Last week, "Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn found himself in hot water over a blog posting he'd made nearly two years ago. Listing the results of a poll he conducted on "The 50 Superheroes You Most Want to Have Sex With," the post also contained commentary by Gunn that represented an attempt at humor many found offensive, prompting the director to issue an apology.
Well, now that he's helming the Guardians film, there may be issues more relevant to the Guardians' situation for Gunn to consider. For instance, if you're stuck in space for long periods of time, what sort of heroes would you want alongside you? We'll get the ball rolling on that question this week, by giving you a rundown of the top 5 super-heroes we'd want with us under those demanding circumstances.
Quasar
Wendell Vaughn, the bearer of the Quantum Bands, is a useful guy to have around for several reasons. Say the ship you're sailing across the stars gets damaged. Quasar can whip up a Q-shield made of solid energy, sealing the hull, and keeping you from getting blown into the vacuum. Engines down? No problem. Quasar will envelop you and the crew in Q-bubble, and quantum jump the lot of you to the nearest habitable planet. Communications array not working? His quantum bands can communicate across vast interstellar distances. Perhaps most importantly, Wendell is a pretty easygoing, unflappable guy, which is important when you're stuck with someone for long periods of time. At worst, you'll have to live with him strumming his guitar on downtime, and reminiscing about the good old days back in Wisconsin.
Warlock
We're talking about the techno-organic alien who pals around with the New Mutants, rather than the cosmic messiah of Infinity Watch fame. Like the other members of his species, the Technarchy, Warlock has the ability to interface with any technology, rendering him extremely useful in monitoring and maintaining a ship's systems. Unlike his ruthless relatives however, Warlock is a very friendly and helpful guy. He's also got a zany sense of humor and the ability to change his shape into just about anything, which could provide for entertainment on long trips. It might also get on some people's nerves, but hey, comedy is an art, not a science.
Crystal
There are certain basic necessities on any space voyage; you need breathable air, potable water, and sources of energy, to name a few. Well, Crystal (or Crystalia Amaquelin, to give her proper name), of the Royal House of the Inhumans, can provide all of these things and more. Mistress of the four classical elements, earth, wind, water, and fire, Crystal is able to psionic manipulate molecules for a variety of effects. Separating the H2O molecules from the waste liquid produced by her fellow crew members would create an endless supply of water (probably better that they don't know where the water's coming from, though). Filtering out the CO2 molecules in the air provides a crucial life support function. Generating heat from combusting oxygen in the air could provide needed energy for propulsion. And if the crew intends to maintain a garden to grow their own food, her earth powers could help as well in keeping the soil fresh. We're certain Guardians member Groot would appreciate it! Plus, her connections with both the Inhumans and the Kree (having recently married the Kree ruler, Ronan the Accuser) would provide some diplomatic muscle in getting out of delicate intergalactic situations.
Ant-Man
Ant-Man may not be the first person you think of when it comes to cosmic situations, but biochemist Hank Pym could form an important part of any space-faring crew. He has a detailed knowledge of the human body, and the ability to shrink down to personally investigate problems, which would make him invaluable as a ship's medical officer. He also can bring raw power when sizing up to Giant-Man form. Now, a psych evaluation would no doubt be a prerequisite for him joining any crew after his checkered history of unstable and sometimes violent behavior, but in Pym's defense, he's proven himself for years now to be a changed man, in more ways than one.
Sersi
One of the greatest dangers on any space voyage is running out of supplies, particularly when things break down or get used up. However, as the rule goes, matter and energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only converted from one form to another, and nobody knows that better than Sersi of the Eternals. As a member of that long-lived race of superhumans, Sersi has vast psionic abilities, and she has chosen to focus her energies into achieving mastery of transmutation. Simply put, she can turn anything substance into any other substance, even living tissue to inorganic matter and vice versa. Obviously, there's no end to the uses for such an ability particularly when resources are in short supply, although one proviso is that Sersi has never been shown to be able transmute truly massive objects, so there likely is an upper limit to her abilities. There's also the matter of her personality, perhaps best described as "wanton hedonist", which could create some conflicts when people of different backgrounds and attitudes are living in close quarters. Still, if nothing else, she knows how to throw a party, and on a long, boring voyage into the endless reaches of existence, the skills of an event planner might prove to be the most essential of all.
Our weekly Galaxy Guide takes you through the cosmic side of comic book movies, from "Guardians of the Galaxy" to infinity and beyond. Tell us what you think in the comments section or on Twitter!
Previous Galaxy Guides:
» Reading Into Rom
» Exploring Malekith's Kurse
» Blasting Off with Nova
» Iron Man Goes to Space
» Bendis And McNiven Go Galactic
» Thanos' Greatest Schemes
» Who is Rocket Raccoon?
» Who is Groot?
» Who is Gamora?
» Who is Drax the Destroyer?
» Who is Star-Lord?
» Plotting a Course for "Guardians"
» Gunning for the "Guardians"
» Surfing Across Universes
» Who Should Direct The "Guardians" Movie?
» Who Are The Guardians Of The Galaxy?