Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 managed to earn a perfect score of 100 at last week’s screening for friends and families. This is quite an achievement, even if we are talking about the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a screening for friends and families. So, this type of event might not say much about the movie (at least not in the same way a professional critic’s review would), but it could be an indication that Marvel and Disney have yet another hit on their hands.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 will be 2017’s first summer blockbuster. While the first installment didn't come with great expectations attached, fans and casual moviegoers alike can hardly wait to find out what happens next. That’s because, besides all the special effects and quips, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 is all about the relationships between the heroes. As James Gunn said, exploring this evolution is the true core of this franchise.

So how did it all evolve? If you’re interested in learning more, this is the place to be. But be warned: There are huge spoilers here!

Three months later

A set visit revealed that the Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 plot will begin three months after the first movie’s conclusion. As a quick recap, the Guardians are galactic heroes after defeating Ronan the Accuser. They’re taking all sorts of jobs, for payment, of course. But, given the characters’ personalities, one can’t expect all to go according to the plan.

But the previous movie also ended with another cliffhanger, as Yondu discovered that Peter Quill had trolled him again, delivering an actual Troll doll instead of an Infinity stone. However, Yondu just smirked when he found out, revealing that he cared a lot more about Star Lord. This put him on a collision course with quite a few of his fellow Ravagers, who wanted Quill dead from the beginning of the first movie.

What else should we mention here? Well, Nebula is on the run after losing to Gamora, and Rocket has lost Groot, who was his protector. The Infinity Stone remained with the Nova Corps, and everybody’s wondering how in the world Peter Quill managed to hold the Power Stone in his hand without being obliterated.

Kicking off the plot

As we suspected when the first concept art was released, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 will begin as the team takes on a multidimensional beast named The Abilisk. The Guardians are doing this for payment, and in this case the payment is Nebula (the Guardians want to take her to Xandar). Captured by the Sovereign people, she is offered to the team when The Abilisk (who feeds on the Sovereign power sources) is defeated.

We’ve mentioned that the members of the team don't really see eye to eye. In this case, Rocket Raccoon believes that Nebula isn't enough payment for their efforts. So he steals some power cells/power batteries, or whatever it is that fuels the Sovereign planet.

Here’s where the Ravagers come into play, as Ayesha hires them to capture the Guardians of the Galaxy. But then things get even more complicated.

Ravager factions

While this wasn't explained in the first film, it appears that there’s more than one group of Ravagers. Yondu's Ravagers are the best-known and largest faction. However, when Ayesha wants to hire him to capture the Guardians of the Galaxy, Yondu refuses.

Early in the movie, Taserface leads a rebellion and overthrows Yondu. As seen in the trailers, he joins the Guardians. According to Kevin Feige, this happens after Rocket and Baby Groot help him escape from his own crew (and we do catch a glimpse of this in the trailers).

Furthermore, Feige has revealed that Taserface and Ayesha will work together - but, given what we already knew, was this an actual reveal? It might be, especially if there are some secrets behind Ayesha's plans. So, even if Feige says that these villains aren't as ambitious as Ronan, there may still be some surprises.

As far as the Ravagers are concerned, that’s not all. Apparently, Yondu's crew isn't exactly on good terms with the other…erm…pirate factions (especially since Yondu wasn't above trafficking kids). So we might see some space battles between these factions. Is Sylvester Stallone the leader of another Ravager team, as rumored? He may be"¦

Nebula's role

Ayesha offers Nebula as payment for defeating The Abilisk. However, according to Feige, the villainess will work with Taserface through most of the movie (in order to get a new hand). And this does make me wonder whether she will be a true Guardian of the Galaxy or she'll end up betraying the team in this or the next movie.

According to actress Karen Gillan, we'll find out more about Nebula's backstory in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2. The audiences will be able to empathize with her character, since the movie will explain what her motivations are and how it was to live with Thanos as her father. Does this mean that we will see yet another cameo by the Mad Titan? James Gunn said that Thanos wouldn't appear in this one, but maybe this will be yet another surprise from the director.

We can expect that Nebula and Gamora’s relationship and rivalry will be explained further during Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2. In the first movie, Karen Gillan's character also betrayed Thanos, so there is common ground between the sisters.

