Arête Laboratories was a mobile OrgoCorp research complex located on Counter-Earth. Established by the High Evolutionary, the laboratory was where he would conduct his experiments. When the High Evolutionary destroyed Counter-Earth and its population of Humanimals, the complex transformed into a large spaceship that drifted into the cosmos. The complex was later destroyed by the Guardians of the Galaxy, while all the subjects were evacuated to Knowhere.
History[]
High Evolutionary's Experiments[]
A man known as High Evolutionary used Arête Laboratories as a mobile base of operations to create and store his experiments to make the perfect society. In the 1980s, High Evolutionary acquired a group of random animals from Terra and implanted the ship on a similar planet known as Counter-Earth.
High Evolutionary begins to make 89P13 into a Halfworlder
As a city was being built on Counter-Earth, High Evolutionary forced animals to be dissected and implanted with cybernetics to help them act and move like humans alongside their natural abilities. These experiments included the former otter Subject 89Q12, the former walrus 89A95, the former rabbit 89L06, and a former raccoon, 89P13, all of whom were grouped into Batch 89.
High Evolutionary teaches 89P13
During Batch 89's continued experimentation and teaching, High Evolutionary noticed that 89P13's development far surpassed his other projects, leading him to personally teach P13 in person. During these lessons, High Evolutionary stated that when Counter-Earth and his experiments were finished, he would allow all of them to live outside the lab. On one day, High Evolutionary showed 89P13 his recent experiments, which causes normal animals to rapidly evolve into human like animals, Humanimals. P13, was shown how the Humanimals were more aggressive compared to Batch 89, with High Evolutionary immediately killing a Humanimal turtle upon it showing the same effects. However, P13 noticed that the issue was with the filtration systems, pointing it out to High Evolutionary and the Recorders. P13 was then escorted back to his cage.
Batch 89 decide to give themselves names
Sometime later, as Batch 89 were discussing how they were looking forward to finally being freed, deciding that they needed normal names when the time came. Batch 89 decided to name themselves with 89Q12 naming herself Lylla, 89A95 naming himself Teefs, 89L06 named herself Floor, and 89P13 named himself Rocket.
Later on, Rocket was forced to leave his cage upon High Evolutionary's urgency. After escorting Rocket to the Humanimal evolution chamber, grilling Rocket on how he knew about the Chamber's issue, before calming down and showing Rocket that he wondered because it now works, evolving three animals into now passive Humanimals. Excited, Rocket asked High Evolutionary if this meant they could move onto Counter-Earth, but High Evolutionary began to laugh, explaining that he never intended to allow Batch-89 to move there, on the account that they were more "primitive" beings. Getting onto business, High Evolutionary admitted that he did need to extract Rocket's brain to implant his advance thought process to give to his further projects, ordering that Rocket be brought back to his cage in the meantime. Before Rocket was taken back though, Vim asked High Evolutionary what was to happen to the rest of Batch-89, with High Evolutionary non-calanthe ordering them to be incinerated.[1]
Escape from Arête Laboratories[]
Upon being brought back to his cage, Rocket immediately began to assemble a key card out of scraps that he had gathered during his time studying, as Floor, Teefs, and Lylla asked if they were about to leave the lab. Lylla realized that something was happening and asked Rocket to tell her that it wasn't true, so Rocket revealed that Batch 89 was about to be executed. Rocket finished the card and told the batch that he was going to open the cage and they were going to fly out of the Laboratory.
Rocket frees Lylla
Rocket successfully used the Key Card to open his and Floor's cage, before scurrying to Teefs and Lylla's cage and opening it. Grateful for Rocket helping them, Lylla hugged him. However, Lylla was then fatally shot by High Evolutionary, who expected that Rocket would attempt and escape. Despaired over his friend's death, Rocket started to yell in sorrow as Teefs and Floor begged for Rocket to leave.
However, as High Evolutionary reported 89P13 and 89Q12's escape, he grew exhausted of Rocket's wailing and decided to mock him by screaming. After tiring of screaming High Evolutionary congratulated Rocket on winning the "crying contest" as he tried to escort him back to his cage. However, Rocket's sorrow turned to aggression, causing him to tackle High Evolutionary and began to use his claws to heavily disfigure his face. As Rocket continued, Arete Laboratories' guards came to shoot Rocket, however they missed, with Rocket taking the opportunity to grab High Evolutionary's blaster to shoot the guards dead. After calming down, Rocket turned to Teefs and Floor, only to realize that the guards' blasts had accidently hit and killed them, to Rocket's sorrow. Despite his grief over his friend's deaths, Rocket ran away to Arete Labs' hangar area as the guards chased him down. Eventually, Rocket made it to a ship and used it to fly away from the Laboratory and Counter-Earth.
