How Neurodivergence Manifests in the Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy (Gunn, 2014) follows a ragtag group of

criminals as they try to get and sell an orb (which contains an Infinity Stone) for their own

personal gain. As the film progresses, each character undergoes a change of heart and becomes

determined to keep the Infinity Stone from Thanos. The dynamic the Guardians (Peter Quill/Star-

Lord, Gamora, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, and Drax) have develops out of a sense of mutual

understanding and care for one another. Part of this is rooted in their shared neurodivergence

(even if not explicit or canonical), which manifests in varying ways. Drax, Groot, Rocket, and

Peter Quill have their neurodivergent traits manifest more obviously while Gamora’s are hidden

beneath a mask. For the sake of this argument, I’m focusing on Gamora, Drax, and Peter Quill

and writing under the assumption that Gamora and Drax are autistic and Peter has ADHD.

We’ll start by going over the common traits associated with both Autism Spectrum

Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ASD is directly related

to how the brain develops throughout childhood and impacts social functioning and repetitive

behaviors. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5-TR)

characterizes ASD as “persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across

multiple contexts” (for example, nonverbal communication and relationships) and “restricted,

repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities” (for example, hypo- or hyperreactivity to

sensory input/sensory experiences and adherence to sameness). These criteria were developed

via studies on young boys and has been criticized for its narrow view of autism. It’s called autism

spectrum disorder for a reason. For the sake of this analysis, I will use “sense of justice/moral

compass” to the list of criteria as an asterisk underneath “adherence to sameness” because it can

be a “restricted, repetitive pattern of behavior.”

 The other criteria for autism relevant to this conversation are those that are typically

presented in women or assigned female at birth bodies/brains. Women and gender-

nonconforming people (anyone who isn’t a cisgender man) get diagnosed later in life because of

the differences in what the autistic experience looks like (Rudy). Common traits for this

presentation are mirroring, higher social awareness, hyper-empathy, social withdrawal/bluntness,

and people-pleasing behavior (Lebow). In addition to those, other huge factors in autistic girls

are masking/camouflaging, the acceptance of girls being “shy,” and autistic girls’ special

interests are usually more “socially acceptable” (i.e. dolls or clothes) than boys’ (Rudy). Of

course, these two lists of traits aren’t exhaustive of all possible traits associated with autism, but

they lay the foundation for the argument to come. Girls tend to internalize their anxiety more

than boys do, which contributes to their ability to mask (Rudy). Because of this masking, girls

are generally able to “pass” more and are less aware of their bodily signals. Autistic women are

also more likely to have co-occurring conditions like avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder

(ARFID), depression, ADHD, and anxiety.

ADHD is as the name implies: attention-deficiency and hyperactivity. According to the

DSM-5-TR, ADHD is characterized by “a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-

impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development” with six or more symptoms needing

to be present for at least six months and before the age of 12. The general symptoms that fall into

these categories are impulsiveness, disorganization, excessive activity or restlessness, hot temper,

poor planning/time management skills, trouble multitasking, problems focusing and completing

on a task, frequent mood swings, trouble coping with stress, and low frustration tolerance

(“Adult Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder”). ADHDers are known to move around a lot,

usually to the point of being disruptive (at least clinically), and are impulsive when making
decisions. These are the criteria we’re going to be focusing on today when looking at characters

from Guardians of the Galaxy. Now, we’ll look at the characters.

Drax the Destroyer is the most overtly autistic character within the film and likely within

the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. Throughout Guardians of the Galaxy, Drax doesn’t

understand specific sayings or symbolism that we find common in US popular culture. When

Peter, Rocket, Groot, and Gamora arrive in space prison (called the Kyln), that’s where they meet

Drax. Thanos and Ronan have been committing genocide across the galaxy, and Drax’s family

had been caught in that. Because of Gamora’s relationship to Thanos and Ronan and Drax’s

strong sense of justice, Drax threatens and attempts to kill Gamora (28:44). Peter steps in and

convinces Drax not to kill her because she’s able to take them to Ronan and Thanos. Peter runs

his finger across his throat (the motion for killing someone) when talking about Drax and Ronan,

and Drax says, “Why would I run my finger across his throat?” (30:22). Peter then has to explain

what that means, to which Drax says, “I would not slice his throat. I would cut his head clean

off” (30:36). Both examples the literal thinking associated with the ASD criteria in the DSM-5-

TR.

