[SPOILER] Comes Face-to-Face With Death in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3'

Spoiler alert: This article contains major spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Are you ready for one last ride?

The time has come to say goodbye to everyone's favorite band of heroic intergalactic misfits, the Guardians of the Galaxy. The third and final installment in the franchise, fittingly titled Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, is the last time audiences see the Guardians as they have come to know them.

The film sees our beloved Guardians settling into life on Knowhere, but soon, their lives are upended by remnants of Rocket's (Bradley Cooper) tumultuous past. In order to protect him, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) must rally the Guardians on a dangerous mission to save Rocket's life.

So, do they complete the mission? Or does Rocket die? Stick around to find out.

Although several characters bite the bullet, fans will be thrilled to know that none of the Guardians, including Rocket, die in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. The anthropomorphic raccoon is essentially in a coma for much of the film; he does technically die at one point, flatlining just as the Guardians get him exactly what he needs to survive.

Thankfully, Peter performs CPR and successfully revives Rocket. He then joins the Guardians in the final battle against the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) — he also completes his emotional arc by embracing his identity as a raccoon and saving the day with his family one last time.

When constructing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, writer-director James Gunn felt encouraged to have Rocket and his traumatic early life drive the narrative. The wise-cracking, cosmic criminal may look tough on the outside — but inside, he's one of, if not the saddest creature in the galaxy.

"This is a little animal who was taken and turned into something he shouldn't be and felt completely ostracized and alienated from every other life form in the galaxy and was angry because of that and angry because he's scared," he told Marvel.com. "That loneliness is the center of the Guardians of the Galaxy."

Rocket is an emotional catalyst and the heart of the GOTG Vol. 3 story, so we don't blame Bradley Cooper for tearing up during what is likely his last time voicing the anthropomorphic raccoon.

At the world premiere, Bradley spoke with Entertainment Tonight and revealed he got choked up watching the movie, especially when he saw how Rocket's story unfolds: "It was ... emotional's the right word," he said. "I watched a cut of it a while ago, and I cried pretty hard. I mean, it's pretty hardcore. Little Rocket went through a lot."

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is now in theaters.