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Character Analysis: How Star-Lord Goes From Outlaw to Hero

Who is Star-Lord in the 'Guardians of the Galaxy', and what makes him tick?
by Ken Miyamoto - updated on May 31, 2023

Star-Lord — also known as Peter Jason Quill — is the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, a group of intergalactic outlaws and mercenaries that were united during a daring escape from the Kyln, a prison where they were all being held for various crimes. Following the escape, the group was tasked with stopping Ronan the Accuser from destroying the galaxy with an Infinity Stone. Together, they devised a plan to stop Ronan and retrieve the Infinity Stone. While doing so, they each sacrificed their lives for one another and achieved their shared goal of stopping Ronan from destroying the galaxy, eventually becoming a family while doing so.

Here we will delve into the Marvel character of Star-Lord, analyzing his origins, personality, strengths, flaws, and how all of those character traits and elements affect those around him.

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Character Analysis Star Lord

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Star-Lord's Character Analysis

Star-Lord is a charming and funny character that showcases unparalleled loyalty to those close to him. He will utilize his skills and unorthodox instincts to save them, and the galaxy, with little to no hesitation. However, his difficult upbringing, the loss of his mother, and his emotional connection (and love and loyalty) to the Guardians create a continuous struggle to focus on the greater good. Thankfully, he usually manages to figure things out. And when he can't, he relies on his Guardians of the Galaxy family to figure them out for him.

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Character Analysis Star Lord

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Star-Lord's Origins

Star-Lord was born Peter Jason Quill, a human abducted by a group of alien thieves, smugglers, and bounty hunters named the Ravagers. Peter was a boy when the abduction occurred, just moments after his mother died of cancer.

He was raised by the Ravagers under the leadership of Yondu and was taught the ways of smuggling and thievery. He would eventually make a name for himself as Star-Lord, a wanted intergalactic outlaw. It is later revealed that the Ravagers were initially tasked with delivering Star-Lord's child self to his father, Ego, a powerful celestial being bent on terraforming the universe for his own benefit of power and control. Ego fathered thousands of children throughout the galaxy, hoping to find one to help him achieve his vision. Star-Lord's mother was a human on Earth that fell in love with Ego. When Ego saw Star-Lord's attachment to his mother, he was the one that gave her the cancer she died from, fearing that their relationship would hinder Star-Lord's promise.

Yondu was supposed to deliver Star-Lord to Ego but decided against it. He raised Star-Lord, sometimes in a brutal fashion. Star-Lord later revolted against Yondu while pursuing a valuable Orb that would eventually be revealed as an Infinity Stone that Thanos desired.

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Character Analysis Star Lord

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Star-Lord's Personality

He is a compelling character because of his personality. At first glance, Star-Lord is a cocky, charming, and funny character who uses these personality traits to steal, swindle, and manipulate. However, after he meets the individuals who will become the original members of the Guardians of the Galaxy (Gamora, Rocket, Groot, and Drax), he slowly showcases heroism and loyalty. This is mainly due to the fact that he's never really had a family dynamic beyond that strict upbringing he had within the captivity of the Ravagers.

The Guardians of the Galaxy become his family. They are co-dependent in many ways. And because of this, Star-Lord can connect with others on a more emotional level. He has a strong love and bond with them, which offers a more endearing personality amidst his flaws and quirks. He's still immature and petty at times, primarily because of his upbringing. However, his love and loyalty for the makeshift family of the Guardians of the Galaxy have allowed him to grow as a human.

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His cockiness, charm, and sense of humor bring levity to the group and any situation they find themselves in. They also help him and the group cope with the severity and danger they encounter during their adventures. And he uses these traits to take on a brotherly and fatherly role beyond his leadership as leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, helping the others to cope with loss and defeat. And also allowing them to thrive.

Lastly, there's also a sense of wonder that initially drives his personality. He has a connection with his late mother that can't be broken. When we first meet him, he's obsessed with everything from the 1980s — particularly a cassette tape of songs from that era, given to him by his mother before her death. It's his only remaining link to her. This nostalgia drives his personality in a way that separates him from others around him.

Character Analysis Star Lord

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Star-Lord's Strengths

Beyond the skills he's learned during his unique upbringing, Star-Lord excels in conceiving inventive and unorthodox solutions to any problems that come his way. He even rivaled the intellectual planning skills of the late Tony Stark, concocting a plan to defeat Thanos (more on that below).

But it's his loyalty and love for his Guardians family that remains to be his greatest strength. He will go above and beyond to protect and defend them. These family dynamics drive him to do right by them whenever he can, pushing him to go above and beyond not just to save the universe but to save them as well. And this love originates from his connection to his mother. The Guardians allowed him to retap that love he felt for her.

However, sometimes one's greatest strengths can also be their most significant flaws as well.

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Character Analysis Star Lord

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

Star-Lord's Flaws

Love and loyalty are amazing strengths to have in life. However, they can also become flaws when one is blinded by them when faced with bigger-picture conflicts and goals. Star-Lord is forever haunted by the death of his mother, namely because of his reaction to the moment of her passing when she reached out her hand to hold his one last time. Star-Lord was too scared to take her outstretched hand. She breathed her last breath as she watched him back away from her in fear and grief.

That moment haunts Star-Lord. And while he was given some closure while taking Gamora's hand in a time of need, the safety and death of his makeshift family trigger deep emotions that push up against reason, forcing him to become insecure, selfish, and reckless. He's driven to protect the Guardians and is often very reluctant to allow harm to come to them. And when harm comes to them, he reverts to his old wild ways.

Read More: James Gunn Talks "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" Details

Case in point, despite conjuring an unorthodox plan that may well have succeeded in stopping Thanos from being able to snap his Infinity Stone Gauntlet fingers — thus eradicating half of the life in all of the universe — Star-Lord let his emotions get the best of him when he learned that Thanos had sacrificed Gamora's life to attain the last Infinity Stone he needed. Star-Lord's rage gave Thanos the millisecond he needed to break free, resulting in billions upon billions of lives throughout the universe being extinguished in the snap of Thanos's fingers.

Star-Lord even let a cassette tape and Sony Walkman endanger himself and others, due to the attachment the objects had to his mother. He often put himself and the Guardians at risk for those items, fearing that he would lose his only physical connection to her.

His emotions — directly tied to his love and loyalty towards the Guardians — get in the way of his better judgment.

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Download the script for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2!


Ken Miyamoto has worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.

He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, and Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries BLACKOUT, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller HUNTER'S CREED, and many produced Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Twitter @KenMovies and Instagram @KenMovies76.


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