From 1969 to the early 2000s, the Guardians of the Galaxy referred to the future Avengers, a group of intergalactic superheroes fighting against the conquering Badoon in the 30th century. Sure, Star-Lord, Gamora, and Groot were all around, but they were mostly solo characters, who had little to nothing to do with the Guardians. All of that started to change with 2005’s Annihilation crossover, which revitalized Marvel’s cosmic characters.
The sequel Annihilation: Conquest found the universe fighting back against the cybernetic force the Phalanx, under the command of Avengers villain Ultron. Central to the resistance is a group of D-list heroes who go on a suicide mission, including Star-Lord, Groot, Rocket Raccoon, and Mantis—who will eventually become the Guardians of the Galaxy. While this version of the team varies heavily from the MCU mainstays, Annihilation: Conquest establishes the Guardians of the Galaxy model, in which a group of unlikely heroes save the universe against impossible odds.