Over the years, High Evolutionary, who had since hidden his scars with a prosthetic mask, continued his experiments for the Humanimals and had them populate Counter-Earth. However, as the Humanimals society began to mirror to closely to the planet he originally kidnapped them from, High Evolutionary began to create a new species known as the Star Children along with the Hell Spawn to protect them, as High Evolutionary prepared to wipe out the Humanimals.[1]
Attempted Recapture[]
Meanwhile, one of High Evolutionary's past societies, the Sovereign, began a hunt for the Guardians of the Galaxy after they slighted against them, with Ayesha leading them. Upon learning that 89P13 was a member of the Guardians, High Evolutionary rushed the development of a powerful member, Adam, and had him and Ayesha focus on apprehending Rocket for him. However, Adam's fight resulted in him fatally injuring Rocket, and being defeated by the Guardians.
High Evolutionary threatens Ayesha
Ayesha took Adam back to Arête Laboratories to talk to High Evolutionary while Adam healed from his wounds. However, High Evolutionary was displeased over what had happened, and scolded the two Sovereign for their failure on capturing 89P13. Although Adam tried to confront him over his words, High Evolutionary used his newfound gravity manipulation powers to pin and slowly crush Adam to the wall. Ayesha begged High Evolutionary to let Adam go as he was still a newborn, and High Evolutionary reluctantly agreed. High Evolutionary threatened that if they failed to bring him 89P13, he would wipe out all of the Sovereign. With his business settled, High Evolutionary told Theel that there was likely one place the Guardians of the Galaxy would go to help fix Rocket, the Orgoscope, and ordered him to alert all personnel of the Guardians, and for Theel to extract vital information on 89P13's creation.[1]
Battle of Counter-Earth[]
High Evolutionary watches Phyla's progress
Upon the Guardians successfully retrieving the file, they realized that Theel had taken the vital information to help them save Rocket, and angry over it, the team decided to fly to Counter-Earth to confront High Evolutionary. After arriving the Guardians were helped out by Neelie, who pointed out where Arete Labs was at, with Star-Lord, Groot, and Nebula driving there. Meanwhile, High Evolutionary decided to see the development of Phyla and the Star Children, with her running in a specialized wheel, describing to Theel how she was progressing, with Phyla's prolonged running without tiring among other attributes, while wondering if the Star Children were ready to advance to the new colony. However, Theel told High Evolutionary, how they had learned of the Guardians arrival to Counter-Earth. By the time the three arrived, they were confronted by War Pig and Behemoth, who told Nebula to stay outside as she was considered a weapon, allowing Quill and Groot to meet High Evolutionary.
High Evolutionary and Star-Lord argue
As Nebula waited outside of the Laboratory, Behemoth escorted Quill and Groot to the area High Evolutionary was dealing with business, gesturing for everyone to be quiet as he continued to type. Eventually, as Star-Lord saw Theel in the room, Quill began to confront him for stealing the info to help Rocket. However, Quill was interrupted by High Evolutionary who had finished typing, explaining how after Rocket had damaged his face inspired him to enhance him with the ability to manipulate gravity, distracting the Guardians as Vim told War Pig to apprehend Rocket. Continuing, High Evolutionary detailed how he modeled Counter-Earth after Quill's planet without its faults, but Quill told him that he didn't care, insulting High Evolutionary about him wanting to conquer the universe, but he retorted that he's only trying to perfect it. Confused, Quill rhetorically questioned why the "perfect society" had drug dealers selling stuff to children, which High Evolutionary agreed with.
High Evolutionary then stated that was the reason he needed to wipe out the Humanimals to make way for a better society. Upon hearing War Pig had apprehended Rocket, High Evolutionary began to have his soldiers activate Arête's thrusters while turning it into a ship, causing it to uproot the building from the ground and activate multiple explosives set around the planet to destroy Counter-Earth and kill the Humanimals and accidently Ayesha with it as Adam killed War Pig to try to claim Rocket's recapture for themselves. Meanwhile, outside of the Lab, Nebula tried to contact Drax the Destroyer and Mantis to bring her the Bowie. However, the two revealed that they had left the ship, and were right behind her thanks to Drax. Despite Nebula's disappointment, the three ran and leaped onto the Laboratory, while Nebula told Gamora to take Rocket off the planet, as the three succeeded in jumping onto the ship .
