to terms with those losses, and as the planet begins to consume him, he turns his self-destruction into self-sacrifice, and raises Mantis above his head. He still has self-destructive, nearly suicidal tendencies, but he seems to have more purpose, and point. Before he jumped out of ships because it was fun, or into the belly of the beast, now he wishes to protect. The third movie finishes his arc, him and Mantis stay together as a grouping for the entire movie. Both of them bring positive out aspects of the other. Throughout the film, you can see their friendship, their bond, flourish. He is able to be happy as he is able to be determined and serious. The defining moment for his character is when Mantis and Drax now have to separate, Mantis needs to grow on her own, without his help. And all of the moments through the movie finally click, he always kept her with him, whether he was going on a mission on a bike, or up onto a ship. Drax feels reckless in the moment but in all certainty, he has learned to care again, he has learned to be happy again, Mantis is like a daughter, and in the end, he needs to learn to let go. The culmination of his arc is when he tears up, and waves at Mantis as she walks on. He has come to terms with his loss, and with the inevitability of that loss. But in the end, he once again learns how to dance. He moves on, he learns how to be a Father again, to Mantis when she needed him, and now to those lost children that rely on him. Drax goes from a self-destructive killer, back to an open and understanding father, willing to learn and listen, the best he can. Even if he is an idiot, he will always try his best. That's why I love Drax, and that's why he's my favorite. If we're being honest though, it's not saying much, all of the characters are so well written, I'm sure I could write just as much, if not more about everyone else... Except for Groot. But we all love Groot.
“The forever and beautiful sky” YOU CANT DO THIS TO ME, MAN!!!! Damn!! Also, the line “He didn't chase them away. Even though he yelled at them, and was always mean... And he stole batteries he didn't need.” MY HEART-
Sounds like we had the same experience with the MCU. I got onboard when the first avengers came out, was unbelievably excited for endgame, and after it finished I started to lose interest in everything apart from the guardians. Guardians 2 is definitely my favorite MCU movie and in generally the guardians trilogy is the most endearing and special thing to come out of the franchise. Great video.
"Power and eternity cannot coexist with love and connection. They are diametrically opposed." This is such a meaningful statement to me post-deconstruction. My dude, you have a way with words.
I think two works a lot for me because the guardians aren't friends in the opening yet, sure they went through gotg vol 1 and are a team, but they still don't know each other yet Spoilers for vol 3: By the end of vol 2 I think that's when they truly become friends and family and accept each other got their strengths and flaws. One moment in Vol 3 that stood out was Peter calling Rocket his best friend, going from at each other's throats in the beginning of Vol 2 to being being best friends willing to sacrifice everything for each other is wonderful
Ironman came out when I was 13 I’m now 29. I saw Avengers for senior ditch day, after Ultron I started my first job I saw infinity war and endgame in theaters twice. I make it a tradition to see them with my mom. When Guardians 3 hit theaters I still went with my mom, and for the first time in a long time I cried in a movie. There was weight behind the emotions I genuinely felt for Rocket. I hope people take notes, because what Gunn made was art. Fatigue does exist and it does weigh on people but this was refreshing and real.
Really appreciated your analysis of the pairings of characters, and how that helps us to realize who they really are. Its a great refresher to those characters, before I go into GotG3. As a token of my appreciation, here's a couple of observations to add: At the time Drax and Mantis are having their conversation, the movie hasn't yet fully shown us that Ego is a bad person. And yet this scene hints that is the case. Drax's comments are verbally abusive, even though he doesn't know better. And we can see on Mantis' face how his comments are hurtful. But she doesn't correct him. Most people would attempt to help Drax with some advice on how to better communicate. But Mantis just accepts his words. And I think that helps the audience start to suspect that Ego has been equally abusive to Mantis, and she's grown to accept that sort of treatment as normal. And during the conversation between Nova and Gamora: Nova explains how Gamora won "again and again, never once refraining." I think the implication is that Thanos would have augmented whoever lost the fight. And I'd like to think that it's implied that Nova knew this, and couldn't bring herself to beat Gamora, knowing what would happen. For me, it ads a strong characteristic to Nova, showing her as having an empathy that many of the others lack. It helps to re-frame Nova as somebody who's good at hart, and it facilitates her conversion from antagonist, to protagonist. Hope these thoughts ad some enjoyment to people's viewing of the movies!
Very good point about Mantis, and I like how in Vol 3 she's a much more confident, outspoken person who stands up for herself and knows how she wants/deserves to be treated. It's obvious that being with the Guardians has given her a strong sense of self-worth, even though they don't always treat her fairly either, the fact that she's able to recognize that and isn't afraid to point it out speaks volumes.
You are the most hard-hitting analysis channels I've found, every single one of your videos has managed to make me tear up for the best reasons. Absolutely beautiful
I was expecting a complete retrospective, but you just reminded me how much I just love this little saga and the characters who had to endure the pain of being outcasts.
While I loved the first one and felt the second was slightly inferior due to its pacing issues, while still really liking these 2 films and being in my top 10 favourite MCU films, the Guardians have become my favourite team in the MCU. Broken people doing the best they can is all anyone is and can do - this video helped me see that. It's no wonder I (now) love these characters so much, moreso than Steve Rogers or Peter Parker - they're broken, strange, weird people with a tonne of issues, yet do their best to be and become better - something I try (and fail) to do. Thank you James Gunn for the heart and care you put into these films, and thank you StoryStreet for making me realise this, and for the love you channelled for this series into this video, and expressed it with such eloquence.
This video is probably the best I've ever seen. It gave me so many goosebumps! The way it was written and the way you told the story were absolutely amazing. It has made me appreciate the moments I share with others more and see things from a different perspective. I now realize that even though everything will eventually come to an end, the things I do and the memories I make along the way are what truly matter. They shape who I am and make my life worth living. Yes, we may be small in the grand scheme of time, but the important thing is that we have lived and created these memories. Anyway, I know you probably won't read this, but I want to thank you for this video. It has given me a different outlook on making new memories and being who i am and who i want to be.
