One of the Guardians of the Galaxy appeared in Captain Marvel according to this incredible fan theory

Marvel Studios just loves putting in nods to other properties in its MCU movies. Think back to the Black Panther reference in Iron Man 2 or the wealth of some of the other best Marvel Easter eggs and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it mentions to other heroes across the past decade. But this potential Captain Marvel scene involving a Guardians of the Galaxy member’s origin could beat them all in terms of just how hidden and brilliant it is. Mild spoilers for Captain Marvel to follow…

Forget Ronan and even Korath, the Guardians of the Galaxy ties run even deeper than that according to one amazing fan theory from chrisHANDmade on Reddit, which suggests that Star-Lord himself has an incredibly brief cameo in Captain Marvel.

Remember that long sequence with the Skrulls probing Carol’s memory for answers to Mar-vell’s whereabouts? In it, there’s a tender moment between the future Captain Marvel and Monica Rambeau, daughter of Danvers’ bestie, Maria. They’re outside on a starry night and, just briefly, a shooting star flashes across the screen. That, according to the theory, was the spaceship that took Star-Lord away during the first scene of Guardians. Yes, really.

Now, before you start getting your pitchforks and heading to the comments, here’s why it’s not as far-fetched as you might think. Carol crashed (and was whisked away to Hala) at some point in 1989. That memory, obviously, comes before then. When was Peter Quill taken from Earth by Yondu and his? 1988, according to that movie’s opening title card. The stars have aligned, as it were.

To back things up further, NeptuneCA on Reddit also points to the fact that two actresses are listed in the credits. For 1995, there’s an 11-year-old Monica Rambeau. Before that, there’s a four-year-old Monica. Now, my maths is a little rusty, but seven years before 1995 is most definitely 1988, which is when the shooting star scene would have been set. Bingo.

Sure, it might be nothing, but it’s nice to think that Captain Marvel witnessed Star-Lord’s first trip into space. And if that is true, it ranks right up there with the best MCU moments for thanks to just how sneaky it was. Maybe they’ll be able to talk about it once Avengers 4: Endgame has been and gone?

Need to find out more about the movie? Here's everything you need to know about the Captain Marvel ending and Captain Marvel post-credits scene.

PRODUCTS

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.