The Best Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 Quotes

Lovable misfits, intergalactic weirdos, a bunch of a-holes … whatever you choose to call them, the Guardians of the Galaxy are the perfect combo of freaks. With the streaming availability of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, James Gunn’s epic saga for the Marvel Cinematic Universe is ready to race across the stars.

However, back in 2014, MCU fans had their doubts. From a mainstream perspective, the Guardians of the Galaxy were not well-known. In typical Gunn fashion, he took second-tier heroes and elevated them into super heroes audiences everywhere would love. In honor of the film’s release on August 1, 2014, let’s look back at some of the best quotes from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1.

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“My name is Peter Quill, okay? Hey, there’s another name you might know me by… [awkward silence]. Star-Lord, man.” – Star-Lord

If there’s any exchange that perfectly sums up the core of Peter Quill’s character, it’s this one. He means well, really, he does. But Peter, c’mon, you’re not gonna convince these Ninja Turtles-wannabes to call you Star-Lord. Well, not until you find your purpose (beyond thieving).

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“I am going to die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy.” – Gamora

As always, Gamora is the sardonic voice of reason among her team. But at this point in the film, the Guardians could hardly be called a team. In fact, they’re only working together out of pure necessity. As an assassin feared in every corner of the galaxy, Gamora is probably feeling a bit embarrassed that she’s surrounded by these imbeciles.

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“Nothing goes over my head! My reflexes are too fast, I would catch it.” – Drax

While they are supremely skilled as warriors, Kylosians are not known for their abstract thinking. Metaphors, similes, and other figurative language are much harder to grasp than a sharp useful weapon. Drax, however, is the exception. His reflexes are far too fast to miss anything thrown his way. Good job, buddy.

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“Who put the sticks up their butts?” – Gamora

Throughout their time together, Star-Lord shares the vast lore of his home planet, Earth, with his team. Of course, Peter’s knowledge of Earth is at a standstill since he was abducted by Yondu in the 1980s. What’s more, he was just a kid. So his understanding of Earth’s history gets a little mixed up with Terran pop culture. That’s why his explanation of Footloose, and the mythical hero Kevin Bacon, begins an obsession with the dancing dude for the entire Guardians team.

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“Ain’t no thing like me, except me!” – Rocket Raccoon

After Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, we have the full picture of Rocket Raccoon’s tragic backstory. Torture became part of his daily routine. He knew the bitter pain of loss from far too young of an age thanks to the High Evolutionary. But in the Guardians’ first movie, all we know is that Rocket is extremely sensitive about being called any sort of animal name. And don’t you forget it!

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“I have … part … of a plan!” – Star-Lord

Peter really does try his best. Sure, he’s a bit of an on-the-fly kind of strategist, but it’s worked out so far. Well, except for that fight with Thanos. But Bruce Banner hasn’t figured out time travel so we don’t have to talk about that … yet.

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“I look around at us, and you know what I see? Losers.” – Star-Lord

When the rest of the Guardians first hear Peter’s speech, they begin to object. But he’s got a point (for once!). Each member of the Guardians of the Galaxy has experienced loss. Through that loss, they’ve grown into who they are today. They might not be perfect but they do know a thing or two about fighting for what they love. Or, in Rocket’s case, the random objects he wants to steal.

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“We’re just like Kevin Bacon.” – Gamora

As the Guardians’ plan to save the day is actually coming through, Gamora takes a moment to celebrate. She calls back to her conversation with Peter when he told her all about Kevin Bacon, the legendary Earth hero. Don’t worry, this isn’t the last we’ll hear (or see) of Kevin Bacon. Not if Mantis has anything to say about it.

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“What if someone does something irksome and I decide to remove his spine?” – Drax

You can dress up ’em real nice and give them a fancy new team name, but a Guardian of the Galaxy will always be a little rough around the edges. It’s part of their charm, after all. But Rhomann Dey does find it necessary to remind Drax that spine removal is on par with murder. And that’s still a crime.

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“We are Groot.” – Groot

You didn’t think we’d forget this one, did you? Groot is a being of many words yet also so few words. Though the vocabularistics of a Flora Colossus are a bit sparse, Groot himself is endlessly quotable (with a little translation from Rocket along the way). Of all his signature catchphrases, this Groot quote is one of the most beloved. It’s symbolic of the Guardians’ final step toward becoming a family. They’d do just about anything for each other.

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Over the years, the Guardians have given the MCU some of its funniest lines as well as its most inspiring quotes. And Volume 1 is only the beginning!

Fire up that mixtape and tell us your favorite GotG Vol. 1 quotes. Join the conversation with other Marvel fans over at Sideshow Social Network or at side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!