God damn, this is my introduction to your channel? I’m only 15 minutes in but this is some quality shit. Why the fuck are Cosmonaut, Canadian Lad, and Filmento the only things I’ve been recommended for years. I really look forward to going through your catalog. You’re like the Isaac Arthur of movie essays
Man you articulated the problem and the fear so well!! People are so afraid to let the MCU go now, which has practically defined the lot of our childhood, that they as well as disney have forgotten why we fell in love at the first place. All the suffering, the pain, the love - all of that only matters when it has a definitive ending!!🥺🥺 But just because our love for the MCU is coming to an end, doesn't mean it was meaningless, it is the endings that give those beautiful experiences meaning❤❤ Amazing video man!! Loved it!!! GOTG vol3 is beautiful sendoff to these beloved characters and now, I am ready to move on😌
I appreciate the video analysis but y'all have got to stop with the whole "MCU is ending" narrative No one has forgotten what the MCU is about including Disney. There will always be good and bad projects but what matters is these stories and future stories that should be told
small analysis: you made an excelent review on one of my fav sequels/movies of all time, and you made me realize how important the message of good damage and the meaning of journeys even though our lives will end one way of a another. in a sense that seeing the ending/death could mean that could still matter even it was gone. also didn´t realize that you critique the mcu universe about slowly doing it self destruction by making more series and movies with set ups in mind that the only thing they forgot about is telling a story with a conclusion. (its very common that humans get attach to something and refusing to let go becuase they feel special, in the feeling on going on and on forever is nice but what matters is actually feel the experience). okay thank you for comming into my TED talk.
Thank you so much for this. Vol. 2 has been my favorite movie ever since it came out (well maybe beside Vol. 3 now) so I've seen a lot of videos about it and none have put it in better words than yours. These characters are all so deeply flawed and relatable, awful and wonderful, their journeys never failed to move me and so did your essay. It was hard to see their stories end, it feels like I will never let go, but like you put it, it's only because things end that we care.
To quote a porcupine with a cup of tea > "Ah! An existential crisis! I knew today was missing something." BLESS YOUR GORGEOUS OBSESSION AND PORTRAYAL OF THESE IDEAS AND THEMES!! *This.* *Is.* *What.* *Cinema.* *NEEDS!* ~ Yes. Just... Yes. (... and now it's time to go for a hike and punch air for a while to work off this 'double-my-weight' in catharsis I just gained.)
"... letting ourselves become one with the endless and beautiful nothing. The endless and beautiful sky." "We were right. The sky is beautiful. And it is forever."
Seeing you tackle the work of my favorite filmmaker and my biggest inspiration as an artist through one of his best projects was spectacular. Loved this so much.
“We aren’t our suffering, but what we continue to do with that suffering.” It took me awhile to figure it out, I just wished someone I looked up to told me, rather than giving me a chance of never knowing it.
I cant believe that was an hour of commentary. it was so well done and explained so much, didn't realize how time flew by. very meaningful and beautiful.
I've been following you for quite a while and I gotta say - this video might be my favorite of yours. Beautiful, deep and emotional analysis of my favorite movie series. Your truly makes me wanna write and record video essays of my own, but at the same time it annoys me, because I know I'll probably will never write something as good as this video.I really hope that you'll eventually make a video on Volume 3. Keep up the good work Alex!
I started with the first movie, the original Iron Man, in the cinema. Still liked all phase 4 movies quite a lot. Most series weren't for me though. Can't wait for Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars.
This is exactly what I needed to watch tonight. This video deserves more recognition. Some of us who are trying to process trauma can become defined by it, or obsessed with trying to express it or make it mean something. But maybe the best way forward is to let it be what it is and figure out how to love life once more one baby step at a time. Instead of forcing meaning from it, we find meaning naturally in the flow of life. Also Avengers: Age of Ultron had a similar theme to this movie at the end. "A thing isn't beautiful because it lasts"
That last line made me think you had already seen Vol 3 while writing this. What an absolutely incredible essay as a farewell to my favorite part of the MCU by far.
As someone who does defend a lot of phase 4, I do agree that the MCU as a whole is largely too focused on setup rather than allowing individual movies to shine. Guardians definitely is a standout as each movie feels very self contained and having now seen 3, the trilogy is the only MCU series that actually feels like a complete trilogy with themes and ideas
To me it always felt like Yondu was supposed to be built up as this great Dad the whole time and like all the bad he did was basically retconned. Not that a christmas special matters, but in that it showed Yondu being this real homey sweet dad under a gruff exterior. But he still kicked the crap out of Peter and threatened to eat him. Yondu might've saved peter's life on more than one occasion, but he was still an abusive asshole that one way or another used Peter for thievin cuz he was small and could get into places. I love Yondu as a character and really like his dynamic with the rest of the guardians, but I wish it was more widely acknowledged that in spite of all the good he did for Peter and how in the end he did save his life, he Was still an abusive asshole that probably fucked Peter up pretty bad
I'm at 1:15 in the video and I gotta say. Most Marvel movies before Avengers weren't good, The standalone movies were pretty meh, Infinity War and Endgame were the good movies. And we're going through that phase again, pretty meh movies before getting the good team up movies. The MCU is not dying at all, every movie in their respective series has gained more money than their previous one. Latest Ant-Man movie made 20 million more than the previous Ant-Man. What that proves is that more people are watching MCU than before. The Avengers movies (except for Spiderman) was the movies that brought in the big money, not the other ones.
After watching GOTG 3 in theaters, it made me want to rewatch all the old Infinity Saga MCU movies. After watching Captain America and Iron Man, I remember why everyone loved the mcu. The actors and stories were entertaining and it's exciting
I think right after first Guardian movie MCU start being formulaic with all the quips and jokes in serious moments. Not all of them obviously, but a lot of them.
