Marvelous Monday #22 – Guardians of the Galaxy Was Special To Me

Spoiler Warning For: Guardians of the Galaxy

Real talk. Today’s post is really important. Today’s post is really personal. Today I am going to write about how Guardians of the Galaxy was a very special movie to me, and to my family – I am going to explain how it helped us out. I don’t just love that hero-squad because they got me back into comics. The film also helped me heal after the loss of a loved one.

On the 31st of July 2014, I saw Guardians of the Galaxy in Taastrup, Denmark – just outside of Copenhagen – and it was one of the most touching experiences of my life in a theatre. I reviewed the film later that night, but I don’t think I told this story in any way, shape, or form then. This post will be about the Guardians, the film, and its effect – but allow me to first tell you what had happened just a few weeks before I saw the film.

On Sunday the 13th of July 2014, my family was in Copenhagen at Bispebjerg Hospital to visit my Godmother (my paternal grandmother), who was hospitalized and generally unresponsive to us, or at least seemingly unaware of our presence. She had had an amazing effect on me.

She taught me how to draw, she had given me spirit as a kid, and I had always looked up to her as a source of inspiration. A few hours into the 14th of July 2014 she passed away. I was heartbroken, a mess. As was my family. It was hard – but the people around us were kind. I had a tough time smiling in the next two weeks, and I was somewhat afraid of opening up. 2014 was a tough year.

Fast-forward to the 31st of July. My sister, my mother, my father, and I were all set to go and see Guardians of the Galaxy. It was the one film that each and every one of us simply had to see. The trailer was good, the source material had reignited my passion for comic books – but most of all, we just needed to turn off our brains and be entertained. The only thing we expected this film to be was funny – I wanted to smile again.

A big part of this film, to me at least, is about how friends can pick you up – how friends can become family. And I needed that, you know. The film was a good experience for 85% of the film – the last 15% made the film great, amazing, and an instant classic.

The last moments of the film are incredibly special to me. As the Guardians-family return to their ship, Peter unwraps his gift – and not only does he receive another mixtape, we get another send-off from his mother.

You are the light of my life. My precious son. My little Star-Lord.

This is probably my favorite moment in the film, due to how cathartic it was to me – and probably to my dad. It was the icing on the cake, and it is why this film is so special to me.

It made me smile again – it even made me laugh – but it was also one of the most cathartic experiences of my life. I loved my Godmother, my paternal grandmother. And my dad and I, we’ll always be her Star-Lords.

Thank you for reading this.

I’m Jeffrey Rex.