James Gunn’s final MCU film, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, promises to be an emotional ride, and the movie has cast one MCU actor in a key role.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 brings back Marvel Cinematic Universe actress Linda Cardellini to the fold, although the star will be playing a different role this time around. Cardellini joined the MCU as Laura Barton, wife to Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. The actress played her character two more times in the MCU, returning as Laura in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame and 2021’s Hawkeye series. Now, Cardellini returns to the MCU for the first time since her last appearance in Phase 4, although she will be playing a different character.

On Twitter, James Gunn confirmed that Cardellini is playing Lylla the Otter in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Lylla has an incredibly important role in the film, as she is one of Rocket Raccoon’s childhood friends who went through the same painful experiments at the hands of the movie’s villain, the High Evolutionary, as Rocket did. In other media, Rocket and Lylla were lovers, which trailers point to being an aspect of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Cardellini’s new MCU role continues a trend of actors portraying multiple roles at Marvel.

Will Lylla The Otter Survive Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3?

Cardellini’s casting as Lylla in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 continues a recent trend in the MCU of MCU actors being recast as more important characters than the ones they initially signed to play. The transitions here is even easier, though, given that one role is a voice performance. Cardellini is an accomplished actor who is known for her ability to play both comedy and drama with ease, something that perfectly fits the skills of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 cast.

Lylla’s role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has mainly been secluded to flashbacks of Rocket’s childhood/ early life in the trailers released so far, which begs the question of what Gunn is hiding. Rocket’s connection to Lylla has been teased since the first Guardians of the Galaxy, with the team’s trilogy finale finally showcasing Rocket’s deep bond with Lylla. The movie needs to have Rocket and Lylla properly meet in the present to team up and take down the one responsible for the suffering they went through.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will be an emotional ride that serves as the final chapter for this version of Marvel’s cosmic team. Dave Bautista is leaving as Drax after the movie, while the rest of the cast’s MCU futures are unknown. Rumors claim Rocket will be the big emotional death of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, continuing a trend of the previous movies in the franchise. If Rocket dies after defeating the High Evolutionary, Lylla would be free to live in peace, perhaps joining a new Guardians roster to honor Rocket. Gunn could also always give the duo a happy ending.