Drax also has the sensory sensitivities that many autistic people do. Sensitivities may not

be the right turn of phrase, but he struggles with the internal bodily clues and has external

sensory triggers. In the escape from the Kyln sequence, Drax doesn’t feel any of the hits he’s

taking while fighting guards (36:28). A lot of autistic people struggle with their spatial awareness

and bodily cues, so Drax’s nonreaction to getting hit and hurt by guards can be seen through that

lens. Granted, he is also built, so part of it is also his muscularity that adds to the lack of reaction

and feeling. In Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 (2017), everyone is wearing vests named “aero-

rigs,” and Gamora asks Drax why he isn’t wearing it, to which he responds, “I have sensitive
nipples” (3:30). The delivery makes it seem like a throwaway line, but it just further deepens his

autistic traits. He avoids certain sensory experiences because he doesn’t like how they feel,

which is a very autistic thing to do, I won’t lie.

Peter’s ADHD traits are overt in the same vein as Drax’s autistic traits are. The first scene

we have with Peter ends with him pulling out an old Walkman he had as a child and dancing to

“Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone (6:21). While he dances and struts, he grabs a little

iguana or bearded dragon type animal and uses it as a microphone (6:47). He knows all the

words and uses that to dance and pretend to sing. When he’s taken to the Kyln, his Walkman is

taken by a guard, leading Peter to get upset and yell at the guard, saying, “Hooked on A Feeling,

Blue Suede, 1973. That’s my song!” (24:30). His music is incredibly important to him because

it’s his way of getting his energy out. It also functions as a self-soothing mechanism that can

decrease stress and the feeling of a motor running inside ADHDers. Moments later, in that same

scene, he impulsively takes down the people who were coming for the orb with the Infinity Stone

same as him. Obviously, this type of behavior is common in superhero films because you have to

be quick on your feet to survive. However, the way Peter goes about doing this doesn’t look like

the way most superheroes would handle it. When he does have a plan (which is few and far

between), the plan isn’t fully fleshed out and garners strong reactions from other Guardians

(specifically Rocket) in regard to it (1:15:40). Peter acts without thinking, which gets him into

trouble more often than not.

Another common trait of ADHD is object permanence struggles. Object permanence is a

concept in developmental psychology, and it’s characterized by forgetting an object exists if you

don’t see it for long enough. Once Peter evades those trying to take the orb, the woman he had

slept with pops out from the floor and asks Peter what happened; Peter forgets her name and
didn’t even realize she was still there (11:15). Peter’s brain works so quickly that if he can’t see

it, it doesn’t exist. That’s a common experience among ADHDers. Out of sight, out of mind. The

exception to this, though, is when Peter goes back for his Walkman and music (in the above

paragraph). When something holds that much value, it’s hard to forget it.

Alternatively, Gamora’s autistic traits are masked underneath the exterior she puts up to

protect herself. When she gets taken to the Kyln with the other Guardians, all the prisoners know

who she is, and shout, “You’re dead, Gamora!” and “Murderer!” (25:48). She flinches when the

prisoners throw food at her and shout, but it doesn’t seem to outwardly phase her. If you look at

her face, she keeps a flat expression and when she speaks, she uses a monotone voice (26:04).

She knows she can’t show fear or vulnerability in front of the prisoners because they already

want to tear her apart. She has to be strong. When she enters a cell to get away from everyone,

her expression of stoicism finally falls (27:23). As the prisoners dissipate, she drops the mask

she’s been holding up and allows herself to simply be. She isn’t given the space to be a person

like everyone else is. She’s not allowed to have feelings because she’s “a warrior and an

assassin” that has been trained to kill (more on this parallel to Black Widow later).

Gamora’s first mask slip in front of everyone is when they are heading toward the buyer

who will take the orb. Peter asks Gamora what the orb is, to which she explains she has no idea,

and Drax says that if it’s a weapon, they should use it to destroy Ronan (45:18). Gamora yells at

Drax to put the orb down, saying that he’ll destroy them all, to which Drax responds, “Or just

you, murderess!”; This is where Gamora’s mask slips when she bites, “I let you live once,

princess!” (45:28, emphasis added in text). The bite in Gamora’s “once” is where she loses her

cool for the first time and doesn’t keep up the façade. When Gamora explains her backstory to

Peter, she says it almost objectively, like she’s removed from it. She tells him how Thanos
murdered her parents and turned her into a weapon (similar to Natasha Romanoff and the Red

Room) all with a blank expression until she gets to the end where she gets upset about Thanos

promising to destroy planets for Ronan in return for the Infinity Stone (51:16). Her reciting this

almost as if it’s rehearsed and as if it doesn’t hurt when it most definitely does. Because Gamora

has been raised in the way she has, she’s never been allowed to have feelings. Her trauma has

laid the foundation for her mask, and no one has given her the space to take it down until now.

When the Guardians are preparing for their showdown with Ronan, Gamora says, “I have spent

my entire live surrounded by my enemies. I will be grateful to die among my friends” (1:18:50).

