Warning: spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy #9 ahead!
Ever since Guardians of the Galaxy became a huge hit in the MCU, comic fans have lamented how the comics have seemingly forgotten the coolest part of Star-Lord‘s mystique. Though fans of the movies know him as a fun loving, classic rock listening, dancing cosmic outlaw, much of his original backstory has been glossed over or rewritten in the name of accessibility. Namely, Quill left behind his signature weapon from the comics, the Element Gun. A pistol that can shoot one of the four classical elements of earth, water, fire, or wind, Quill’s Element Gun was tied directly to his hybrid life as a half-Human, half-Spartoi. But after the events of Guardians of the Galaxy #9 written by Al Ewing with art by Juann Cabal, Quill’s Element Gun has been given massive upgrade along with Quill himself, one that might put him and the rest of the galaxy in great danger.
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In an effort to stop the return of a twisted version of the Greek pantheon of gods, Quill uses the Element Gun to absorb their vast amount of energy before he sacrifices himself to destroy Olympus. Though believed dead by the other guardians, Quill finds himself alive not just on an alien world, but in an alien dimension as a child, his Element Gun now a toy in his hands.
Beginning his life anew, Quill spends over one hundred years searching for a way home, while still helping those in need. Slowly but surely, Quill finds new allies, and eventually new love, and lives a nomadic life as a hero. Likewise, Peter also finds his gun has the charge rating of “unknown,” and has also broadened its definition of the word, “element.” Having taken it apart and put it back together throughout his first life, Quill is no wiser as to how it works, admitting that while he even built a second Element Gun, they still only work for him – almost as if by magic.
However, though Quill has gained a more powerful weapon, a new outlook on life, and even a second family, the Element Gun has become a ticking clock toward the return of a revenge-seeking Greek pantheon. Quill finds out too late that with each use, the Element Gun imparts a small amount of energy back to the gods. Eventually, they have enough to strike back at Quill, forcing him to flee from his newfound family as he returns to his reality and reunites with the guardians once more.
Though Star-Lord has seemingly achieved a new level of power and cosmic responsibility, now deemed the “Master of the Solar System,” he may also be a man on borrowed time. Each use of his vastly more powerful Element Gun brings the Greek pantheon ever closer to their full power. Not only does that mean Quill is in danger, but also both of his found families would be in the crossfire of the gods’ much desired revenge. It also makes Star-Lord an infinitely more exciting comics character, showing that he has the experience and knowledge to use his guns in incredibly creative ways, but now in the knowledge that each time he does so, his enemies grow stronger, turning every fight into a test of his sense of responsibility. This new Star-Lord may be more in line with what his original creator, Steve Engelhart, had in mind for the character. But as he rejoins the Guardians of the Galaxy, the question is whether Peter Quill rediscovering his complex origins will also spell his doom.