Warning! Spoilers for Marvel’sImperialahead!
Star-Lord has a new role in Marvel lore, giving him the chance to be a hero without theGuardians of the Galaxy; elsewhere in the galaxy, meanwhile, a new version of the team is assembling with a surprising A-list hero as leader in place of Peter Quill, suggesting that this is a bold new era for the interstellar franchise.
The preview forImperial#3, written by Jonathan Hickman, with art by Iban Coello and Federico Vincentini, shows Peter Quill taking on a very different kind of leadership role.
With his father dead, Peter is now leads the Spartax Empire, and as such, he has to start operating on a level far above his usual heroic antics with the Guardians.
Star-Lord Has To Adjust To Becoming One Of The Most Powerful Figures In The Marvel Universe
Imperial#3, Written By Jonathan Hickman; Art By Iban Coello And Federico Vincentini; Available Jun 11, 2025 From Marvel Comics
Author Jonathan Hickman has stated that his currentImperialseries was designed to “shuffle the deck,” so to speak, for Marvel’s cosmic characters, disrupting its current paradigm and setting up a new status quo that subsequent writers can explore and expand upon. One major part of that seems to bePeter Quill’s new role.
Imperial#3’s preview shows Star-Lord still acclimating to his position at the head of the Spartax Empire. Should it remain permanent in the wake of theImperiallimited series, this move gives Peter Quill an unexpected new form of power: political power. Further, it establishes him as a pivotal player in Marvel’s post-Imperialplans for its spacefaring heroes.
While Star-Lord takes on this new role, a new kind of Guardians team is forming in theImperial War: Imperial Guardiansspin-off title, seeminglyled by Captain Marvel. Again, these could be temporary changes, or they could be the inaugural moves in an entirelynew era ofGuardians of the Galaxyat Marvel Comics.
Star-Lord’s New Role As Emperor Of Spartex Gives Marvel A Chance To Explore Different Kinds Of Power
Peter Quill’s Post-ImperialStoryline Has Great Potential
For Peter Quill, an extended period as the ruler of Spartax would be a refreshing change for the character, one that has been teased before. Marvel has played with the idea oftaking Star-Lord out of his familiarGuardiansmilieuin the past, and it appears as though that is the plan once more.
If Marvel is committed tocontinuing its cosmic storylines afterImperialconcludes, having Star-Lord as a central figure would make sense. Exploring the trials and tribulations of his time as Spartax' leader would also offer an opportunity for a different kind of Marvel title, one that might not be restrained by the usual superhero action structure.
All that said,Imperialstill has plenty of ground to cover before fans know exactly what Marvel’s new cosmic landscape will look like, or what role Peter Quill will play in the long-term. In any case, forGuardians of the Galaxyfans, it is a must-read series, one that is intended to have lasting implications for the franchise’s fan-favorite characters.
