One of the magical things about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is its ability to make viewers fall in love with characters that were previously unknown to those outside of the comic book fandom. It may be hard to remember now, but there was a time when most people did not care about Iron Man. Now, they make movies out of even more obscure characters, turning most of them into household names in the process. People like Dr. Strange, Captain Marvel, Ant-Man, and The Guardians of the Galaxy are all a significant part of pop culture, thanks to the MCU.
Speaking of the Guardians, one of the most beloved characters to come from the film franchise has to be Star-Lord, portrayed by Chris Pratt. The seemingly stoic, yet emotion driven space faring bad boy has become a fan favorite since jumping onto the big screen in 2014 in Guardians of the Galaxy. Every element of his design oozes coolness, and it is clear that a lot of thought was put into it. One of the most intriguing parts of his getup is the mask. Little is known about it from simply watching the movies, so the next ten entries will shine a light on the mysterious, pragmatic headgear.
It Changes Size
While the Marvel universe doesn’t take place in the future, the characters have access to technology not yet invented in the real world. Since Star-Lord is in space, his mask can take advantage of unearthly technology.
One of the cool things it can do is automatically change size to fit the wearer. This way, nobody putting it on will ever feel uncomfortable, and Star-Lord can still don it if Chris Pratt reverts to his old body type.
It Has A Universal Translator
Star-Lord is said to have a knack for languages, something undoubtedly helpful when traversing through outer space’s great expanse. Even for the most experienced polyglots, becoming fluent in every alien tongue would be impossible.
Fortunately, Star-Lord’s helmet comes with a universal translator that can decipher any foreign language he may come across. Hopefully, it doesn’t make him too lazy to continue learning these languages on his own.
It Can Regulate Oxygen In Space
Modern-day astronauts wear bulky, unfashionable suits when floating in space. While looking good is the last thing on their minds when out in the cosmos, it would be nice to traverse space in style.
Fortunately for Star-Lord, his mask regulates oxygen usage, allowing him to be in space for a limited time. Because he can use it to breathe, it also helps him traverse toxic environments.
It Improves Vision
Animals with stellar vision usually have giant glowing eyes, some of which look similar to the replicants of Blade Runner. With their enhanced eyes, they are able to better hunt and see in the darkness.
As somebody who deals with danger daily, such an ability would surely help Star-Lord. Luckily, the mask does just this. Just from looking at its bright red eyes, one could assume that it was made to enhance the wearer’s vision. Whether one is aiming or on reconnaissance, enhanced sight comes in handy.
It Allows The Wearer To Quickly Analyze Battle Situations
Good aim, agility, and endurance are all vital to winning a fight, but they mean nothing without a good strategy. The strongest fighter without a plan will lose their life on a battlefield to a weaker, but smarter opponent.
Star-Lord himself is more powerful than the average human, and can take more of a beating, but even he knows that he has to think about his actions. This is where his mask helps, allowing him to analyze situations on the fly and make better make decisions under fire.
Early Star-Lords Didn’t Have The Mask
The Star-Lord known and loved by many was far from the first one to grace comic book pages. Early incarnations of the character barely resemble the one eventually played by the Parks and Recreation star.
His first appearance was in 1976, and instead of a mask, he had goggles. They provided some similar advantages but were not nearly as stylish. This incarnation of the character was short-lived, eventually being retconned as from an alternate reality.
The Movie’s Mask Was Eventually Used In The Comics
The mask and general look of the character was created for the film, and almost looked radically different. Some elements from his comic book counterpart were similar, but the filmmakers made several tweaks to make him appear better on the screen. The mask was one of the biggest changes made.
Afterward, this became the iconic design for the space cowboy. The comics eventually started using this outfit as well, and is now the character’s definitive look.
It Started Out As More Of A Helmet
Star- Lord’s big return to comics was in the Annihilation story line, not to be confused with the science fiction film of the same name.
This is when he first started resembling what would eventually become the iconic look fans fell in love with, but he still had some key differences. Namely, the mask was not so much a mask as it was a helmet. When worn, his face was completely obscured.
They Became A Pair Of Headphones
Before 2014, if one walked down the street in a pair of headphones designed to look like a mask, people would look at them like they had eight eyes. After the release of Guardians of the Galaxy, people now know they are just imitating their favorite science fiction action hero.
They come at a relatively steep price, but these recently released headphones let fans strut down the street while listening to Star-Lord’s favorite tunes from the films’ soundtracks.
He Once Had Cybernetic Implants Instead
There was also a time when Star-Lord had neither goggles, a mask, nor a helmet. After receiving life-threatening injuries from a battle with the Fallen One, he was forced to receive cybernetic implants in order to stay alive.
Not only did the battle nearly end him, but it also crushed his spirit, creating a darker, more moody Peter Quill.