She’s finally at a place where she doesn’t feel like she has to be someone she isn’t anymore.

Groot and Rocket also have strong characteristics of neurodivergence, but theirs are less

located in their bodies than the others. Groot’s autistic tendencies are on the same level of

obvious as Drax’s. The only phrase Groot can speak is “I am Groot.” Rocket tells Peter, “Well,

he [Groot] don’t know talking good like me and you, so his vocabulistics is limited to ‘I’ and

‘am’ and ‘Groot.’ Exclusively, in that order” (23:55). Because Rocket and Groot have been

together so long, Rocket is generally the one to translate and communicate what Groot says to

the rest of them. However, as the film goes on, the rest of the Guardians start to know which

each inflection of “I am Groot” means. Groot’s ability to only say “I am Groot” can be paralleled

with the nonverbal autistic experience (Allman). He also doesn’t understand social cues like

neurotypical people can. Groot drinks from a public fountain (that isn’t meant to be drank from),

and Rocket says, “Don’t drink from that! It’s disgusting” (16:09). Groot continues to do it

despite Rocket telling him not to.

Rocket’s autistic traits are the opposite of Groot’s in the sense that he’s far more

intelligent than the average raccoon, and his special interest is technology and electronics. As
Angelee van Allman writes, “Rocket Raccoon is our patron saint of special interests.” He has this

innate knowledge of the inner workings of electronics and incendiary devices that mirrors what a

human would be able to accomplish. When the Guardians are trying to plan to get out of the

Kyln, Rocket uses his extensive knowledge of electronics and computer systems to devise a plan

to get them out (34:02). Rocket hasn’t seen the control panel in the watchtower, which they are

going to use to escape, but he knows enough to know what he needs to make it happen. Rocket

works around the control panel quickly and efficiently to turn off the artificial gravity and get the

Guardians out all while everyone is bickering and they’re being shot at (40:18). Rocket’s special

interest in electronics and technology comes in handy while he’s under pressure working with

something he’s never worked with before.

These examples aren’t even exhaustive of all of the neurodivergent traits these characters

exhibit. At the climax of the film, Gamora has a change of heart where her sense of

justice/injustice strengthens to the point she’s willing to get arrested to save the galaxy (1:00:10).

Peter and Rocket can communicate without saying exactly what they mean because they have a

sense of mutual understanding. The way their neurodivergence is experienced changes per

character and especially across gender. Gamora’s presentation of ASD comes from her mask and

the trauma she’s endured and survived. Drax comes from a line of people who generally don’t

understand figurative language, meaning his ASD is inherited. Peter’s ADHD manifests itself in

the stereotypical way: in the impulsive decisions and poor planning. Rocket is a raccoon with a

human level of intelligence, and Groot is a talking tree (more or less). Drax and Peter have their

neurodivergence more obviously within their bodies and minds while Gamora hasn’t been

allowed to live in her body. Her body is an unsafe space, one she can’t trust, so she’s masked her

traits to avoid conflict and potentially even death.

 Works Cited

“Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for

Medical Education and Research, 25 Jan. 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-

conditions/adult-adhd/symptoms-causes/syc-20350878.

Allman, Angelee van. “Autism & the Guardians of the Galaxy - Comic Book Curious.” Comic

Book Curious - Joining Creators and Fans, 20 Sept. 2021,

www.comicbookcurious.com/autism-the-guardians-of-the-galaxy/.

Guardians of the Galaxy. Directed by James Gunn, performances by Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana,

Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, and Vin Diesel, Marvel Studios, 2014. Disney+,

www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-c9ee959b-7249-4a4c-9708-9ffd1ddb00f1.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2. Directed by James Gunn, performances by Zoe Saldana and

Dave Bautistia, Marvel Studios, 2017. Disney+, www.disneyplus.com/browse/entity-

9fcd7087-c151-49dc-aeb9-b2f9943fd4e6.

Lebow, Hilary. “Autism in Girls and Women: What Are the Signs?” Psych Central, Psych

Central, 5 May 2022, www.psychcentral.com/autism/signs-of-autism-in-girls.

“Neurodevelopmental disorders.” Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 18

Mar. 2022,

https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787.x01_neurodevelopmental_disorders.

Rudy, Lisa Jo. “Is Autism Different for Girls and Women?” Verywell Health, 9 Aug. 2023,

www.verywellhealth.com/autism-in-women-5209272.
Ward-Sinclair, James. “Why Guardians of the Galaxy Depicts Autism Better than Rain Man.”

Autistic & Unapologetic, 14 Apr. 2018,

www.autisticandunapologetic.com/2018/04/14/why-guardians-of-the-galaxy-depicts-

autism-better-than-rain-man/.