How Do We See God’s Moral Law in a Marvel Movie?
Because all movies deal with life, they cannot help but express moral (natural) law as unalterably established in God’s moral character. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is the most commercially successful film franchise of all time. Therefore, we wonder, how do we see God’s moral law in a Marvel movie?
What Is God’s Moral Law?
Humans, by nature, know God exists (Psalm 19). We also know God’s moral law because we are created in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). Pastor Tom Hicks tells us, “God’s moral law commands our conformity to the moral aspects of His communicable attributes, which are summarized in the Ten Commandments, but are also revealed to human consciences and in the principles and basic structure of creation more generally.”
God’s Moral Law in Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 (GotG3) isn’t the most popular of the MCU’s movies (it’s ranked #16 of the highest grossing Marvel movies. And yes, Endgame is #1). I confess, however, GG3 is my favorite, mostly because it’s so personal and contains many correlations to humans as God’s image-bearers. The characters – both good and bad, human and alien – display God’s moral law both in adhering to it and defying it.
This article will look at the main characters of the movie and place them within the spectrum of God’s communicable attributes displayed by human beings. Of course, some of these characters aren’t human after all, but their “creators” are. Their moral “stamp” has been inserted into the good guys (the Guardians) and the bad guys (the High Evolutionary and his factions).
In the director’s commentary, writer/director James Gunn tells us the first movie is the story of Peter Quill’s mother. The second movie is the story of the father (Quill’s biological father, and his “daddy,” Yondu), while the third movie is the story of the self. “So it’s more intimate because of that,” Gunn says. Producer Kevin Feige adds that the characters are “…putting their trauma behind them so they become their best selves.” We see each character come full circle, many worlds apart from who they were in volume 1. In a much more personal sense, GotG3 is Rocket’s story. We, the viewers, learn the basic “why” of his character.
Bear in mind none of us will exhibit any of God’s communicable attributes perfectly. Various degrees are seen in both unbelievers and believers according to where they are in their growth (as led by the Holy Spirit) in the grace and knowledge of Christ (sanctification). Believers will only be perfect when we are in glory.
Some of God’s communicable attributes as seen in GotG3 are His:
Love – God's intrinsic nature to look after and extend compassion to others.
Mercy – God holding back from us what we deserve (ultimately, death).
Grace – God gives us what we don’t deserve (Jesus and eternal life with Him).
Goodness – The source of all that is good, which humans can also exhibit.
Holiness – Being set apart from sin; humans are called to be holy.
Justice – God's perfect fairness, which He expects from His people.
Righteousness – God is wholly perfect and justified in and of Himself.
Wisdom – God's perfect understanding and actions thereof.
Patience – Our God is long-sufferance.
Truthfulness – God’s perfect honesty.
Faithfulness – God's perfect steadfastness.
Where We See These Attributes in the Heroes
Peter Quill
Quill has been the main character throughout the three-part series. In volume 3, Quill displays love as he cherishes the last gift from his mother, as he mourns for his lost love, Gamora, and as he seeks to save his best friend Rocket’s life.
Quill, however, is a rule-breaker; he fights for what he wants in typical “Star Lord” impatience and a bit of arrogance. Despite that, Quill is faithful to his friends and is bold to demand justice, especially as he searches for the technology needed to save Rocket.
Rocket Raccoon
As Gunn says in the commentary, GotG3 is Rocket’s story, and this is where we experience most of the illustration of God’s moral law as we see the backstory of this integral character. He is truly the star of GotG3 and Rocket does what he would never do before, care for others no matter what it costs him.
His relationship with his friends, Teefs, Floor, and Lylla is tantamount to the great change in him. With them, he learns love, faithfulness, patience, mercy, grace, and goodness. Their deaths made him suppress those characteristics, and he became an angry, vengeful warrior.
As he lay on what could have been his deathbed, he sees a vision of them in a white clouded background. He tearfully asks Lylla (the otter) if he can come with them to do what they had planned before one of the High Evolutionary’s henchmen murdered them (go “flyin” in the sky). Lylla tells him, “yes, but not yet” and before he can join them, she hugs him and says, “the story has been yours all along. You just didn’t know it yet.” There’s still work for him to do. His reunion with his beloved childhood friends (Lylla, Teefs, and Floor) will have to wait.
Rocket has to accept that he is a raccoon, and that’s truthfulness. Before he changes at the end of the movie, he carries, as the director says, “an unrelenting sadness and loneliness.” That’s where his anger came from. He learns to love himself as he loves his friends (neighbors). He retains his sarcasm as a leftover defense mechanism, but he accepts love from his friends and responds in kind (usually).
Nebula
A most interesting person, Nebula has probably made the greatest transformation. She still shows impatience and anger, but she loves and leads well in faithfulness, wisdom, and truthfulness. At the end of the movie, she is the de facto leader of the Guardians, a far cry from the hateful, vengeful, Thanos-pleasing sycophant who killed with abandon.
Gamora
The Gamora of this dimension is a Ravager, and, as such, is faithful to them, even as she helps the Guardians save Rocket. She isn’t patient, but she is truthful and shows wisdom that belies her role as a Ravager.