Peter Quill's story

After Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 was announced, James Gunn said that the sequel would be all about relationships between characters, especially the characters who share blood connections such as Nebula and Gamora. However, everybody knows that Vol. 2 will expand on the story of Star-Lord and his father.

According to Chris Pratt, Vol. 2 will be about the hopes the character has in regard to his father. And the reality might not be what Peter Quill is expecting.

Ego (Kurt Russell) will become interested in his son again as soon as he finds out that Star-Lord managed to resist an Infinity Stone. So this is another thread that continues from the first movie into the sequel. What kind of revelations await? The actor didn't reveal anything else.

But it wouldn't be too surprising to find out that Ego has some hidden plans of his own, especially since he searched for his son only after the Power Stone appeared.

Quill’s relationship with Gamora won't be moving too quickly. According to Zoe Saldana, Star-Lord is annoying at times, while Gamora tends to be more rigid.

Rocket and Groot

In the first movie, Groot was Rocket’s bodyguard. Since he sacrificed himself for the team to survive, becoming the adorable Baby Groot, he is the one who now needs a bodyguard. That role falls to Rocket. So, roles have been reversed for the sequel, moving the relationship between the two characters forward.

According to James Gunn, Baby Groot will steal the show (But, really, did we need this kind of confirmation?), even if he's a little jerk. I can't wait to see that, especially since in the first movie Groot was pretty naïve.

Rocket isn't too excited about being a Guardian of the Galaxy. It was a great idea when the Universe needed saving, but it became something else later. And I guess it makes sense, since Rocket is the one who steals from the Sovereign people, thus setting off the sequel’s plot.

Mantis

Mantis, another newcomer, might be an odd-ball among the Guardians of the Galaxy. She’s spent her entire life traveling with Ego, and doesn't really know how to act and react in the company of other people. So she’s basically an even more peculiar Drax. As Chris Pratt said, just as Dave Bautista was born to play Drax, Pom Klementieff was born to portray Mantis.

Mantis has some skills that haven't appeared in the MCU until now. She can tap into and manipulate others’ feelings, as Scarlet Witch did during the events of Age of Ultron - however, Mantis' powers are far greater and work on different levels.

So she is yet another awkward character, an outcast who fits in perfectly.

Mantis and Drax

This is one of the best Marvel on-screen relationships: Two peculiar characters interacting with each other (I’m assuming that everybody believes that Drax will kill it in this movie, metaphorically speaking). According to Kevin Feige, what happens between Mantis and Drax will be very interesting, because they are the weirdest of all weird characters.

As we know from the previous installment, Drax is heartbroken and searching for vengeance (his sole motivation in the first movie). From this point of view, there is a certain type of innocence about him.

Mantis shares this innocence. Last week, there was even a hint that a romantic connection might develop between these two characters - though I doubt it.

Ayesha and that other Guardian

Time to speculate, based on what James Gunn’s revelations. Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 was supposed to feature another Guardian. The golden Ayesha of the Sovereign people is the film’s main antagonist. She’ll be after the Guardians of the Galaxy because Rocket stole the planet's power source.

However, her role (or her people’s role) could be much bigger in the long run. In the comics, she is the genetic twin of Adam Warlock, so she could be the door through which this essential Infinity Gauntlet character enters the MCU.

Furthermore, James Gunn said that another Guardian was supposed to be introduced as part of the initial script treatment. However, the character was later dropped, since there were already too many characters in the film. Of course, the director didn't say which character this was - but maybe we can all assume that it was Warlock.

And lastly"¦

MCU connections

Like the first installment, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 will be a standalone movie. However, Gunn said that his obsession with Easter-Eggs will be evident throughout the flick, and that some of these will be pretty obscure.

Gunn also said that fans shouldn't expect anything too revealing during the credits scenes, especially considering his last movie. However, the connection with the larger MCU will be felt. Thor: Ragnarok will present new planets in the universe, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 will further expand it.

According to Kevin Feige, four or five new planets will be introduced, with a bit of time spent on Earth, as well. Maybe the Earth scenes will feature Nathan Fillion's Simon Williams. Who knows?

To be released on May 5, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 will blow everybody away!