Hype for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is at an all-time high, as MCU fans look ahead to the film’s theatrical release in less than two weeks.
The highly-anticipated conclusion to the Guardians trilogy is right around the corner, but some fans only just discovered an unexpected cameo nestled in among popular returning characters and headlining actors. Initially introduced via one of many post-credits scenes from Vol. 2, the presence of a completely new Master of the Mystic Arts is leaving fans befuddled, as they wonder about a reptilian-looking Ravager who communicates through magic.
A recent post to Reddit’s Marvel Studios sub highlights a promo from the upcoming Vol. 3, in which the tall, red-skinned Ravager once again makes an appearance. A quick screenshot showcases the character, who fans identified as Krugarr, using the Mystic Arts to communicate his joy, flawlessly accomplished using a classic, recognizable emoji.
An attached screenshot shows Krugarr alongside Quill, using the “face with tears of joy” emoji that so commonly crops up in text conversations. User Bowiescorvat2 expressed their surprise that the character is using a coveted, ancient magic to display commonplace emojis, but commenters were quick to explain his reasoning. See, Krugarr isn’t able to communicate like most people, so he leans on his skills in the Mystic Arts to communicate via simple, clear images.
He did something similar in one of Vol. 2‘s post-credits scene, when he was reacting to a speech given by legendary Ravager Captain Stakar Ogord. The simple double thumbs-up he flashes at the tail-end of the brief scene similarly leans on emoji to communicate his thoughts, and commenters referenced this scene to explain the character and his unique form of communication.
It looks like Krugarr is set to make a return for Vol. 3, perhaps in a more vital role as the Guardians join forces with the Ravagers to defeat their new lineup of intimidating foes. This came as wonderful news to fans of the character’s appearances in Marvel comics, in which he serves as Sorcerer Supreme of the 31st century and was even trained by Doctor Strange himself.
Jokes about the character’s vital role in Marvel lore quickly overshadowed actual answers to Bowiescorvat2’s question, as people joked about Krugarr’s importance in the ’90s run of Guardians of the Galaxy comics. One leaned on Krugarr’s classification as a “lizard character” in the Reddit post, despite being a massively powerful being, by joking “When you’re Sorcerer Supreme but get refered [sic] to as a “lizard-character.”
“Bruh that’s King Gizzard, The Lizard Wizard,” another commenter quipped.
Appreciation for Krugarr’s appearance, which avoids the common issue of excessively human-like characteristics, also overtook portions of the comment section, as people celebrated an actually unique alien in the MCU. Quite a few fans are looking forward to seeing far more of him in Vol. 3, and sharing their hopes that he plays a much larger role in the franchise finale.
We’ll look forward to far more Krugarr emojis when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 officially arrives in theaters on May 5.