In the Laboratory, as Quill and Groot recovered from High Evolutionary pinning them to the ground, Theel mocked them for running into an obvious trap. However, Quill revealed that they were in a face-off, ordering Groot to throw a grenade at the guards and blocking High Evolutionary from them, allowing the two to unleash Groot's weapons and Quill's Quad Blasters to wipe out the guards. As High Evolutionary began to use his powers to remove the debris blocking him, Groot and Quill cornered Theel to the window, with him begging for them to spare him. As Quill lowered the blaster, Theel thanked him for it, however Quill stated that it was premature, immediately tackling him out the window to Counter-Earth. As High Evolutionary freed himself from the blockade, Groot ran out to join Quill to save him, with High Evolutionary sarcastically stating how noble of an escape plan it was. As Quill and Theel feel from Arête Labs, Theel shouted that Quill was killing them both. However, Quill admitted that it wasn't the case corresponding to Groot catching up with them in free fall, and creating wings to help them glide safely on the ground as Quill shoved, Theel's head onto the ground, killing him instantly allowing them to pry the access key from Theel's head and leave with Gamora to resuscitate Rocket.[1]
Infiltration[]
Unbeknownst to Quill and Groot, Nebula, Drax, and Mantis were still on the ascending Lab. Mantis asked why they were on it, with Nebula explaining that she thinks that they were still inside of the ship as they tried to break the door down. As the ship continued upwards to space, Mantis commented that it was getting harder to breath as the three began to freeze. However, Drax was able to force the doorway open, allowing the three Guardians to enter before the doorway was filled with a force field to allow the air from getting out. As Mantis and Drax recovered, Nebula used her arm to create a flashlight to see what was ahead of them, with them seeing a group of Star Children in Arête Laboratories' cages.
Nebula, Mantis, and Drax argue
After recovering, Drax stated that Nebula and Mantis should be happy that he was able to break the door in. However, Nebula smacked him, stating that Rocket and Gamora were likely dead because he didn't stay at the Bowie. Apologetic, Drax admitted that he didn't know, which caused Nebula to ask when he would stop acting like a fool leaving messes that the Guardians had to clean as she shoved him. Mantis, though stood up and told Nebula not to push Drax, causing Nebula to berate her over how she supported whatever was dragging the Guardians down. However, Mantis stated that she didn't care, proceeding to call out how Nebula constantly dragged others down because it makes her feel better about herself, stating that she had no right to shove Drax, saying it wasn't his fault that he's stupid but he still was able to make them all feel good because he didn't hate himself like the rest, causing Drax to feel uncomfortable. After they were done, Drax asked if they thought he was stupid, which Mantis confirmed, causing Drax to be even more depressed. However, Mantis used her empathic powers to make Drax forget the argument and repeat his earlier gloat. Letting it slide, Nebula used her communicator to try to contact Quill to see if he survived Counter-Earth's destruction, as Drax tore the locks on the Star Children's cages. When on of the kids, Phyla tried to speak to the team through the Orbose language, Mantis admitted that the language wasn't a part of her translator.
Nebula, Mantis, and Drax find out where the others are at
Eventually though, Peter picked up Nebula's transmission as the Star Children played with the three, allowing her to ask Quill where he was at while stating that they were trying to help them get out of the Lab. However, Quill admitted that they had already left, questioning where she was at, learning that she was now on the ship to save him. Baffled Quill explained that she should've trusted that he always finds a way to get out of situations like this. As Drax asked Nebula to tell Quill he said hi, Nebula told him to either keep listening or play with the kids, to Gamora's confusion. Mantis asked how Quill got out of the Lab, letting Groot explain how to Quill's embarrassment. Rocket though stated that the important thing was that all of them were safe, causing Nebula, Mantis, and Drax to be overcome with joy upon realizing that Rocket had recovered. Mantis told Rocket that they were happy that he was okay, with him jokingly saying that it made them the idiots then.
