Did the High Evolutionary Create Rocket Raccoon?
Rocket Raccoon, the wisecracking, gun-toting, anthropomorphic raccoon, has been a fan-favorite character in the MCU since his debut in “Guardians of the Galaxy” in 2014. But the origins of this unusual character have long been shrouded in mystery. One popular theory is that the High Evolutionary, a cosmic being with a penchant for genetic manipulation, created Rocket. With the upcoming debut of High Evolutionary in the MCU with the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the filmmakers have stated that High Evolutionary will be connected to Rocket Raccoon’s origin story. Due to that, we’ve decided to use this opportunity to clear up the mystery behind it. Let’s see, did High Evolutionary create Rocket Raccoon?
High Evolutionary created Rocket Raccoon in the MCU. The comic book version of Rocket Racoon has no relation to High Evolutionary whatsoever. Both versions of the Rocket Raccoon hail from a place called “Halfworld,” where scientists experimented with and genetically enhanced animals to give them enhanced intellect, durability, and strength. However, in the MCU, High Evolutionary was part of the Halfworld program, while this is not the case in the comics.
Now that we’ve cleared up the origin of Rocket Raccoon in both the comics and the MCU, it’s time to analyze it in more detail. If you’re interested in how Rocket Raccoon came to be and how was High Evolutionary connected to him, stay with us and keep reading!
Who created Rocket Raccoon in the comics?
In the comics, Rocket Raccoon was created by sentient robots to care for mentally ill patients. But I realize that this might be a lot to take in, so let’s start with the more general story of how Rocket Raccoon came to be.
The story starts at the place called Halfworld, a previously abandoned planet in the Keystone Quadrant. Halfworld was chosen as a location for an asylum built by humanoid aliens, also known as “Shrinks.” It was a place for the mentally insane who were cared for, and in return, the “Shrinks” were provided with funding and discoveries through the research data.
Shrinks built the whole complex that served as an asylum and introduced many upgrades to the place, including a whole army of robot servants to take care of the place generally. After some time, the research was heading nowhere, and the funding for the Shrinks’ work was cut, eventually forcing them to leave the place altogether. The robots were left behind on the Halfworld, still caring for the patients. Shrinks left behind the so-called “Gideon’s Bible,” a psychiatric diary with powerful but indecipherable knowledge.
After some time, the planet was hit by a supernova blast, and in the process, the robots that served mentally ill patients, known as “Loonies,” were turned into sentient beings. What happened next was that the robots eventually rebelled against Loonies and decided to experiment with the local animals, giving them intellect, agility, and needed strength to care for the patients. Robots eventually moved to the far side of the planet, turning it into an industrial hellscape, while the animals and the Loonies were left on the verdant side of the island.
Among the created animals was Rocket Raccoon, who Hulk discovered. He would eventually leave Halfworld and become, well, you know, a freelancer and eventually a Guardian of the Galaxy.
Who created Rocket Racoon in the MCU?
Rocket Raccoon’s story in the MCU is very similar to his comic origin story, but everything insinuates that High Evolutionary created him. In the MCU, Rocket Raccoon likewise hails from the Halfworld, a place where extensive tests and experiments were done on animals—giving them enhanced intellect, agility, and strength. Making the animal capable of everything (well, almost everything) that most humans are capable of. While the comic version of Halfworld was run by “Shrinks” and later by sentient robots, the MCU version of Halfworld, where Rocket raccoon hails from, was run by High Evolutionary.
Rocket Raccoon is not the only Halfworlder in the MCU. Lylla Otter that appeared in the first Guardians of the Galaxy, was from the same place and likely a product of experiments made by the High Evolutionary.
We don’t know the full story yet, but the movie is said to present us with the Rocket’s full origin story, and it will surely be connected to High Evolutionary and not in a good way.
How are High Evolutionary and Rocket Raccoon connected?
As we’ve already mentioned, Rocket Racoon was created by the High Evolutionary in the MCU. And even though the MCU origin of the Rocket Raccoon differs from his comic book version, I have to say that it makes a lot of sense. Before he became what he is today, High Evolutionary was a brilliant scientist named Herbert Wyndham. Wyndham sought to unlock the mysteries of evolution and genetics, and he looked up to Nathaniel Essex when it came to his own experiments.
High Evolutionary was never interested in the ethics of his work, and it shows that after a series of scandalous “discoveries,” he was kicked out of Oxford University. High Evolutionary will eventually continue his work at Wundagore Mountain, where he will make significant discoveries when it comes to altering human genetic code. One of his most notable experiments was the creation of the so-called “New Men.” A race of mutated and genetically enhanced human-sized animals with highly advanced intellect and consciousness.
What soon followed was the creation of countless other unique species and beings all across the universe. And just to make it fair, High Evolutionary also dabbled with his own genetic code, rapidly evolving himself numerous times, both accidentally and on purpose.
As you can see, it makes a lot of sense for High Evolutionary to be the creator of Rocket Raccoon due to Evolutionary’s history with such experiments. We’re going to get a chance to see the full story on May 5, 2023, when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 hits the theaters.
