Few Marvel characters have connected with audiences quite like Rocket Raccoon. What began as a snarky, gun-toting space raccoon voiced by Bradley Cooper became one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most heartfelt heroes. From his sarcastic humor to the emotional trauma that defined his past, Rocket’s story has always been about finding purpose beyond pain.
So when fans witnessed Rocket’s grisly fate in ‘Marvel Zombies’, many were understandably shocked. It wasn’t just another death scene in a what-if-style series; it was a gut punch, especially for those who followed Rocket’s long journey of survival and redemption in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’. However, while this death might sting, it’s not the end of Rocket’s story.
Rocket Raccoon’s Tragic End In ‘Marvel Zombies’
‘Marvel Zombies’ takes one of the MCU’s most beloved elements, the multiverse, and twists it into something horrifying. The animated series explores alternate realities where Earth’s mightiest heroes fall victim to a zombie apocalypse, turning once-noble icons into grotesque, flesh-eating monsters. And in this nightmare version of the MCU, Rocket becomes one of the many casualties.
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In the series, Rocket and Groot are transported to Wakanda, joining forces with Thor to fend off Thanos. However, instead of a heroic team-up, this encounter takes a horrifying turn. The Thanos of this universe is already a zombie, but he’s even more powerful, wielding a corrupted version of the Infinity Gauntlet. What follows is both tragic and chilling. Rocket and Groot are swiftly disintegrated. They are wiped out before they even have a chance to fight back.
It’s a brutal moment, not just because Rocket dies, but because of what it represents. After everything he’s been through, the experiments, the loss of his friends, and the hard-won peace, seeing him reduced to ash feels like a cruel cosmic joke. Thankfully, in the main MCU timeline, Rocket Raccoon’s story ended on a hopeful note. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’, James Gunn’s emotional farewell to his Marvel family, was as much Rocket’s movie as it was the Guardians’. For the first time, audiences saw Rocket’s past laid bare.
By the film’s end, Rocket had not only survived but he had grown. The Guardians disbanded, but a new team was born, led by Rocket himself. Now, Rocket captains a new version of the Guardians, alongside Groot (who’s bigger and stronger than ever), Kraglin, Cosmo the Spacedog, Adam Warlock, and the young Phyla. Each of them represents a new beginning for the cosmic side of the MCU, and Rocket stands at the center of it all.
Rocket And Thor’s Death Might Mark A Shared Tragedy In The Zombie Universe
Thor’s fate in ‘Marvel Zombies’ mirrors Rocket’s in a cruel way. Once again, the God of Thunder is a symbol of unstoppable strength, and once again, he’s reminded that even gods can fall. Seeing Thor brutally wounded and scarred by a zombified Thanos is one of the show’s darkest moments. It’s unsettling, but it also reinforces how the show isn’t afraid to challenge the invincibility myth that the MCU built for over a decade.
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In some twisted way, Rocket and Thor’s deaths in this alternate reality mirror their shared journey in the main timeline. Both lost everything, family, friends, worlds, and both learned to carry that pain with humor and courage. That’s why their deaths in ‘Marvel Zombies’ hit so hard. It’s not just gore or spectacle, it’s emotional. However, in the grand scheme of the multiverse, death doesn’t mean the end. For Rocket and Thor, it’s just one possible fate among countless others. In the true MCU timeline, both characters are alive, evolving, and continuing to shape Marvel’s future in different ways.
