We Finally Know What Happened To Star-Lord's Helmet In Guardians 3
Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) and his group of space buddies well exceeded expectations for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," hauling in massive box office numbers like the Marvel Cinematic Universe underdogs they've become. This latest "Guardians" entry serves as a final, emotionally-charged ride with its titular band of space misfits, and in plenty of viewers' eyes, director James Gunn couldn't have left them with a better swan song. While plenty successful, however, certain fans were left wondering about some of its finer details.
Notably, one recurring question on Twitter following the film's release was "What happened to Star-Lord's helmet?" which is absent for the entire threequel. We already know that he somehow gets a new one between the events of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" and "Avengers: Infinity War," but many fans have wondered about its status in his latest adventure.
Thankfully, we now have an explanation as to why Quill's quintessential headwear (as well as his clip-on rockets) didn't make the cut. According to Gunn himself, due to the urgency of the rescue mission he was on to save his best friend Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), he simply left his iconic Guardians gear at home.
Star-Lord's helmet is in a desk on Knowhere, according to James Gunn
On Twitter, where he often shares insights directly with fans, James Gunn set the record straight about Peter Quill not wearing a helmet in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3." In response to one user's question, he wrote, "It's in his desk drawer [on] Knowhere. He had to get out of there fast as you know!"
While this lack of helmet can be easily forgiven, his enhanced footwear accessories very well could have made for handy tools on his quest. As it turns out, Gunn cleared up this particular matter as well, revealing that the Guardians' technology has advanced by leaps and bounds, all thanks to Rocket. "And as for the next question people ask," he said, "the rockets that clip onto his boots are far inferior to the jet packs Rocket has made them so they're not around at all anymore." Time and a supersmart (wipes tear) raccoon, then, are the simple answers to this apparent change to Star-Lord's character.
Even so, there may still be a chance that we'll see Quill back in his old gear down the line, given that the final message of "Vol. 3" confirms Chris Pratt's MCU future. Otherwise, a lonely helmet somewhere on Knowhere may no longer have an owner.
Some fans have theories about Star-Lord's helmetless appearance
While James Gunn may have definitively explained Star-Lord's in-universe mentality behind travelling without his helmet, some fans in a Reddit thread about this subject have proposed additional theories about the decision. Gunn, of course, could have easily justified Quill ultimately taking the helmet with him, but chose instead to alter the character in a way plenty of fans found noticeable.
In the thread's top comment, for example, user ByJ4Xx argued that Star-Lord's lack of gear emphasizes his singular focus on saving Rocket. Meanwhile, user jackson50111 proposed that the film may simply be trying to maximize Chris Pratt's on-screen face time, in the same manner Steve Rodgers inexplicably fights without a helmet during big moments in the "Avengers" films prior to Chris Evans' Marvel Cinematic Universe exit.
"I like this interpretation some people had where Peter wanted to distance himself from Star Lord," wrote asiansoftboyy. "Ties in nicely with how he went back to Earth at the end, to his roots as a human being and with his grandpa."
Since he leaves the Guardians team at the end of the film, it's entirely possible, then, that Peter Quill will remain unmasked in his future appearances, and forgetting his mask sets up a new direction for his character that will only become more apparent in the MCU's future.