Chris Pratt in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, photo courtesy Disney
Peter Quill
Star-Lord never knew his father, and it left him with a relational hole, a hunger, all his life. He talks about how other kids played catch with their dads: Not him. He talks about how he used to tell folks that his father was Knight Rider star David Hasselhoff. Like Rocket, Peter has built walls around that relational hole—defenses to help him deal. But then, in Vol. 2, something amazing happens: Peter meets his father (or, at least, a guy claiming to be his father). Suddenly, Peter feels that lingering ache might finally be salved.
Sometimes we find something, or someone, we think can sate our hunger. They’ll give us whatever we feel we’re lacking. And there’s some truth to that. The people around us—our spouses and significant others, our friends and children—can be amazing influences in our lives. But I think when we look for someone to fill our deepest needs—when we look at people as a cure-all for what ails us—we’re bound to be disappointed. Why? Because we’re all flawed. We’re all human. Your best friend or significant other may be a fantastic person, but he or she can’t save you.