I needed to hear this, this is the lesson I have been learning for the past month and a half now. Thank you for delivering an amazing analysis StoryStreet!
Alexander, thank you for this. This ending message made me break down. A flood of tears I severely needed. From the most sincerity a broken man can convey, thank you.
You just got a new subscriber, I didn't expect this video to hit me so hard. It has me holding back tears at the workplace 🤣 thank you, your analysis and summary at the end was genuinely beautiful
*Sees new StoryStreet in my feed* Welp, time to choke up, again 😊 And I know I will, because Vol 2 got me to choke up on its own without a video essay five years later
Your probably not gonna see this but you don’t undertand how much your videos have helped me coupe w my daily problems , I’ve always related to these fictional characters because the real world , people invalidate my pain. But watching your videos shows me these characters are based of real people’s problems and traumas . I stopped believing in coincidences but it’s just crazy everytime you drop a video it always resonates with what’s going on with my life t the time. I now am going through what seems to be the final stages of my relationship with a person who she doesn’t realize is letting her trauma ruin our relationship. I don’t know if imma be able to save it but I’m trying my best. And I appreciate you so much for making me feel like I’m not the only one who sees these things . The only one who feels these kinda things
The good damage episode of BoJack Horseman is an amazing episode in an amazing show. Love how you brought those themes back in this analysis. Sometimes we can't see the silver lining. Sometimes there isn't one. If we can accept that it's hard to move forward and cut our losses and as you said, grow from the tragedy and mistakes and not get swamped by them. It's a continuing battle and having positive relationships help us find a way forward 😊
This is beautiful beyond description. I believe without even a iota of hyperbole that this video and the intersteller video are the best videos on youtube
End Game felt like the finale to me and I've had little enthusiasm for anything since. But Guardians 3 was a great end cap. I feel like it should have come out straight after End Game. Sad that it did feel like the last dying gasp of the MCU.
Phenomenal video. The ending brought me to tears. I had a very similar experience with the MCU. I really got into it during phase 1 and I adored the first Iron Man movie as a kid. But I really had resigned myself that nothing truly spectacular would ever come out of the MCU again post-Endgame. And then I saw the first trailer for Guardians 3. And it did not disappoint. I think it is even better than Vol. 2. I have always loved Guardians Vol. 2 more than the first and I could never quite explain why to people who disagreed with me. But you articulated it perfectly. Thank you, this video really did impact me quite a lot.
Last night I just had to watch both of these Marvelous movies, and I saw something that you apparently missed! You thought there was a plot hole, but it turns out that Peter's mask was broken in his fight with Ego. It's really quick, but you see him get knocked to the ground, and his mask falls off his face and into chunks on the ground. Otherwise, fantastic video! A few years ago, I actually had a bit of an existential crisis when I first watched that "Timelapse of the Future" video. I honestly thought that even if humanity died off, that life would still exist somewhere forevermore, but no. Life is only possible for an infinitesimal amount of time in the "lifetime" of the whole of the Universe. The fact that we're even getting a chance to experience it in this "tiny window" is absolutely incredible!
I think with Superman he's doing something that is very opposite to his style and opposite to what he's been doing till now. Popular character, optimistic view. Alot other things too, and it will be interesting to see how these things turn out. I have a feeling, it all will be quite enjoyable, atleast.
You just gave me a whole new perspective on the guardians that I never once considered! I actually didn’t consider that these guys are still greatly imperfect people because masterful writing managed to compel me to care about them and what happens to them anyway. Just goes to show what happens when actual people care about what they’re making. And I also want to say I’m in a similar boat to you. My parents introduced me to the mcu when I was in middle school and I was a fan of it ever since getting through the first iron man, and so when “Endgame” came and went, I too was excited to see where this universe would go next, only to slowly find myself caring less and less about it as phase four went on. I saw “Hawkeye”, squealed with joy in “Loki”, cried in “Wanda Vision”, thought “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” were alright, “Thor Love and Thunder” and “The Eternals” are hours of my life I’m never getting back, “Multiverse of Madness” and “Quantumania” weren’t as good as I hoped, and I’m not even going to touch “She-Hulk” with a ten foot pole. The last really good thing from Marvel I watched was “Moon Knight” making that and the Guardians the only Marvel property I care about now. Slowly but surely with every lackluster project that came, my love for the MCU started waning more and more until now, like you, once I finally see Guardians of the Galaxy vol.3, I’m done. Unless it’s the guardians, or moon knight, or maybe Loki, I’m not going to have anything to do with the MCU anymore. It’s sad, but it doesn’t change the fact that this franchise still brought me it’s own brand of endless joy when it was still good. And just because I may not love it anymore doesn’t mean that the good times it brought me didn’t mean anything at all. Just that it was great while it lasted. May it rest in peace.
So glad to see some deep love for Vol. 2. It's so much stronger in every way than Vol. 1 (which is still great) that I honestly cannot fathom how finding it far lesser or even outright bad is a somewhat common take. A recent rewatch of both before Vol. 3 really cemented it for me. Vol. 1 is mostly fantastic, but so obviously hindered by being a stepping stone. Ronan is a TERRIBLE villain and brings the entire film down a peg imo and the standard 3-act tropes Vol. 1 adheres to so strongly kind of make some of the story beats feel rote. Gunn's sensibilities, the amazing cast, and the attention to character are why Vol. 1 works - but it's a foundation with some unfortunate cracks. Vol. 2 is SO MUCH stronger in every way - from the writing and character dynamics to the villain to the action scenes to the cinematography. It's all just a step solid step up from Vol. 1. I think Vol. 1 being such an out of left field surprise back in 2014 created warped expectations for Vol. 2 when it dropped in 2017. By then the "MCU formula" was firmly cemented in that it the build-up to big events was more clear and expected. Vol. 2 is even more stand-alone than Vol. 1 and it came out after franchise shifting events like Civil War so I think people not only expected to simply feel that jovial surprise of Vol. 1 again but also expected Vol. 2 to be more of a universe expanding story. I think a lot of people who dislike Vol. 2 never gave it another shot. And they REALLY need to. I would know, because when I saw it in theaters I too was disappointed. It didn't click for me until I rewatched it again. It went from being a disappointment to my favorite MCU film.
