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The Kidnapping of Peter Quill was an attempt by Yondu Udonta's Ravager faction, acting on orders from Ego, to abduct Peter Quill.
Background[]
In 1980, a Celestial named Ego visited Earth and conceived a child with Meredith Quill, who later named her newborn son Peter. Eight years later, Ego hired Yondu Udonta and his faction of outlaws to retrieve Peter for him.[2]
Meredith Quill on her deathbed
By that time, Peter knew very little about his birth father except for the stories Meredith told him, in which she described him as an "angel". Peter grew close to Meredith, who called him her "little Star-Lord" and gave him a cassette that he constantly played on his Walkman.
Their peaceful life was soon shattered when Meredith was diagnosed with brain cancer, which was caused by a tumor Ego had inserted into her head, and hospitalized. After learning about Meredith's terminal condition, Peter's grandfather Jason Quill and other family members came to be with Meredith in her final days.[1]
Kidnapping[]
Peter Quill is abducted by Yondu's Ravager Clan
- "You abducted me, man. You stole me from my home and from my family!"
- ―Star-Lord to Yondu Udonta[src]
While visiting his mother in her last hours, Peter Quill was presented with a gift and a letter before watching as she passed away. He was then escorted out by his grandfather, who went back into the room to be with her. A saddened Peter ran outside and wept openly as Yondu Udonta's M-Ship descended from the sky and prepared to abduct him.[1]
Aftermath[]
Quill listens to his mother's gift
- "Once I figured out what happened to them other kids, I wasn’t just gonna hand you over."
- ―Yondu Udonta to Star-Lord[src]
Yondu Udonta neglected Ego's orders and raised Peter Quill as his own son, teaching him to become a master thief. By 2014, Quill had adopted his mother's nickname and was known throughout the galaxy as Star-Lord.[1] Quill never wanted to return to Earth since it reminded him of his mother's passing.[2] Following the Battle of Xandar, Quill opened Meredith's gift to find a second cassette for his Walkman, which was entitled Awesome Mix Vol. 2.[1]
In the next few months, the Guardians of the Galaxy had grown to love the new music, often playing it throughout the Benatar. However, Quill still missed his mother and refused to go to Earth. He also did not like to talk about his father, as he never knew who he was. Until one day, Star-Lord came in contact with Ego, who claimed himself to be Quill's father.
Star-Lord tells Gamora he does not want to return to Earth since his mother died there
Quill bonded with Ego until he revealed that he put the tumor inside Meredith's head, causing her death. To make matters worse, Ego destroyed the walkman. Quill then lashed out in anger, taking down his father. In the process, Udonta was also killed, leaving Quill to realize that he never needed a father, because Udonta was his real father.[2]
In 2023, Star-Lord had returned to Earth for the Battle of Earth as well as Tony Stark's funeral.[5]
Quill reunites with his grandfather
In 2026, Star-Lord had a conversation with the Guardians about seeing his grandfather again. However, he resented the idea as he remembered his grandfather pulling him away from Meredith and yelling at him. When the threat of High Evolutionary was over, Quill finally decided that it was time. He gathered up the Guardians and announced that he was going back to Earth. He then stayed with Jason Quill, finally making amends.[3]