High Evolutionary captures Nebula, Mantis, and Drax
Walking in, High Evolutionary agreed with Rocket's statement, catching the group off-guard as he demanded that the Star Children returned to their cages, before using his powers to pin Nebula, Mantis, and Drax to the floor. Snatching Nebula's communicator, High Evolutionary asked if Quill liked to joust, causing Quill to berate him for killing the Humanimals. However, High Evolutionary simply told him that he will also kill his friends, unless he followed the ship's coordinates which he sent and brought him 89P13. Angered, Quill then began to berate High Evolutionary with him simply crushing Nebula's com.
As some Recorders looked onto two of the Star Children playing a memory game, High Evolutionary berated Vim, for being the one who lost 89P13. Defending herself, Vim assured him that War Pig had it, however he cut her off for saying "but," before calming down. Continuing, Vim questioned High Evolutionary if it was wise not to just head off to their new colony instead of continuing fighting the Guardians of the Galaxy. High Evolutionary though, told Vim how despite the Children being able to rewire a carbonetrix core in less than two minutes, what allowed them to do so, with her admitting it was wrote memorization, which he yelled was true. Continuing, High Evolutionary said that throughout OrgoCorps' century of work, only 89P13 had know true invention, stating that despite being "putrid" in every other way that at least he had that. Finally relenting, Vim agreed although High Evolutionary stated that any civilization couldn't think what hasn't been thought would die, which was why they needed 89P13's brain to transfer the trait to the Star Children.
Drax, Mantis, and Drax try to talk to the Star Children
As High Evolutionary waited for the other Guardians, Drax, Nebula, and Mantis were dropped into a cell in the meanwhile. As the group got back to their feet, the Star Children wandered to the outside of their cell, with Mantis wondering how the kids got there. Thinking for a bit, Mantis told Drax and Nebula that Peter would likely head to the Lab's spaceport, but he has no idea about the Star Children. Nebula immediately called out Phyla spooking the other kids, as she told Phyla to let the other Children to stay away from the starboard walls. However, the kids kept speaking in Orbose, not knowing what she was talking about. Frustrated Nebula commented on how they only knew the word "joob." Enraged when Phyla kept saying joob, Nebula angrily repeated her command, as Mantis tried to use sign language to help. However, Nebula still angry, questioned what she was doing, causing Mantis to yell that she was explaining, causing all the Star Children to cry. Recognizing the problem, Drax told Nebula that she was scaring them. Greeting the kids, Drax told the kids how his daughter loved when he made monkey noises, proceeding to act like his depiction of a monkey, to the kids amusement and Mantis' and Nebula's confusion. When all the kids were laughing, Drax proceeded to tell Phyla what Nebula had tried to explain in Orbose, allowing Phyla to understand and go off to help. After the kids left, Nebula asked Drax why he never explained that he knew the children's language, with him stating she never asked.[1]
Attack on Arête Laboratories[]
Knowhere arrives at Arête Laboratories
Eventually, Star-Lord and the other Guardians arrived at the Arête's cordinantes, with the group splintered off three pods from their ship, the Bowie. As he saw their arrival, High Evolutionary commented that it was rather amusing, however, Vim noticed and alerted him of something else coming through a Universal Neural Teleportation Network point. High Evolutionary turned his attention and saw as the planet Knowhere flew to the same spot as them, with Kraglin Obfonteri greeting the "creep".
The Hell Spawn are unleashed
Angered, High Evolutionary demanded that Controller summoned some back up, which she proceeded. Meanwhile on Knowhere, Kraglin Obfonteri and Steemie Blueliver fired a giant Cannon installed on Knowhere's left eye socket. As they did that, some Star Children ran to the other Children's holding cell and warned them to stay away from the starboard walls, which did. Eventually, fired at the Lab's walls to cause the Starboard to be blown open. As he reeled from the impact, Controller told High Evolutionary that the Starport had been breached, while she also told him that one of the Bowie's pods contained 89P13. Immediately, High Evolutionary told her to unleash all of the Hell Spawn. As she did not wanted to waste their resources, Vim tried to remind him that the Spawn were created to protect the colony. However, the comment fell on deaf ears as High Evolutionary angrily yelled for Controller to do it now, get him 89P13, and to kill everyone inside of Knowhere. In the Hell Spawn's chamber, Octo-Hyena got the order to awaken the other Spawn, which he did.