For me , the first scene to hit home was Quills mum dying & the visceral emotion on the screen...because I,m right there - but it,s my wife Jan - dying - you Don,t want believe it, you rage to stop it - but you can,t . As the flat line trails -for me in SILENCE . ,& I,m in tears every time. .but gawdamn it,s real...hell I bow To JG..THIS is real film making ....& bloody he'll I came out of GOTG3 in tears yet again...GLORIOUS 😎
So true that this phase of the mcu has been tiring because of the constant set ups without actually caring about story, the only MCU stuff I’ve cared about lately is stuff that actually had a story to tell, but even that is hard to get into sometimes. Anyway, shoutout to Moon Knight, Wakanda Forever, and kind of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier for being some of the only recent MCU stuff I’ve enjoyed lately (I know you said you didn’t finish tfatws, but ep 5 does some really interesting stuff, nice slow pace and great character work if you still want to give it a shot)
"Good damage" and how you presented it on the examples of the guardians, damn I never thought about it that way, and now seeing this, and actually being aware of this "good damage" i see how subcouncusly some people I know (including me) also have this mindset
With GoTG3 I’m impressed they managed to make a villain with a messiah complex even more twisted, narcissistic sociöpath than Thanos. Like a space Dr. Mengele.
Redemption isn't about undoing the harm you've caused. You can't. It's about taking responsibility, about making the choice to acknowlede the harm you've caused and choosing to do good instead.
I've always much preferred the second Guardians film over volume one which seems to be the one people always praise. Vol 2 has so much more heart and depth to it.
(This video was supposed to be out before Vol. 3, so just pretend that Vol. 3 hasn't come out yet while you're watching it)
PATREON: www.patreon.com/storystreet
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/storystreets/
Engagement Question: Who's your favorite member of the original Guardians crew? Star-Lord, Rocket, Gamora, Drax, or Groot? For me, Rocket has always been my favorite from a character perspective, but I've always had a soft spot for Drax in terms of pure entertainment. Dave Bautista really is the true star of these movies
And as always, thank you so much for watching! I hope it meant something to you.
I think the remarks on gotg 3 rang true and good foresight on the how story went in the third. I am the biggest fan of mantis. Her sudden and mysterious emergence of being a person and being the ultimate empath were interesting to see. she's like a new born but functionally is superhuman. Her existence being so new I think shows she has the most bravery when she risks her new found existence to help others. She's got the best bits of comedy imo.
If we talk about favorite characters ,star-lord is my choice . Peter is a child scarred by love ,love by an ill mother ,love from someone who is so prideful that doesn't even show pete ,that he loves him so much and love of a being that is so so scared of mortality that would kill anybody for it . And him understanding that shows a willingness to be himself with everyone ,yandu ,rocket ,drax and so on . To ,even if a little ,embrace what we call mortality
Rocket in the movies, but in the comics, it’s Cosmo
One of your best videos. You managed to sum up my feelings on the MCU and give me some perspective on my place in the universe - like only Storystreet can. Thanks man. Your videos keep getting better. I look forward to the next one!
I'm going to drop a few spoilers for Volume 3, but Drax is my favorite out of all of them. In the first movie, he is a father driven by pain, hate, and malice, he is unable to do anything but live every moment thinking of the past. All he wants and all he feels he needs is to kill the murderer of his wife and daughter. He is so hate-filled, one of the jokes is that he can't dance, he reminisces only on the past moments when he and his wife never danced. He only speaks of his past as a fact-of-the-matter statement, never saying he's hurt or damaged, but only the fact that his "Wife" and "Daughter" were taken away from him is what drives him. He hardly ever mentions their name, because he doesn't linger on the memory more on the loss. And only after he is humbled by Ronan, does he take a step back to think about the now. What is happening in front of him instead of what was happening in the past.
Leading into the second movie he tries to hide this pain and anger through laughter. He has no real care for his life as he does for others. If he can do something comfortably while performing a task for someone else, he will. And that's where the subtlety of the second part comes in. Drax feels a incredible loss, but it's only when Mantis talks to him, is he able to sit on it, and think, he begins to talk about his daughter, not in terms of the loss of a "Daughter" and "Wife", but what made him love and cherish them. His daughter was innocent, and possibly kind, and he sits on that fact and thinks about those memories. He comes to terms with those losses, and as the planet begins to consume him, he turns his self-destruction into self-sacrifice, and raises Mantis above his head. He still has self-destructive, nearly suicidal tendencies, but he seems to have more purpose, and point. Before he jumped out of ships because it was fun, or into the belly of the beast, now he wishes to protect.
The third movie finishes his arc, him and Mantis stay together as a grouping for the entire movie. Both of them bring positive out aspects of the other. Throughout the film, you can see their friendship, their bond, flourish. He is able to be happy as he is able to be determined and serious. The defining moment for his character is when Mantis and Drax now have to separate, Mantis needs to grow on her own, without his help. And all of the moments through the movie finally click, he always kept her with him, whether he was going on a mission on a bike, or up onto a ship. Drax feels reckless in the moment but in all certainty, he has learned to care again, he has learned to be happy again, Mantis is like a daughter, and in the end, he needs to learn to let go. The culmination of his arc is when he tears up, and waves at Mantis as she walks on. He has come to terms with his loss, and with the inevitability of that loss. But in the end, he once again learns how to dance. He moves on, he learns how to be a Father again, to Mantis when she needed him, and now to those lost children that rely on him.
