Star-Lord's Deleted Infinity War Scene Perfectly Explained A Controversial Thanos Moment

Summary Star-Lord's unpopular move in Avengers: Infinity War was blamed for Thanos' victory in the movie and is still debated today.

A deleted scene from the movie might have changed viewers' perception of Star-Lord's actions and motives, as it suggested Gamora was alive to the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Despite criticism, Star-Lord's emotional, human response adds depth to the MCU.

A deleted scene from Avengers: Infinity War can help to explain a criticized reaction by Star Lord in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film. While the third Avengers movie was warmly received, it was not without its divisive moments. Perhaps the most divisive scene in the installment came from Star-Lord and his actions while under stress, which is still a topic of audience discussion and debate to this day.

The Guardians of the Galaxy became some of the most beloved characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after they were introduced in 2014, and several of the heroes remain in the MCU timeline with a potential Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4 movie ahead. After not being featured in Avengers: Age of Ultron, the team was integrated with the other heroes in the following Avengers films to much acclaim. With a strong cast that included Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, and Bradley Cooper, this integration felt inevitable - but this integration also led to a story element that has been endlessly dissected since it debuted.

Star-Lord's Thanos Attack Is 1 Of The MCU's Most Criticized

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With Mantis subduing the Mad Titan, a sequence in Infinity War shows the heroes on the cusp of removing Thanos' gauntlet and saving the universe. However, during this sequence, Chris Pratt's Star-Lord learns that Thanos has sacrificed his daughter, Gamora, to acquire one of the stones. Star-Lord is in love with Gamora, and this realization sets him on the offensive. Driven by grief and rage, he rushes toward the villain, causing Thanos to snap out of his trance and repel the heroes.

At a glance, it seems that Thanos winning and snapping away half the universe is then directly the fault of Star Lord's actions. While it is not clear what would have happened if the heroes had removed the gauntlet, it certainly appears that's all they would have had to do to save the universe.

However, Thanos is tenacious, and taking the glove away from him once would likely not have been enough to stop everything. Given Doctor Strange's review of the universe, it seemed there was only one path ahead, and Star-Lord’s actions did not ruin the MCU heroes' chances - something one deleted scene supports.

Related Patton Oswalt Reflects On Predicting The MCU's Infinity War Story 5 Years Early Patton Oswalt's improvised Marvel speech in 2013's Parks and Recreation season 5 got several things about the MCU's Infinity War right.

A Deleted Infinity War Scene Changes Everything About Star-Lord & Thanos' Meeting

Losing Gamora to Thanos in Infinity War is a harrowing moment for Star Lord and the rest of the team. However, it is not without hope. A deleted scene shows the characters' emotions in the wake of this event. In addition, the reveal that someone is sending the team coded messages seems to indicate to the group that Gamora is still alive. Following this, in the pits of their despair, the Guardians gain a little bit of hope. That hope is quickly dashed away the instant that Star-Lord hears of Gamora's certain demise.

Including this scene would have further contextualized Star-Lord's reaction to having Gamora's death confirmed. Upon this discovery, all that the hero had pinned his hopes on immediately disappears, and the previous signs that Gamora may have been okay instead worsen his pain. In his anger, he does wind up ruining the plan that the Avengers had, although as noted above, this plan is not as strong as the reactions to this scene might suggest.

Related Thanos' Worst MCU Kill Is Even Sadder Than You Think According To Devastating Infinity War Theory A curious detail in Marvel Studios' Avengers: Infinity War makes one of the movie's most heartbreaking death scenes even more devastating.

One of the most vital features of the MCU is that all of their characters are demonstrably human, as Marvel primarily focuses on relatable and often underdog characters interacting with outsized powers. This is an enormous part of the universe's charm, and must necessarily come with moments like this one. While Star-Lord's mistake is certainly one of the more notable in Avengers: Infinity War's run, it's one that comes from his human vulnerability, and is based around his compassion and capacity for love. As such, it's also a great example of how the Marvel Cinematic Universe make three-dimensional characters.