The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
TV · 2022 · 42 minutes · Phase Four
The Guardians have bought Knowhere and added Cosmo the Spacedog to the team, while Peter Quill is still low over losing Gamora. Mantis and Drax decide to cheer him up with the perfect Christmas gift and travel to Earth to bring back Kevin Bacon, the actor Quill idolised as a child. After a frightened start, Bacon joins the celebration aboard their ship and the gathering wins Quill over. Mantis then admits she is his half-sister, which she had hidden to spare him more pain about his father Ego.
Follows on from
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2direct-sequel — Continues the Guardians team story, including Mantis, Drax and Quill's feelings about Ego, whose connection to Mantis is the special's final reveal.
- Avengers: Endgamedirect-sequel — Quill's low mood comes from Gamora's death and her replacement by a 2014 variant who does not know him, the situation set up by Endgame.
- Thor: Love and Thunderdirect-sequel · optional — Picks up with the Guardians after they part ways with Thor in that film, and sets up the team's new base and roster.
Leads to
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3direct-sequel · optional — Introduces Cosmo the Spacedog, the team's purchase of Knowhere and Mantis's relationship to Quill, all of which Vol. 3 takes as already established.