The Hell Spawn are unleashed on the Guardians of the Galaxy and Knowhere
As the three pods advanced to Arête Laboratories, Quill, Gamora, Groot, and Rocket avoided many of the debris leftover from the starboard wall's destruction. However, as he continued Rocket saw the Hell Spawn began to fly out of the Lab toward them, with a big group attacking his pod. Meanwhile, upon learning of the Spawn, Quill and Gamora continued on while firing at the monsters before they could attack. However, to Peter's annoyance, Adam, who they had retrained earlier had escaped with Blurp in his arm flew right through the window of the ship from the Bowie, causing the ship to spin out of control. As they continued, the Hell Spawn, with Behemoth leading them flew to Knowhere, where he proceeded to invade and attack the Knowherians. However, the Spawn were later wiped out by Kraglin Obfonteri, Cosmo, and the citizens of Knowhere. Upset over his enemies, High Evolutionary ordered that the pit holding Drax, Mantis, and Nebula was opened to be eaten by his Abilisks. Trying to reason with him, Vim reminded High Evolutionary that their bargaining power would be gone.
However, the cell containing the three Guardians of the Galaxy was opened, with Nebula using her arm to light up the room, realizing that they were surrounded by three Abilisks, Nebula cried out, with one of the Abilisks using its breath to heavily burn her. Meanwhile as Vim looked at a holographic depiction of the Lab being attacked with a string of explosions, to her horror. One of the explosions heavily damaged the pit, with Drax and Mantis helping Nebula up to run out. However, they were stopped and surrounded by the Abilisks.
Quill recues Gamora and Blurp from the Bowie's pod's destruction
As Rocket continued to try to get the Spawn on his pod to leave, one of them was able to smash through the window, causing Rocket to also try to dodge the claw from grabbing him. Eventually, Rocket flew his pod to the Laboratory's walls and dragged the Hell Spawn through it, which killed them and freed Rocket. Meanwhile, Quill and Gamora were continued to try to regain control of their pod as Warlock attacked them inside of it. As Quill began to arm the pod, Gamora found and grabbed Blurp and threaten Warlock that she'd throw it out, causing Warlock to try to calm her to save Blurp. This gave Quill enough time to fly the pod roughly into the open Starboard, which caused Gamora and Warlock to be thrown around. Quill then tackled her and Blurp out as the Pod hit a wall. As the three watched Warlock try to get up, Gamora asked Quill what he had set up earlier, which he admitted that it was the self-destruction code. Immediately, the pod exploded, that caused the durable Warlock to be heavily knocked out. As Quill and Gamora got up, both Rocket's and Groot's pods skidded to a stop in the hangar.
Meanwhile, in the pit, still surrounded by the three Abilisks, Mantis forced Drax and Nebula away as she approached on of the beasts. When Nebula asked what she was doing, Mantis explained that the Abilisks only eat batteries, not people and were likely scared of what they though the Guardians would do to them. As she continued on, Mantis reassured the Abilisk that they weren't going to hurt them, and that it'll all be okay. Eventually the Abilisk calmed down enough to allow Mantis to use her empathic abilities to calm and get the Abilisks to trust and aid the three.
High Evolutionary is betrayed by Vim
As she tried one last time to reach to him, Vim yelled to High Evolutionary that they needed to retreat since the ship was going down. Meanwhile, Controller notified him that the Spaceport has intruders. As he heard this, High Evolutionary demanded that the guards check if 89P13 was one of them. Vim though, told him that he has an irrational obsession with 89P13 and that he needed to stop for God's sake. However, High Evolutionary ragefully declared that there was no God and that was why he stepped in, before he turned away. As she finally saw that he was too far dedicated to 89P13's capture, Vim raised and armed a blaster at High Evolutionary, which caused the other guards to do the same. As High Evolutionary looked at this, Vim told Controller that she will take command of the Arête and to disengage the damaged areas of the Lab, and retreat. Now filled with rage High Evolutionary yelled out in rage and unleashed high gravity manipulation powers, to kill and destroy everyone else in the room. After he calmed down, High Evolutionary made his way through the damaged room, and announced to the rest of the personnel on the ship that intruders have boarded the ship, to head to the spaceport, retrieve 89P13, and kill everyone else.
