Summary
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 explains the Easter egg mentioning Lylla, a character linked to Rocket, in the original film.
- Lylla, who was initially only mentioned as a known associate of Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy, is finally introduced in Vol. 3, causing confusion among audiences as to how she would be known as his associate.
- The explanation for Lylla’s appearance in Rocket’s known associates list is that Rocket may have built up her legend after her death, making her an assumed associate in his stories.
Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 may have retconned an earlier MCU mistake, and could have given one nine-year-old Easter egg even more meaning. When developing 2014’s original Guardians of the Galaxy film, writer and director James Gunn included several Easter eggs to the wider world of the MCU and to the pages of the Marvel Comics source material. These were great for Marvel’s avid fans, but created some confusion as the live-action Guardians’ story developed in the MCU, particularly when one of these Easter eggs appeared as a pivotal character in Rocket Raccoon’s backstory in 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Gunn returned to Marvel Studios for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 to conclude the story of the original Guardians team, by focusing most of the attention on Bradley Cooper’s Rocket and his mysterious backstory. Although Rocket spent most of the present-day-set film comatose after an attack by Adam Warlock, flashbacks explored Rocket’s early life, during which he was subjected to experiments by the High Evolutionary, enhanced into an intelligent being, and formed relationships with other subjects. These were emotional moments for the Guardians’ final adventure, but finally paid off one very quick Easter egg that had been featured in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Guardians Of The Galaxy’s Lylla “Mistake” Explained
After Peter Quill, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot were taken prisoner by the Nova Corps on Xandar in Guardians of the Galaxy, the foursome were featured in a series of mugshots, with each detailing some Easter egg-filled information about these obscure Marvel characters. For Rocket, this included naming his known associates, which included Groot, his Flora Colossus bodyguard, and Lylla. Until Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, this was the only mention of Lylla in the MCU, causing some confusion among audiences as to who this mysterious character might be. Fans of Marvel Comics would know this name well, however, as Lylla the Otter is intrinsically linked to Rocket.
In Marvel Comics, Lylla was born on Halfworld just like Rocket, and she was depicted as the heir to toy-making empire Mayhem Mekaniks. After Rocket saved her life, the pair decided to travel and build a new life together. The mention of Lylla as an Easter egg in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy was a great call back to Lylla in the comics. Even so, Lylla’s actual introduction in Vol. 3 and the investigation of her backstory with Rocket confused this Easter egg, as it became unclear how she could be a known associate if she had died several years previously – without anyone knowing who she was.
Vol 3 Completely Changes Rocket’s Lylla Easter Egg
Although Lylla’s death surely would have meant nobody would know of her existence, there is one way that Lylla’s name could have appeared in the list of Rocket’s known associates in Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s possible that, after escaping from the High Evolutionary, Rocket traveled across the galaxy telling stories of his friends, including Lylla. Rocket could have built her legend up so that she could have become his assumed associate. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 proved that Rocket had always dreamed of reuniting with his friends, so there’s no doubt he told many people about where he had come from and the friends he had known.