Drax goes from a self-destructive killer, back to an open and understanding father, willing to learn and listen, the best he can. Even if he is an idiot, he will always try his best. That's why I love Drax, and that's why he's my favorite.
If we're being honest though, it's not saying much, all of the characters are so well written, I'm sure I could write just as much, if not more about everyone else... Except for Groot. But we all love Groot.
Exceptional essay man. Hope you enjoyed Guardians 3 like I did.
Mark it’s soo nice to see you here love your anime reviews and the new shorts your doing keep it up
Mark, you're the goat. I love your content, man 😭 it's nice to see you here
Wait what mark. Hope you and story street doing good!
Let’s go
I love finding other youtubers I watch on other channels that cover similar media makes the platform still feel like community which is rare nowadays.
Name a more iconic duo than a Storystreet video and me crying/tearing up at the end of it
You can't.
Cock and ball.
10/10 comment xD
Me and mom. Been together 23 years now. And going HARD
FK AWAY WITH THE CRYING!!
JESUS WEPT... ABOUT SERIOUS THINGS!!!
“The forever and beautiful sky” YOU CANT DO THIS TO ME, MAN!!!! Damn!! Also, the line “He didn't chase them away. Even though he yelled at them, and was always mean... And he stole batteries he didn't need.” MY HEART-
Sounds like we had the same experience with the MCU. I got onboard when the first avengers came out, was unbelievably excited for endgame, and after it finished I started to lose interest in everything apart from the guardians. Guardians 2 is definitely my favorite MCU movie and in generally the guardians trilogy is the most endearing and special thing to come out of the franchise. Great video.
Word.
"Power and eternity cannot coexist with love and connection. They are diametrically opposed." This is such a meaningful statement to me post-deconstruction. My dude, you have a way with words.
I think two works a lot for me because the guardians aren't friends in the opening yet, sure they went through gotg vol 1 and are a team, but they still don't know each other yet
Spoilers for vol 3:
By the end of vol 2 I think that's when they truly become friends and family and accept each other got their strengths and flaws. One moment in Vol 3 that stood out was Peter calling Rocket his best friend, going from at each other's throats in the beginning of Vol 2 to being being best friends willing to sacrifice everything for each other is wonderful
Ironman came out when I was 13 I’m now 29. I saw Avengers for senior ditch day, after Ultron I started my first job I saw infinity war and endgame in theaters twice. I make it a tradition to see them with my mom. When Guardians 3 hit theaters I still went with my mom, and for the first time in a long time I cried in a movie. There was weight behind the emotions I genuinely felt for Rocket. I hope people take notes, because what Gunn made was art. Fatigue does exist and it does weigh on people but this was refreshing and real.
This is about 80% of my story as well beat for beat
It is a good day when Storystreet uploads
Sez u
Really appreciated your analysis of the pairings of characters, and how that helps us to realize who they really are. Its a great refresher to those characters, before I go into GotG3. As a token of my appreciation, here's a couple of observations to add:
At the time Drax and Mantis are having their conversation, the movie hasn't yet fully shown us that Ego is a bad person. And yet this scene hints that is the case. Drax's comments are verbally abusive, even though he doesn't know better. And we can see on Mantis' face how his comments are hurtful. But she doesn't correct him. Most people would attempt to help Drax with some advice on how to better communicate. But Mantis just accepts his words. And I think that helps the audience start to suspect that Ego has been equally abusive to Mantis, and she's grown to accept that sort of treatment as normal.
And during the conversation between Nova and Gamora: Nova explains how Gamora won "again and again, never once refraining." I think the implication is that Thanos would have augmented whoever lost the fight. And I'd like to think that it's implied that Nova knew this, and couldn't bring herself to beat Gamora, knowing what would happen. For me, it ads a strong characteristic to Nova, showing her as having an empathy that many of the others lack. It helps to re-frame Nova as somebody who's good at hart, and it facilitates her conversion from antagonist, to protagonist.
Hope these thoughts ad some enjoyment to people's viewing of the movies!
Nova should be Nebula
I haven't thought about Nebula in that way. Interesting thought!
@@Kelga80 vol 2 also feels like an ending to be honest
Very good point about Mantis, and I like how in Vol 3 she's a much more confident, outspoken person who stands up for herself and knows how she wants/deserves to be treated. It's obvious that being with the Guardians has given her a strong sense of self-worth, even though they don't always treat her fairly either, the fact that she's able to recognize that and isn't afraid to point it out speaks volumes.
You are the most hard-hitting analysis channels I've found, every single one of your videos has managed to make me tear up for the best reasons. Absolutely beautiful
I was expecting a complete retrospective, but you just reminded me how much I just love this little saga and the characters who had to endure the pain of being outcasts.
While I loved the first one and felt the second was slightly inferior due to its pacing issues, while still really liking these 2 films and being in my top 10 favourite MCU films, the Guardians have become my favourite team in the MCU. Broken people doing the best they can is all anyone is and can do - this video helped me see that. It's no wonder I (now) love these characters so much, moreso than Steve Rogers or Peter Parker - they're broken, strange, weird people with a tonne of issues, yet do their best to be and become better - something I try (and fail) to do.
Thank you James Gunn for the heart and care you put into these films, and thank you StoryStreet for making me realise this, and for the love you channelled for this series into this video, and expressed it with such eloquence.
This video is probably the best I've ever seen. It gave me so many goosebumps! The way it was written and the way you told the story were absolutely amazing. It has made me appreciate the moments I share with others more and see things from a different perspective. I now realize that even though everything will eventually come to an end, the things I do and the memories I make along the way are what truly matter. They shape who I am and make my life worth living. Yes, we may be small in the grand scheme of time, but the important thing is that we have lived and created these memories. Anyway, I know you probably won't read this, but I want to thank you for this video. It has given me a different outlook on making new memories and being who i am and who i want to be.
