The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special revealed a wild new plot detail about Mantis, which Pom Klementieff discussed for the first time.
The MCU’s final Phase 4 project brings the Guardians of the Galaxy back into the spotlight for their own Christmas-themed adventure, which largely centers on Mantis and Drax’s mission to give Kevin Bacon as a gift to Star-Lord. But through that story, another fun plot point is finally confirmed in the MCU for the first time – one that’s been teased for the past few years.
Warning – the rest of this article contains spoilers for The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
Since Mantis joined the MCU alongside Ego the Living Planet in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, fans have wondered what her exact relationship was to the Vol. 2 villain, especially with Ego revealing himself to be Peter Quill’s father. The Holiday Special has now officially confirmed that Mantis is also one of his children, making her Peter’s half-sister, which Disney+ accidentally spoiled prior to the special’s release.
Following the Holiday Special‘s long-awaited debut on Disney+, Pom Klementieff spoke openly about that reveal for the first time, noting how it’s been a long time coming.
Mantis Actress on Holiday Special Twist
In an interview with TV Line, Mantis actress Pom Klementieff shared her reaction to the reveal that her character is Star-Lord’s sister, which became official in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
The star noted that she’s actually “known this little secret for years,” as it was initially meant to be part of the story in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. That scene was eventually deleted, with director/writer James Gunn deciding to save the moment for a later date:
“I’ve known this little secret for years, because I knew about it when I was shooting Guardians of the Galaxy 2. I think it was supposed to be in Guardians of the Galaxy 2, and then James Gunn decided to hold onto it and reveal it later.”
However, Klementieff admits that it’s “nice that it’s out there now,” as their sibling bond “creates more layers and a special and beautiful, bond between the two characters.”
While the two heroes individually “can feel so isolated and gloomy,” Klementieff commented that “this creates something pretty special between the two of them” as their journey in the MCU continues together with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
How Will Star-Lord and Mantis Be Impacted in Guardians 3?
Although Marvel never officially confirmed that Star-Lord and Mantis were siblings, it doesn’t come as too big of a surprise considering their unique ties to Ego from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Marvel also took the opportunity to save this reveal for the special itself, removing an episode of Marvel Studios Legends that discussed the reveal shortly after it went up on Disney+. But now that the relationship is confirmed to be canon, the two characters should have a closer relationship than ever moving forward, especially since they really haven’t interacted with each other too often outside of their first movie together.
Although the Guardians have become Peter’s extended family, having an actual blood relative will certainly put him in a good place emotionally as he searches for Gamora, the love of his life. That’s not even counting the fact that he and Mantis have each other to lean on after the trauma they both experienced with Ego being their father.
How much their bond as siblings is explored in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is still a mystery, but for now, the reveal becomes a heartfelt and meaningful moment to officially close out the first phase of the Multiverse Saga.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is now available to stream on Disney+.
