Chris Pratt Explains Why Star-Lord and Gamora Staying Apart in Guardians Vol. 3 Was the Right Call

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 wrapped up the team in a pretty bittersweet place, and yeah, the Star-Lord/Gamora non-reunion ruffled some feathers. Chris Pratt just weighed in on why he was totally fine with that choice, and honestly, his reasoning tracks if you like messier character arcs over neat happily-ever-afters.

Quick refresher on how we got here

• Gamora died in Infinity War. That version is gone.
• Endgame brought in a past-timeline Gamora (pulled forward by Thanos). She doesn’t share the memories or the relationship history with Peter Quill from Guardians 1 and 2.
• In Vol. 3, that Gamora is off with the Ravagers and isn’t into picking up someone else’s romance. She and Peter share some understanding by the end, but there’s no getting back together.

Pratt’s take: the mess is more interesting

On the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Pratt said he wasn’t bummed that Peter and Gamora didn’t reconcile. In his view, keeping them apart created a better story than snapping them back into a couple just because we, the audience, knew a different version of them was great together. He framed it as conflict over comfort, which is usually a healthier diet for these characters anyway.

He also pointed out the obvious-but-important wrinkle: this Gamora is a different person. Expecting her to channel a relationship she never had doesn’t make sense. Letting her remain a Ravager and her own person is not only sadder, it opens more doors.

"Now, there’s more opportunities to tell more stories about Peter Quill, because that’s a trauma he has in his life, and it didn’t end happily. So now, where we should find him would be in a real position to try to define himself. He doesn’t have the obligations of a family and a wife and all that stuff."

Why that choice works (even if you wanted the reunion)

Guardians always walked a tightrope between found-family warmth and real consequences. The clean version of this would’ve been: she remembers, they kiss, credits. The more interesting version is: the team has to accept loss in a new way, and Peter has to live with it. It’s harsher, but it gives both characters a future that isn’t pre-baked.

So, what’s next for Star-Lord?

Vol. 3’s end card promised that Star-Lord will be back. When and where is still a question mark. Pratt’s comments suggest the door’s wide open for stories about Peter figuring out who he is without Gamora or the day-to-day weight of the Guardians on his shoulders. That’s a strong setup, whether it’s a team-up, a standalone, or something we’re not expecting yet.