Deleted scene from Guardians of the Galaxy 3 reveals surprising twist for the High Evolutionary

A surprising reveal has been made through a deleted scene from Guardians of the Galaxy 3, offering a remarkable twist on the destiny of the film's antagonist, the High Evolutionary.

James Gunn's closing act of his MCU trilogy has been lauded for various elements, but Chukwudi Iwuji's chilling enactment of the infamous Marvel Comics baddie, the creator of Rocket, the High Evolutionary, has undeniably made a significant impact.

Despite his apparent demise towards the closing stages of Guardians of the Galaxy 3, there was a murmur of speculation that the movie's formidable adversary may have lived through the ordeal, as evidenced by a scene featuring Dave Bautista's Drax carrying a body from the ruins of the film's climactic spacecraft conflict.

Gunn later corroborated the survival of the High Evolutionary, stating that he escaped from the blazing wreckage of his decimated spacecraft to be "incarcerated on Knowhere," an aspect he mentioned would eventually surface "in the extras."

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Guardians of the Galaxy 3 deleted scene fuels speculation about the High Evolutionary's future

The High Evolutionary's fate hangs in the balance as a deleted scene from Guardians of the Galaxy 3 hints at his surprising future (Image via Marvel Studios)

The much-hinted-at villain twist from the film, hinted at by director James Gunn, has now been officially confirmed through the deleted scene from Guardians Vol. 3. The scene, which IGN disclosed, depicts Bradley Cooper's Rocket Raccoon imprisoning Chukwudi Iwuji's High Evolutionary on Knowhere after their epic interstellar face-off.

After his downfall and subsequent capture, Iwuji's Guardians persona appears visibly shaken as he gruesomely attempts to reconnect fragments of his dismembered face.

The latter half of the deleted scene shifts focus to Sean Gunn's Kraglin introducing himself to the newly introduced Guardian member, Adam Warlock (portrayed by Will Poulter), subtly hinting at the formation of the new team line-up.

They exchange greetings, after which Kraglin humorously suggests that Poulter's heroic alias should be "something metal," proposing "Molly Hatchet, Iron Maiden, [or] Def Leppard," to which Poulter responds, "I like Adam."

You can view the entire scene below:

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The High Evolutionary's comeback: Uncertainty surrounds the fate of the Guardians of the Galaxy 3's antagonist

Will the High Evolutionary rise again? The uncertain destiny of the Guardians of the Galaxy 3's antagonist keeps fans on the edge of their seats (Image via Marvel Studios)

Chukwudi Iwuji's High Evolutionary demise at the culmination of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 left a significant portion of the audience believing it was the end of the road for him. However, it seems that may not be the truth.

Including this deleted scene would have solidified the survival of Iwuji's villainous character in the movie, but it's not too challenging to understand why Marvel Studios and James Gunn decided against it.

By omitting this scene, they introduced an element of uncertainty around the High Evolutionary's future, leaving fans in suspense about his continued involvement with the franchise and keeping the possibility alive for his potential comeback.

And with the character's outstanding reception, the likelihood of Iwuji's cosmic scientist making a comeback in the MCU appears increasingly plausible. The High Evolutionary was undeniably one of the most praised aspects of the films, with The Direct's Russ Millheim even heralding him as "one of Marvel's best antagonists [to date]" in his film review.

Marvel is adept at identifying successful patterns, and even though some time may pass before we see the Guardians antagonist again, his return in upcoming installments would not be entirely unexpected.

Starting July 7, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 will be up for grabs on various digital marketplaces.