As Quill fights to save Rocket, she protects herself from emotion by staying off to the side as Quill and Groot hug Rocket after he is revived. She also hangs back when Quill is rescued from space and his friends encircle him with joy. Her loyalties lie elsewhere even though she helped the Guardians secure Rocket’s life.
Drax
Drax the Destroyer has become, as Nebula alludes, Drax the Dad. No longer angry, Drax displays love and mercy, especially toward the children aboard the High Evolutionary’s ship, and toward Adam Warlock, to whom he relays Groot’s message, “Everyone deserves a second chance.”
Groot
Groot is a self-healing tree-like creature who has one line, “I am Groot.” Only his close friends understand what each utterance of that phrase means. He is faithful, truthful, patient, and loving. He is imposing but personable, and the writer infused him with the morals he carries as one made in the image of God.
Mantis
Mantis is a merciful, gracious, and loving foil to Drax. She shows wisdom when she causes Drax to forget that she told Nebula he is stupid as he listened to their conversation. Mantis has been subservient her whole life, and in GotG3, her independence emerges, but not at the expense of her kindness, mercy, and faithfulness.
The great group moments are a mixture of love, grace, mercy, faithfulness, goodness, and patience. One is the aforementioned scene when Quill revives Rocket, and Quill and Groot embrace him warmly. The second group hug happens after Adam Warlock rescues Quill from space and the whole Guardian clan gathers around him in a victory/love huddle.
Where We See These Attributes in the Villains
The High Evolutionary
This is one scary person who refuses to refer to Rocket as anything but 89P13, Rocket’s batch/item number. The High Evolutionary is on a mission to create, in his eyes, a “perfect” world. Rocket, one of his “creations,” displays greater intelligence than his creator, which enrages him. The High Evolutionary wants to capture him and remove his brain so he can further his mission. He is consumed with self and his subjective control over his creation.
A telling moment in the movie is when he risks the safety of his entire crew as he searches for 89P13. One of his subordinates dares to challenge him, “Sire, you have an irrational obsession with this animal. You must stop, for God’s sake.” The High Evolutionary screams at her, “There is no God! That’s why I stepped in!” The writer of GotG3 knows what’s good. He innately understands God’s moral law and injects that into some characters for good, and some for evil, such as the High Evolutionary.
In a “face-off” with Quill, the High Evolutionary says he visited earth years before, and found the people had wonderful spirit but, he goes on to say, “Earth would be a fabulous place were it not for the ignorance and bigotry.” This from the man — who himself is a bigot — who created a counter earth filled with the qualities he abhors (as witnessed by Quill, Groot, and Nebula).
Adam Warlock
Warlock is the super-powered “son” of one of the High Evolutionary’s creations, a golden-colored woman who sub-reigned under him. He is used at the outset of the movie to capture Rocket for transport back to the High Evolutionary.
Through the series of battles throughout the movie, Adam loses his mother, and changes when Groot saves him from a burning ship. Toward the end of the movie, an obvious reference is made to Michelangelo’s, The Creation of Adam, where he extends his finger to Quill’s outstretched finger as Quill faces death in space. He shows mercy and goodness.
What Should Christians Do with This Information?
As Christians, we are given discernment about others’ outward actions, for, “The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil” (Luke 6:45). We have a greater understanding of good vs. evil, and can assess accordingly. As the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, the chasm between moral and immoral grows. Because we love the Lord Jesus and are thankful to Him for our very lives, we seek His glory and obey Him as well as we can this side of heaven.
“And just as we have borne the image of the earthly, we will also bear the image of the heavenly” (1 Corinthians 15:49).
Everyone (including movie makers) have to admit God’s moral law is inherent within humans, and therefore is apparent to us and others. To try to deny it is rebellion against God’s revelation of Himself. It’s like denying the air we breathe. A person can hold their breath, but only for so long before they pass out. God’s order for His creation takes over and we breathe anyway.
It’s abundantly clear that the High Evolutionary is an evil man, seeking his subjective definition of “perfect” to the harm of any who oppose him or, in the case of his “science experiments,” get in his way by denying he is greater than all others. Psalm 37 is a good look at someone like the High Evolutionary’s coming demise in contrast to those who wait for and trust in the Lord. The High Evolutionary regarded himself as a savior. As Christians, we know and trust Christ as the only Lord and Savior (Acts 4:12).
Just as no one can perfectly obey God or perfectly imitate His communicable attributes, we also cannot conform ourselves to the Ten Commandments. Do we have other gods above the Lord God? Do we think we know better than the Creator of the heavens and the earth? Many times, the answer is yes. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 will give Christians much to ponder about God’s moral law. The movie is also a great tool for witnessing to others who have not surrendered to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
We touched a few of the many ways Guardians of the Galaxy 3 displays God’s moral law. I recommend you watch it to see more and enjoy the way James Gunn portrays his diverse characters.
Reference
Hicks, “What is a Reformed Baptist?” 2024, Founders Press
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Monkey Business Images
Originally published December 16, 2025.