God damn, this is my introduction to your channel? I’m only 15 minutes in but this is some quality shit. Why the fuck are Cosmonaut, Canadian Lad, and Filmento the only things I’ve been recommended for years.
I really look forward to going through your catalog. You’re like the Isaac Arthur of movie essays
Welcome to the right side of TH-cam friend
Man you articulated the problem and the fear so well!! People are so afraid to let the MCU go now, which has practically defined the lot of our childhood, that they as well as disney have forgotten why we fell in love at the first place. All the suffering, the pain, the love - all of that only matters when it has a definitive ending!!🥺🥺 But just because our love for the MCU is coming to an end, doesn't mean it was meaningless, it is the endings that give those beautiful experiences meaning❤❤ Amazing video man!! Loved it!!! GOTG vol3 is beautiful sendoff to these beloved characters and now, I am ready to move on😌
I appreciate the video analysis but y'all have got to stop with the whole "MCU is ending" narrative
No one has forgotten what the MCU is about including Disney. There will always be good and bad projects but what matters is these stories and future stories that should be told
small analysis:
you made an excelent review on one of my fav sequels/movies of all time, and you made me realize how important the message of good damage and the meaning of journeys even though our lives will end one way of a another. in a sense that seeing the ending/death could mean that could still matter even it was gone. also didn´t realize that you critique the mcu universe about slowly doing it self destruction by making more series and movies with set ups in mind that the only thing they forgot about is telling a story with a conclusion. (its very common that humans get attach to something and refusing to let go becuase they feel special, in the feeling on going on and on forever is nice but what matters is actually feel the experience).
okay thank you for comming into my TED talk.
I always adore the Gardians Vol. 3. It's an emotional goodbye to the Cosmic Found Family. Best essay on the state of the MCU so far.
Thank you so much for this. Vol. 2 has been my favorite movie ever since it came out (well maybe beside Vol. 3 now) so I've seen a lot of videos about it and none have put it in better words than yours. These characters are all so deeply flawed and relatable, awful and wonderful, their journeys never failed to move me and so did your essay. It was hard to see their stories end, it feels like I will never let go, but like you put it, it's only because things end that we care.
Another StoryStreet video
Another existential crisis followed by a hopeful ending!❤
To quote a porcupine with a cup of tea > "Ah! An existential crisis! I knew today was missing something."
BLESS YOUR GORGEOUS OBSESSION AND PORTRAYAL OF THESE IDEAS AND THEMES!! *This.* *Is.* *What.* *Cinema.* *NEEDS!* ~ Yes. Just... Yes. (... and now it's time to go for a hike and punch air for a while to work off this 'double-my-weight' in catharsis I just gained.)
THANK YOU. I’m never gonna get tired of defending the second movie. It’s just as good as the first and the third.
"... letting ourselves become one with the endless and beautiful nothing. The endless and beautiful sky."
"We were right. The sky is beautiful. And it is forever."
Seeing you tackle the work of my favorite filmmaker and my biggest inspiration as an artist through one of his best projects was spectacular. Loved this so much.
“We aren’t our suffering, but what we continue to do with that suffering.” It took me awhile to figure it out, I just wished someone I looked up to told me, rather than giving me a chance of never knowing it.
why do you always make me cry, man? WHY ARE ALWAYS YOUR VIDEOS SO DAMN GOOD? WHY?
fr
I cant believe that was an hour of commentary. it was so well done and explained so much, didn't realize how time flew by. very meaningful and beautiful.
I've been following you for quite a while and I gotta say - this video might be my favorite of yours. Beautiful, deep and emotional analysis of my favorite movie series. Your truly makes me wanna write and record video essays of my own, but at the same time it annoys me, because I know I'll probably will never write something as good as this video.I really hope that you'll eventually make a video on Volume 3. Keep up the good work Alex!
your words make me cry, you made something beautiful here
Holy crap dude. This was amazing. One of the best video essays I’ve ever watched ong
Gonna watch this beginning to end. I love GOTG and I love your video essays.
You’ve given me a new appreciation for this film. I’ll be rewatching
I started with the first movie, the original Iron Man, in the cinema. Still liked all phase 4 movies quite a lot. Most series weren't for me though. Can't wait for Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars.
First time to this channel. This was immaculately put together, I’m here to stay. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
This is exactly what I needed to watch tonight. This video deserves more recognition.
Some of us who are trying to process trauma can become defined by it, or obsessed with trying to express it or make it mean something. But maybe the best way forward is to let it be what it is and figure out how to love life once more one baby step at a time. Instead of forcing meaning from it, we find meaning naturally in the flow of life.
Also
Avengers: Age of Ultron had a similar theme to this movie at the end. "A thing isn't beautiful because it lasts"
That last line made me think you had already seen Vol 3 while writing this. What an absolutely incredible essay as a farewell to my favorite part of the MCU by far.
I love your videos. Your thoughts and how you can put them in to easy to understand words keeps astounding me. Thank you.
As someone who does defend a lot of phase 4, I do agree that the MCU as a whole is largely too focused on setup rather than allowing individual movies to shine. Guardians definitely is a standout as each movie feels very self contained and having now seen 3, the trilogy is the only MCU series that actually feels like a complete trilogy with themes and ideas
I mostly agree with this but the part about these projects being just a set up, is debatable
To me it always felt like Yondu was supposed to be built up as this great Dad the whole time and like all the bad he did was basically retconned. Not that a christmas special matters, but in that it showed Yondu being this real homey sweet dad under a gruff exterior.
But he still kicked the crap out of Peter and threatened to eat him.
Yondu might've saved peter's life on more than one occasion, but he was still an abusive asshole that one way or another used Peter for thievin cuz he was small and could get into places. I love Yondu as a character and really like his dynamic with the rest of the guardians, but I wish it was more widely acknowledged that in spite of all the good he did for Peter and how in the end he did save his life, he Was still an abusive asshole that probably fucked Peter up pretty bad
Wasn't expecting this at all!
