The Best Moments From Guardians of the Galaxy 2

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Nobody can dislike the not-quite-heroes of Guardians of the Galaxy 2. Yes, they fight with one another as much as they fight the villains, they make bad choices, steal stuff, and make poop jokes with remarkable consistency, but in the end, they’re pretty relatable people. They don’t have the regal blood of Asgardian gods, the incredible strength of the Hulk, the righteousness of Captain America, or the genius charisma of Tony Stark.

Instead, all they’ve really got is each other, an idea emphasized by the hand-holding conclusion to the first Guardians. This underlying family dynamic shared by the main characters is what make Guardians especially great—we all know the ups and downs of family life, and so we can totally relate.

What’s more, it’s all the more meaningful when the Guardians do manage to overcome their flaws and petty squabbles, going on to triumph. In the end, they better not only themselves, but one another.

And yes, there’s that whole saving the galaxy thing they tend to do, as well. But in the end, it’s the small stuff that keeps us smiling as we watch.

There are plenty of these small, but meaningful, interactions in Guardians of the Galaxy 2, and so we’ve chosen a few of the greatest for you. Let’s take a look at these 6 best moments from Guardian of the Galaxy 2.

Baby Groot Brings Us Things

Marvel Studios / Disney Studios

We need to talk about baby Groot for a moment. He’s so cute that it’s almost painful to watch him. His little, round eyes stare up at us from the screen, and we melt. He wiggles his little tree-hips to some funky tunes as his companions battle a giant monster in the background, and we smile.

He’s the greatest.

But one of his best moments in Guardians 2 comes when Rocket and Yondu are trapped in a cell. Their only way out? Getting back Yondu’s ability to control his Yaka Arrow—the whistle-controlled spike that lays waste to the blue man’s enemies.

With baby Groot wandering outside, the imprisoned Rocket and Yondu try to get the little guy to bring them the arrow’s controller, which is in a cabinet among the sleeping crew of the ship. Little Groot seems to understand the request, and scampers off as fast as his roots will take him.

It doesn’t go well.

Baby Groot “helps” by bringing back—over several trips—a mechanical eye, a large, metal desk, some kind of weird, wriggling rat-creature, Yondu’s underwear, and a severed human toe.

Poor guys.

Eventually, the tiny tree-man gets some help from a crew member who is loyal to Yondu, and the pair escape and go on to wreak havoc on their enemies.

But rest assured, audiences everywhere will remember baby Goot’s “help” far longer than they’ll remember what came after.

A Wild Hasselhoff Appears

Marvel Studios

Nothing spices up your day like a random appearance from David Hasselhoff.

Despite existing in a high-tech world, the Guardians of the Galaxy films are rooted in the 80s. Plentiful are the ‘80s icon name-checks, references to He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and Pac-Man, major appearances by Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell, and of course, the rocking ‘80s tunes.

Notably, even the color scheme of Guardians is reminiscent of retro color palettes. It’s tubular.

But all of that retro goodness focused into one, short burst of concentrated ‘80s perfection when David Hasselhoff appears.

You see, early in the film, Peter Quill reveals that, when he was a kid, he used to tell people that Baywatch’s David Hasselhoff was his father. This conversation comes up again as Peter bickers with his actual villainous, alien overlord father, Ego the Living Planet, who just happens to have the ability to change his form.

And for the space of 7 seconds, Ego takes the form of David Hasselhoff as he taunts Peter.

This scene may not have been emotional, meaningful, or even all that sensible, but it was an emblematic moment that represented the the awesome retro-sci-fi aesthetic of Guardians.

Oh, and Hasselhoff even got his own Marvel music video as a result. Enjoy.

Drax Makes Us Cry

Marvel Studios / Disney Studios

Drax is big. Drax is tough. Drax makes us smile when he makes poop jokes and jumps into the mouths of monsters while laughing.

But for a moment, Drax also made us cry.

In what is arguably the most touching scene of Guardians 2, the giant warrior, Drax, and Mantis, a tactile telepath who can feel the emotions of others upon touching them, sit beside one another, gazing out at a flower-strewn pond.

