For too long in the Guardians of the Galaxy‘s quest for the Cosmic Seed, we have been thinking of it as an object, but it may be more than that. This powerful MacGuffin may also have been affecting our heroes’ actions as well. Check out my review of “I’ve Been Searching So Long” after the jump.
Back to Earth
As the team leaves Earth after the events of the last episode, Star-Lord once again has one of his mysterious Cosmic Seed visions, and once again reveals that he’s been doing things behind the other Guardians’ backs again. He had contacted the Inhumans on a hunch that the Seed is hidden where the Inhuman city Attilan used to rest.
The logic that Star-Lord may be right overrides his sneakiness, his suspicious visions, and the fact that everyone, viewers inclusive, is tired of this whole Cosmic Seed search and wants it over with. So the team heads to the former secret location of Attilan in the Himalayas. One question though: how did the Milano get to Earth? I thought the Guardians came via the Continuum Cortex.
Continuity
There is nice carryover from the last episode with the Guardians having bigger roles than usual. It’s not just the Star-Lord show any more. Writer/producer Steven Melching does a good job of rounding up elements from throughout the series so far to give this long story some continuity. More so than usual, it makes a bit of sense.
Melching does go a bit overboard with Rocket and the duct tape, something funny last time, but annoying here. Continuity however is key to this episode as the closer the Guardians get to the Cosmic Seed, the more it gets in their heads like it has with Star-Lord, giving him visions. It makes Groot think he can bring his people back, Drax his family, Gamora her memories, and Rocket re-evolve his family. It makes one wonder if the Seed is not only sentient, but also malevolent.
Family
As the Guardians follow individual visions into a series of tunnels beneath old Attilan and fight a giant worm and spider supposedly made larger by the Seed, everyone gets pushed mentally to pursue the Seed for themselves. Ultimately they fight each other for it when finally found, a complete breakdown of what Star-Lord calls a family – the team.
The idea seems strange to me as many times different members have gone behind others’ backs to pursue their own agendas. In the first episode, much is made of these criminals doing the right thing, becoming heroes, and now the Seed seems to be manipulating the members of this “family’ against each other.
The Villains
Unfortunately once obtained, the Guardians don’t have the Seed for long, as the seemingly unkillable Nebula and Ronan the Accuser (haven’t they both died at least twice now?) have pursued them to Earth and take it from them. As Ronan creates a giant beanstalk to make his getaway he empowers a Super-Nebula to stop our heroes.
Again, like last episode we get intriguing new angles in the animated combat, and the other Guardians, especially Groot have things to do. This is a welcome change. Ultimately however, the real big bad shows up – Thanos. To be continued… I just hope we get something different other than the multiple Thanos fights we already saw in Avengers Assemble.
This wasn’t a great episode, but miles above what has passed for Guardians of the Galaxy for many months. Here’s hoping we get a season finale to match the last two episodes.