The Guardians of the Galaxy go to save the Star Children
Now that they were in the lab's spaceport, Quill started to play "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" on his Zune with his headphones as he told, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot that they were headed to the lab to save Mantis, Nebula, and Drax and when they got them, they leave. However, Quill was interrupted by a loud thud, and caused the four to get into attack positions, only to see their friends as they rode on the three Abilisks' backs, with Mantis asked if it looked cool after she slid off of hers. After he got over the shock of how easy it was, Quill stated that the new plan was to get out of the laboratory now. However, Nebula told Quill that there were thousands of creatures on the ship, with Mantis explained that many of them are children. Drax finished the statement, as je said that they needed to be good "joob joob," and explained that it meant Friends. However, as she didn't want to stay, Gamora said that they needed to leave now to live, with Nebula argued that the other creatures will die if they didn't help. As they discussed though, Rocket recalled all of his and Batch 89's painful experiences from High Evolutionary, and made up his mind, as he didn't want any other creature to experience what he's been through, Rocket stated that he was done running before he armed his blaster and made his way to the corridor. As they didn't want to abandon Rocket, Groot, Nebula, Quill, Mantis, Drax, and Blurp joined him as they made their way down, with Gamora finally gave in to help them and joined up.
The Guardians of the Galaxy fight off High Evolutionary's forces
As the Guardians of the Galaxy made their way to the doorway, Drax made his way to the front and forced the doorway to open with his strength, where a bunch of OrgoCorp guards and Hell Spawn waited at. They wasted no time as the Guardians and High Evolutionary's forces clashed, with Mantis spin-kicked a guard away while Rocket fired upon the enemies. Groot, meanwhile, extended his limbs into a Hell Spawn's mouth, and extended more branches from its insides while Gamora slashed its lower torso off with the Godslayer, which killed the Spawn. Mantis used Groot's still extended limb, to help her swung herself from it to another guard and used her agility and weight to fling him onto the limb, which broke a lot of his bones and heavily injured him. However, another Spawn was able to stab Groot with its bladed arms, only for Rocket to jump onto Groot's shoulder, and shoot the Spawn dead, protecting Groot. After he protected Groot, Rocket proceeded to run on Groot's extended limb before he jumped off of the limb and shot with glee.
Star-Lord makes his way through his enemies
As that happened, Quill shot multiple Hell Spawn while he tossed multiple electric disks at the OrgoCorps guards as he made his way through the hallway while he dodged enemy attacks. Quill stopped where Nebula fired away other enemies with her arm, Quill activated the electric disks' trigger to Electrocute the guards he had implanted on them earlier. Nebula broke away from him and went on to fight off two Spawn, which resulted in one to grab her arm while the other dislocated her head and arms from her body. However, Nebula's countless cybernetics allowed her to continue to fight and kill the two monsters, before they relocated her arms and head back to normal.
Gamora fights off Octo-hyena
As that happened Drax leapt onto another Hell Spawn, which killed it, before he pulled out one of his knives and used it to pin one of the guards to a wall. Suddenly, Drax was attacked by a different Spawn, which he simply flung into the same wall before he tossed his other knife into the same guard's leg and trapped him to it in pain as Blurp leapt onto him to. With the guard dealt with Drax stomped on the incapacitated Spawn's arm and tore it off and flung it at a different one, before he finally slammed the injured one onto the ground and ripped a vital piece off, which finally killed it. While the Guardians continued to fight around her, Gamora slashed at the last Spawn with the Godslayer while, which scared the other guards away. However, at that moment Octo-hyena confronted her and lunged her away with one of its tentacles. Luckily, Gamora was able to dodge the other tentacles, before she slashed one of them off before and sliced off one of its legs and finally sliced off Octo-hyena's torso from its legs, to finally kill the last of their enemies in the hallway as Blurp jumped onto its legs.
With the hallway clear, the Guardians ran off to the Star Children's cages, as Quill stated that there was a huge hole in the spaceport that if they could connect it to Knowhere, they could lead the survivors to safety. As they continued the plan, Rocket stated that he and Nebula were going to pilot the ship, while the rest save the higher lifeforms as they splinted off. As the explosions from the ship caused the other Star Children to be scared, Phyla tried to help calm them, when Drax greeted her after finding the kids, before he broke the locks on the cages as Gamora, Latti, and Groot directed the Children to the port. However, as the kids ran, Latti noticed as Adam with his shirt ripped apart from the earlier fight stumbled his way to the Guardians. Despite his exhaustion, Adam charged his powers and yelled at Groot, before he immediately collapsed in exhaustion. Meanwhile, Mantis continued to help Drax free other lifeforms in the Lab's cages, including Lambshank, with Mantis briefly caught off guard by her looks. Despite her discomfort, Mantis directed Lambshank to the port, with her thanking Mantis as she said that she was screaming at something scary behind her.
