Will Mantis Return to Guardians of the Galaxy in the Future?

The fans have been awaiting the last installment of the Guardians of the Galaxy with anticipation and slight dread because it was heavily insinuated that one of the Guardians would die over the course of the movie. With Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 officially released, we can confirm that all Guardians are safe and sound, but unfortunately, the team disbanded. After going on numerous adventures and taking part in saving the Universe, most guardians decided to follow their own path due to personal reasons, and one of them was Mantis, Peter Quill’s sister. Due to that, we’ve decided to explore the reasons for Mantis leaving and to see what are the chances that Mantis will return to the Guardians of the Galaxy in the future? 

Mantis will most likely never return to the Guardians of the Galaxy team. After leaving the team, she can pursue her goals and desires without anyone ordering her around. This doesn’t mean that Mantis will never return to the MCU again, but it’s highly unlikely that she will be a full member of the Guardians. The team comprises mostly new members, and any possible upcoming Guardians stories will be focused on them. 

The decision to leave the team weighed heavily on Mantis, but it was something that she had to do for herself. If you want to find out why she left the team and the odds of her returning, stay with us and keep reading!

We have seen Mantis evolve over the course of the several movies 

Mantis debuted as Ego’s servant in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Only later do we find out that she is actually his biological daughter and half-sister of Star-Lord. Despite her aloof character and silly appearance, Mantis is an extraordinarily gifted empath. Ego frequently used her to keep his erratic and uncontrollable emotions in check. 

This means that she spent most of her existence in Ego’s servitude, and only after Guardians of the Galaxy stumbled on the planet did she learn what being part of the family feels like.

She forms a special type of connection with Drax, and we eventually find out that Ego is planning to use Peter Quill as a battery and that she is Ego’s biological daughter, with Star-Lord being her half-brother. 

After Ego’s demise, Mantis joined the team as a full-fledged member, but not everything was ideal, and everything culminated in the franchise’s last installment. 

Mantis was tired of being bossed around 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 started with Adam Warlock attacking Knowhere and severely wounding Rocket Raccoon in his quest to retrieve him for High Evolutionary. This only upped the tensions in the team as things were not quite right for some time now, mostly due to Peter Quill being severely depressed that Gamora decided to leave them.  

Rocket’s injury was only a cherry on top. Due to the high tension, the team was ruder to Mantis the usual, especially Nebula, who is not exactly the most pleasant person to be around. 

Mantis complained several times over the course of the movie that no one takes her seriously as she found herself in the same position as Drax, only Drax was too aloof to figure it out. 

Things culminated at High Evolutionary’s ship. Drax tricked Mantis into leaving her station at Bowie. Mantis and Bowie were supposed to remain near the ship docked at Counter-Earth to ensure that no one gets a chance to come close to Rocket Raccoon, who was severely injured at the time. Instead of watching over Rocket, Drax stole a motorbike and took Mantis with him right to High Evolutionary’s ship as Counter-Earth was being destroyed. 

Nebula lost it when she saw them, and things only got worse at the ship when a huge argument erupted between Drax, Nebula, and Mantis. Nebula accused Drax of being stupid and said that he never followed orders. Mantis stood in defense of Drax, and Nebula eventually turned on her. 

Mantis, in turn, accused Nebula of seeing only the worst in people. Mantis exclaimed that she loved Drax just the way he was before she erased his memories of the things Nebula said to his face. 

After that tense argument, Mantis actually saved the day since High Evolutionary trapped all three of them with three hungry Abilisks. She used her empath powers to gain control over them and subdue the beasts.

Mantis will most likely never return to the team 

After saving Rocket and destroying High Evolutionary, the team gathered at Knowhere, but their reunion was short-lived as most members decided to leave the team. Gamora decided to return to Ravagers as she considered them her family now. 

Star-Lord decided to follow Mantis’ advice and learn to swim by returning to Earth and facing his past. Nebula and Drax, against all odds, decided to stay at Knowhere to take care of the children they saved from High Evoutionary’s grasp. Mantis likewise decided to leave the team. 

Mantis explained that her whole life, she has been following orders. At first, she was doing whatever Ego told her to do, and then after joining Guardians, she was doing what Guardians wanted. Mantis decided that it was time that she learned how to swim as well and follow her own orders for a while. She departed Knowhere with three Abilisks she encountered and subdued at High Evolutionary’s ship. 

As much as we would like to see the old gang reunited for more adventures, this is highly unlikely to happen as most team members “outgrew” the team. Mantis will probably never return to the team directly again, but she might participate in future MCU projects. 

The team has new members now, comprising of Phylla-Vell, Adam Warlock, Kraglin, Blurp, Groot, and Cosmo, led by Rocket Raccoon, and this most likely won’t change in the future.