Wonderful stuff!
I'm at 1:15 in the video and I gotta say. Most Marvel movies before Avengers weren't good, The standalone movies were pretty meh, Infinity War and Endgame were the good movies. And we're going through that phase again, pretty meh movies before getting the good team up movies. The MCU is not dying at all, every movie in their respective series has gained more money than their previous one. Latest Ant-Man movie made 20 million more than the previous Ant-Man. What that proves is that more people are watching MCU than before. The Avengers movies (except for Spiderman) was the movies that brought in the big money, not the other ones.
After watching GOTG 3 in theaters, it made me want to rewatch all the old Infinity Saga MCU movies. After watching Captain America and Iron Man, I remember why everyone loved the mcu. The actors and stories were entertaining and it's exciting
I think right after first Guardian movie MCU start being formulaic with all the quips and jokes in serious moments. Not all of them obviously, but a lot of them.
I needed to hear this, this is the lesson I have been learning for the past month and a half now. Thank you for delivering an amazing analysis StoryStreet!
Man this video got hella existential around the 40 minute mark.. I'ma go cry myself to sleep now as I ponder the inevitability of my impending doom.
This is a Fantastic Tribute tothe Guardians of the Galaxy. ✨
Alexander, thank you for this. This ending message made me break down. A flood of tears I severely needed. From the most sincerity a broken man can convey, thank you.
New Storystreet upload today!!!
I now know how I'm going to be spending the next hour and a bit of my life 😌🙌✨️
Nothing better than revisiting an old movie that I like through the lens of a person who deeply cares about its wonders
Old movie? Bruh it came out in 2017...
@@nope5657 That was 6 years ago, that's 25% of my life
You just got a new subscriber, I didn't expect this video to hit me so hard. It has me holding back tears at the workplace 🤣 thank you, your analysis and summary at the end was genuinely beautiful
1:00:53 hits harder after guardians 3. Especially the last sentence
*Sees new StoryStreet in my feed*
Welp, time to choke up, again 😊 And I know I will, because Vol 2 got me to choke up on its own without a video essay five years later
Endgame was an ending, I disagree with you there. If literally no other mcu movies came out after, that one resolved things and gave a farewell
Your probably not gonna see this but you don’t undertand how much your videos have helped me coupe w my daily problems , I’ve always related to these fictional characters because the real world , people invalidate my pain. But watching your videos shows me these characters are based of real people’s problems and traumas . I stopped believing in coincidences but it’s just crazy everytime you drop a video it always resonates with what’s going on with my life t the time. I now am going through what seems to be the final stages of my relationship with a person who she doesn’t realize is letting her trauma ruin our relationship. I don’t know if imma be able to save it but I’m trying my best. And I appreciate you so much for making me feel like I’m not the only one who sees these things . The only one who feels these kinda things
The good damage episode of BoJack Horseman is an amazing episode in an amazing show.
Love how you brought those themes back in this analysis. Sometimes we can't see the silver lining. Sometimes there isn't one. If we can accept that it's hard to move forward and cut our losses and as you said, grow from the tragedy and mistakes and not get swamped by them. It's a continuing battle and having positive relationships help us find a way forward 😊
Thank you for the videos and for the inspiring messages. Your content’s one I’ll always cherish.
I feel you man, I love The MCU but after Endgame. Everything felt wrong, thankfully Volume 3 made me remember why I loved the MCU
This is beautiful beyond description. I believe without even a iota of hyperbole that this video and the intersteller video are the best videos on youtube
End Game felt like the finale to me and I've had little enthusiasm for anything since. But Guardians 3 was a great end cap. I feel like it should have come out straight after End Game. Sad that it did feel like the last dying gasp of the MCU.
Phenomenal video. The ending brought me to tears. I had a very similar experience with the MCU. I really got into it during phase 1 and I adored the first Iron Man movie as a kid. But I really had resigned myself that nothing truly spectacular would ever come out of the MCU again post-Endgame. And then I saw the first trailer for Guardians 3. And it did not disappoint. I think it is even better than Vol. 2. I have always loved Guardians Vol. 2 more than the first and I could never quite explain why to people who disagreed with me. But you articulated it perfectly. Thank you, this video really did impact me quite a lot.
Last night I just had to watch both of these Marvelous movies, and I saw something that you apparently missed!
You thought there was a plot hole, but it turns out that Peter's mask was broken in his fight with Ego. It's really quick, but you see him get knocked to the ground, and his mask falls off his face and into chunks on the ground. Otherwise, fantastic video!
A few years ago, I actually had a bit of an existential crisis when I first watched that "Timelapse of the Future" video. I honestly thought that even if humanity died off, that life would still exist somewhere forevermore, but no. Life is only possible for an infinitesimal amount of time in the "lifetime" of the whole of the Universe. The fact that we're even getting a chance to experience it in this "tiny window" is absolutely incredible!
This stuff is why Guardians 2 resonates a bit more than 3 did for me; 2 was just so powerful.
Youre underrated asf, i really needed to hear this
Incredibly well written, especially the end part. Endings are paramount and you always display grace and justice toward them
Can’t wait for you to talk about the 3rd one
I think with Superman he's doing something that is very opposite to his style and opposite to what he's been doing till now. Popular character, optimistic view. Alot other things too, and it will be interesting to see how these things turn out. I have a feeling, it all will be quite enjoyable, atleast.
Thank you for capturing what I love about this film.
your videos are like therapy
Amazing video man I just discovered your channel but his video was absolutely brilliant, thank you
God that section on Drax and Rocket had me tearing up, you have a way with words friend
Really hoping for coverage of guardians 3 from your channel! Love your vids.