Throughout Guardians, we never see Drax cry. In fact, his two emotions seem to be stoicism and outright, laugh-out-loud joy.

But the truth is this; Drax’s family—including his daughter—died long ago. He doesn’t speak much of it. But as he gazes out over the water, he remembers his little girl, telling Mantis that the peace reminds him of her.

All the while, his face is as stoic as ever, but when Mantis tentatively touches his shoulder to read his feelings, she instantly begins to weep at the flood of sadness within the giant man. He’s already cried all of his tears, and so, for that moment, she cries for him.

It’s a touching moment that adds a great deal of depth to Drax’s character and reminds us that his worst scars are the ones we cannot see.

Rocket Shows His Softer Side

Marvel Studios / Disney Studios

We all know that Rocket has soft fur, but did you know he also has a soft emotional side, as well? He does—in Guardians 2, we finally get to see a little more vulnerability from the angry little gunslinger.

Normally wild and cantankerous, Rocket is mostly known for blowing holes in things, insulting everyone, and having a shorter fuse than his large collection of exotic explosives.

But in this film, we find that Rocket’s immense well of contempt and anger only serves to mask an underlying insecurity. After he and Yondu bond while doing what they do best—destroying their enemies—Rocket begins to open up a little.

These two characters are more alike than they know, and Yondu calls Rocket out on his caustic behavior.

“I know you play like you’re the meanest and he hardest, but actually you’re the most scared of all,” he said. “I know you steal batteries you don’t need, and you push away anyone who’s willing to put up with you, because just a little bit of love reminds you of how big and empty that hole inside you actually is. I know them scientists what made you never gave a rat’s ass about you, just like my own damn parents who sold me, their own little baby, into slavery.”

At this, Rocket’s tough exterior melts, and he visibly slouches as he lets go of the facade. The meanest little creature in Guardians is, we find, the one most in need of love, and by the end of the film, it seems he’s more willing to embrace the idea that someone might actually care about him.

Everyone Makes Fun of Taserface

Marvel Studios / Disney Studios

Oh, Taserface. The huge Ravager bounty hunter who usurped Yondu’s ship and crew chose what is probably the worst name in the history of names for himself.

When he dramatically reveals his name to Rocket, he’s met with a squeal of laughter from the contemptuous raccoon, who just can’t stop snickering about the man’s name.

When Taserface turns to his crew for encouragement concerning his name, he’s merely met with a few shrugs and uncomfortable downward glances.

But Rocket doesn’t stop. He just keeps making fun of Taserface, to the point where the bounty hunter’s entire crew is laughing uproariously.

Taserface’s name even badgers him into his final moments. Upon being defeated by Yondu and Rocket, Taserface contacts an enemy alien race in order to give them the coordinates of Yondu’s ship and assure its destruction.

But when Taserface then adds “I only ask one thing. That your high priestess tell [Yondu] the name of the man what sealed his fate: Taserface,” she laughs in his face and cuts the video feed, leaving him to his doom.

And thus, the legend of Taserface came to a hilarious end.

Yondu is Mary Poppins, Y'all

Marvel Studios / Disney Studios

Guardians 2 is full of great lines, but one stands out above the rest, with Yondu absolutely stealing the show with the most memorable line of the film.

By the last act of the film, Peter and Yondu reconcile in a big way, truly becoming family. Peter, in fact, is proud to call Yondu his true dad as they all work to fight against his evil biological father.

The two descend into the heart of Ego’s living planet, with Yondu holding on to his glowing Yaka Arrow with one arm.

Peter looks over at Yondu’s pose and laughs, saying “You look like Mary Poppins.”

“Is he cool?” asks Yondu, earnestly.

Peter looks up at Yondu, genuine affection and warmth replacing his smirk. “Hell, yeah, he’s cool,” he replies.

And as they near the ground, one arm still holding onto the shaft of his flying arrow as it floats him through the air, Yondu proudly yells the best line of the movie.

“I’m Mary Poppins, y’all!”

The combination of humor and real warmth in this scene is, at once, touching and hilarious in a way that moviegoers won’t forget, showing Peter’s renewed connection to Yondu as his dad in the best way possible.

This is, indeed, the best moment of Guardians of the Galaxy 2.