Meanwhile, Quill ran to an observational deck to see if Knowhere had an area larger enough for the hole in the Lab's spaceport, when he was surrounded by Phlektik and other OrgoCorps guards. As Quill raised his hands up, he told the guards that they could kill him if they wanted but wished them good luck of getting out of the Lab when it blows up. As the guards hesitated, Quill made his way behind the group. However, Phlektik tried to tell Quill to stop, but the others told him to forget Quill as this was their chance to get out. Now at the window, Quill communicated with the rest that he saw an area on Knowhere that was big enough but that he had to find out if could change the barrier to a permeable shield to allow everyone to crossover. As that happened, Rocket and Nebula found the wrecked command deck. As he saw the damage, Rocket stated that he can't fly the ship since the flight controls were wrecked. Nebula though, told him that she could do it while he helped the other. Before Rocket could leave, Nebula asked for his communicator to contact Knowhere, with Rocket tossed it to her before he headed out. After Rocket left, Nebula contacted Kraglin to alert him that she'll fly the ship on her end, which he agreed to as Nebula used her arm to control the ship by its wires to Knowhere's right eye socket entrance, from the spaceport.
The Guardians of the Galaxy evacuate Arête Laboratories' personel
As Nebula steered Arête to Knowhere, Gamora and Groot, with Adam in his arms, led the Star Children to the Spaceport as Quill alongside the Arête guards begun to program the shield to become permeable, with some Knowhereians and Cosmo waiting for them. As the Lab was in position, Quill told Cosmo to use her telekinesis to lock the seal airtight for the kids to make it through, with Cosmo obliged. As she strained her powers to keep the Lab in place, Quill activated the permeable shield, which allowed the Children alongside the Guards and Recorders to make their way off the ship. Meanwhile, in the command deck, Nebula shielded herself from the lab starting to collapse, and told the others that the ship was locked up and headed down, to finally let go of the controls and made her way to the exit. As Drax and Groot continued to guide the kids into Knowhere, Adam awoke, and upon realizing that Groot went out of his way to rescue him after trying to kill them, Adam questioned why. Which Groot, and Drax stated that everyone deserved a second chance.
Even though everyone had yet to evacuate the ship, Cosmo began to stagger from the prolonged use of her powers. However, Mantis ran to her side and used her powers to assure Cosmo that she was strong to reinvigorate her to continue. As Nebula ran another group of Kids to Knowhere, Quill asked her where Rocket was, as he had not seen him in a while. Meanwhile, Rocket, much further in the lab, helped guided the last of the kids out. However, before he left, Rocket noticed the area where High Evolutionary kept the unexperimented animals. As Rocket walked into the area, he recognized the cage he had once been kept in before being forcefully evolved, with the remaining kits reached out to him. As he wanted to get closer, Rocket pulled out his homemade Key Card, and used it to open the kits cage, which caused Rocket to notice a plaque on the inside of the door about the animals, that allowed Rocket to learn that he and the kits were indeed Raccoons, which he denied throughout his life. When Rocket finished looking at the plaque, he stucked his head into the cage, to allow the curious Kits to crawl to him, and allowed Rocket to gather them all up to also save them from the exploding ship.
Rocket confronts High Evolutionary
However, before Rocket left, he saw all the other locked animals, and felt sorrow for their doom. However, High Evolutionary screamed at Rocket, as the kits ran from him. As he continued to stomp toward Rocket, High Evolutionary asked if he thought he could escape him, and used his powers to throw Rocket to the celling before he flung him into the other room where Rocket was electrocuted briefly in pain. High Evolutionary continued and questioned if Rocket thought he had some worth without him, and stated that he didn't, and flung and pinned him again to the top of a doorway. Now enraged, High Evolutionary stated that he was an abomination, and nothing more than a step towards his path, and claimed that Rocket was a freakish little monster. Moving Rocket to the celling, High Evolutionary question how dared 89P13 for thinking that he was more, as he screamed out 89P13.