You just gave me a whole new perspective on the guardians that I never once considered! I actually didn’t consider that these guys are still greatly imperfect people because masterful writing managed to compel me to care about them and what happens to them anyway. Just goes to show what happens when actual people care about what they’re making.
And I also want to say I’m in a similar boat to you. My parents introduced me to the mcu when I was in middle school and I was a fan of it ever since getting through the first iron man, and so when “Endgame” came and went, I too was excited to see where this universe would go next, only to slowly find myself caring less and less about it as phase four went on. I saw “Hawkeye”, squealed with joy in “Loki”, cried in “Wanda Vision”, thought “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” were alright, “Thor Love and Thunder” and “The Eternals” are hours of my life I’m never getting back, “Multiverse of Madness” and “Quantumania” weren’t as good as I hoped, and I’m not even going to touch “She-Hulk” with a ten foot pole. The last really good thing from Marvel I watched was “Moon Knight” making that and the Guardians the only Marvel property I care about now. Slowly but surely with every lackluster project that came, my love for the MCU started waning more and more until now, like you, once I finally see Guardians of the Galaxy vol.3, I’m done. Unless it’s the guardians, or moon knight, or maybe Loki, I’m not going to have anything to do with the MCU anymore. It’s sad, but it doesn’t change the fact that this franchise still brought me it’s own brand of endless joy when it was still good. And just because I may not love it anymore doesn’t mean that the good times it brought me didn’t mean anything at all. Just that it was great while it lasted.
May it rest in peace.
So glad to see some deep love for Vol. 2. It's so much stronger in every way than Vol. 1 (which is still great) that I honestly cannot fathom how finding it far lesser or even outright bad is a somewhat common take. A recent rewatch of both before Vol. 3 really cemented it for me.
Vol. 1 is mostly fantastic, but so obviously hindered by being a stepping stone. Ronan is a TERRIBLE villain and brings the entire film down a peg imo and the standard 3-act tropes Vol. 1 adheres to so strongly kind of make some of the story beats feel rote. Gunn's sensibilities, the amazing cast, and the attention to character are why Vol. 1 works - but it's a foundation with some unfortunate cracks.
Vol. 2 is SO MUCH stronger in every way - from the writing and character dynamics to the villain to the action scenes to the cinematography. It's all just a step solid step up from Vol. 1.
I think Vol. 1 being such an out of left field surprise back in 2014 created warped expectations for Vol. 2 when it dropped in 2017. By then the "MCU formula" was firmly cemented in that it the build-up to big events was more clear and expected. Vol. 2 is even more stand-alone than Vol. 1 and it came out after franchise shifting events like Civil War so I think people not only expected to simply feel that jovial surprise of Vol. 1 again but also expected Vol. 2 to be more of a universe expanding story.
I think a lot of people who dislike Vol. 2 never gave it another shot. And they REALLY need to. I would know, because when I saw it in theaters I too was disappointed. It didn't click for me until I rewatched it again. It went from being a disappointment to my favorite MCU film.
For me , the first scene to hit home was Quills mum dying & the visceral emotion on the screen...because I,m right there - but it,s my wife Jan - dying - you Don,t want believe it, you rage to stop it - but you can,t . As the flat line trails -for me in SILENCE . ,& I,m in tears every time. .but gawdamn it,s real...hell I bow To JG..THIS is real film making ....& bloody he'll I came out of GOTG3 in tears yet again...GLORIOUS 😎
Beautiful video.
Liked and subscribed.
Would love to have a full video on Vol.3 too
Man... You perfectly encapsulated why I love these movies
Man this was a good video essay! I really enjoyed it.
I love this movie it was really awesome
FINALLY!!!! SOMEONE WHO APPRECIATES GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2 FOR THE MASTERPIECE THAT IT IS!!!!!
Beautiful homage❤
This was beautiful and inspiring
So true that this phase of the mcu has been tiring because of the constant set ups without actually caring about story, the only MCU stuff I’ve cared about lately is stuff that actually had a story to tell, but even that is hard to get into sometimes. Anyway, shoutout to Moon Knight, Wakanda Forever, and kind of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier for being some of the only recent MCU stuff I’ve enjoyed lately (I know you said you didn’t finish tfatws, but ep 5 does some really interesting stuff, nice slow pace and great character work if you still want to give it a shot)
This video, allong with the theme, is a masterpiece. Thank you so much. ❤
Once again such an amazing overview and breakdown.
This is extremely insightful❤❤.
"Good damage" and how you presented it on the examples of the guardians, damn I never thought about it that way, and now seeing this, and actually being aware of this "good damage" i see how subcouncusly some people I know (including me) also have this mindset
This was beautiful man 😢
Wow! I literally just got through rewatching Lindsey Ellis' "GotGV2" analysis from 5 years ago, and here's THIS one put up 45 minutes ago!
just when i was getting sick of the gotg2 slander online, StoryStreet is here w another banger
11:09 It's weird looking at this scene without the Jumbo Josh head edited over Hulk's face.
What a beautiful video
I'm so glad Vol 2 gets the love it deserves nowadays.
Honestly, the funniest thing about Drax constantly calling Mantis ugly is the fact that she so obvjously ISN'T.
The DCU's issue was that it rushed to the climax
The MCU's issue is that it forgot to end
DCEU never got it's climax. What are you even talking about
WOW fantastic video
With GoTG3 I’m impressed they managed to make a villain with a messiah complex even more twisted, narcissistic sociöpath than Thanos. Like a space Dr. Mengele.
Not really hard to do
Good video man. 👍
Awesome work.
Redemption isn't about undoing the harm you've caused. You can't. It's about taking responsibility, about making the choice to acknowlede the harm you've caused and choosing to do good instead.
always intriguing to listen to your analysis.
I've always much preferred the second Guardians film over volume one which seems to be the one people always praise. Vol 2 has so much more heart and depth to it.