The Guardians of the Galaxy defeat High Evolutionary
Luckily, Rocket activated his Gravity Boots, which pulled him from High Evolutionary's gravity manipulation back to the floor. Now safe, Rocket proclaimed that his name was Rocket; Rocket Raccoon as he pulled out his gun and blasted High Evolutionary across the room. After he recovered, High Evolutionary attempted to charge at Rocket, however Groot who had caught up to Rocket, used his limb to fling him away to Drax. Drax proceeded to throw High Evolutionary to the ground, and ripped a bit of his armor, and knocked him to the other side of the room. Immediately, Quill shot the airborne High Evolutionary with his Quad Blaster, where Mantis proceeded to knock him out of the air with a kick. As he still reeled from the force, High Evolutionary was shot again, by Nebula this time into a pillar. Finally, before High Evolutionary could react, Gamora stabbed him in the stomach, which heavily injured him. As Gamora noticed a flap of High Evolutionary's mask had been knocked out of place, she held his head as she retraced the Godslayer and proceeded to pull off the rest of his mask and let High Evolutionary fall to the ground in pain. As the other Guardians surrounded High Evolutionary, Drax commented that his face came off, however Rocket stated that it was a mask. Still in pain, High Evolutionary demanded that Rocket looks at what he had done to his face, which was heavily scared when Rocket escaped years ago. High Evolutionary continued to question for what and stated that all he had wanted to do was make things perfect. However, Rocket stated that he never wanted to make things perfect, but hated things how they were.
The Guardians evacuate the animals off of Arête Laboratories
Now that Rocket had High Evolutionary dead to rights, Drax told Rocket to kill him. However, after he'd thought about it, Rocket instead lowered and powered down his weapon. Confused Drax asked Rocket why he spared his tormenter, Rocket simply stated that it was because he was a Guardian of the Galaxy. The moment, however, was interrupted by the Arête shaking from an explosion. As she wanted all of them to get out, Gamora told the Guardians that they needed to leave the ship now. However, Rocket told Quill that they needed to rescue the creatures. Quill stated that they already did, however Rocket pointed out the captive animals. Meanwhile outside, as the Knowherieans awaited the team, they looked on as the Guardians returned with all of the animals as they stampeded out of the Lab onto Knowhere, alongside the disabled High Evolutionary. As the Guardians helped the animals off the ship, Mantis tossed a monkey onto Orloni Peddler's face, as Steemie stated that he thought they were limiting it to the higher lifeforms, which Quill agreed with. As they continued, the three Abilisks broke through the door, as Mantis encouraged them to go. Meanwhile, Cosmo strained said that she couldn't hold the ship much longer, which caused the ship to slip away.
Star-Lord attempts to escape Arête Laboratories
As the ship left Knowhere, Quill urged Rocket, Mantis, and Nebula to go with the last of the animals as he ran behind them. However, as the last of the Guardians got off the ship, Quill's Zune fell off onto the floor. As he didn't want to leave it behind, Quill turned around and retrieved it, as Cosmo finally gave out and briefly passed out. Still desperate to get out, Quill attempted to run on the ground as it crumbled, which dropped him into a lower area as Drax urged him to hurry. Quill immediately recovered and grabbed a tube airline from the wall and ran while he dodged falling debris before he finally leaped out of the lab with a huge gap between it and Knowhere. Quill though continued as he sliced the tube that gave him a blast to attempt to quickly drift to Knowhere before he froze in space. However, as Quill drifted, some debris from the ship slowed him down to a halt, to the Guardians horror as Quill began to freeze and die from the cold and vacuum of space. Not wanting to give up, Groot desperately extended his limbs to try to reach Peter, however the branches froze and broke off before he could reach Quill.
However, before Quill perished in space, Adam, having had a change of heart for his enemies, flew out, secured Quill, and flew both of them back onto Knowhere. As Quill begun to recover from bloating and freezing, the Guardians surrounded him to check on him, which allowed Quill to ask Nebula if it looked cool. Glad that their friend was okay, the Guardians chuckled and group hugged Quill before they were joined by the Knowherians, as the Arête finally was destroyed in the vacuum of space.[1]
Layout[]
| Image | Sector | Description |
|---|---|---|
|
Evolutionary Chamber | The chamber is where High Evolutionary performs his experiments. |
Behind the Scenes[]
- The separate parts of Arête Laboratories, the caged hallways where Batch 89 held, the cloisters where the Star Children were held, and the Evolutionary Chamber, were in the initial script as separate sets. However, the sets were later linked together to create a more expansive world. James Gunn then took advantage of this for the choreography of the Attack on Arête Laboratories.[2]
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