Who Is High Evolutionary? Rumored Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 Character Explained

The High Evolutionary is rumored to appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in a major role. According to ScreenGeek, the character will be played by Chukwudi Iwuji. The report also claims that he’ll be the movie’s main villain.

Though Marvel hasn’t confirmed that the High Evolutionary is coming to the MCU, it’s no secret that Iwuji will indeed be featured in the movie in some capacity. It’s been known for some time now that Ijuwi will be in not one, but two James Gunn projects. In addition to playing Clemson Murn in HBO Max’s Peacemaker show, Ijuwi has been cast in the third installment in Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. Gunn previously confirmed his casting, but has yet to reveal his character’s identity. So far, the only hints about his role have come directly from the actor. Ijuwi said in an interview that his Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 character is “deeplycomplex” and “extremely powerful”. Given the scope of the Marvel Universe, there’s no shortage of characters Ijuwi could be referring to.

His comments don’t rule out the High Evolutionary, whose comic history would make him an interesting fit both for the MCU and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in particular. His inclusion could go a long way toward tying up some loose ends and providing some much-needed answers, while also opening the door for new stories. Here’s who the High Evolutionary is in the comic books and what his debut in Gunn’s new Marvel movie would mean for the MCU.

High Evolutionary’s Marvel Comics History Explained

Introduced in the pages of Thor, the High Evolutionary factored heavily into the stories of several major Marvel Comics heroes. In fact, a 2010s Marvel Comics retcon made him the character responsible for Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver’s powers. The God of Thunder, Black Knight, Adam Warlock, and Spider-Woman have all been impacted by his presence in their lives as well. Formerly known as Herbert Wyndham, the High Evolutionary was an incredibly intelligent human biologist who grew up in England. As his title implies, Wyndham became obsessed with the concept of evolution. As a result of his interest in the field, Wyndham decided to play god and used science to manually “evolve” animals and humans. At some point, he relocated to Mount Wundagore and transformed a group of animals into talking, humanoid characters collectively known as the New Men.

Being based at Mount Wundagore created major problems for the High Evolutionary. Unbeknownst to him at first, Wundagore was the secret location of Chthon, a demonic god who had been imprisoned there thousands of years ago. After becoming aware of Chthon’s existence, the High Evolutionary appointed the New Men as the Knights of Wundagore and took measures to ensure that Chthon remained a prisoner of the mountain. His commitment to this goal caused him to form separate, temporary alliances with Black Knight and Quicksilver during the 1990s. High Evolutionary is also credited with being the character who kicked off Adam Warlock’s Marvel Comics journey. In the 1970s, he named him “Warlock” and entrusted him with the Soul Stone. Sending the character on a mission to defeat one of his creations – a villain called the Man-Beast – is what really made Adam Warlock into a hero.

The High Evolutionary has certainly done some good in the Marvel Universe, but that doesn’t take away from his well-earned reputation as a villain. His efforts to evolve people (oftentimes against their will) have brought him into conflict with the Avengers, the Hulk, Ka-Zar, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four. In some stories, the High Evolutionary was presented as a cosmic threat. Over the years, his activities in the universe have attracted the attention of beings as powerful as Galactus and the Celestials.

High Evolutionary Powers Explained

The High Evolutionary’s experiments in the comics extend far beyond the New Men, Quicksilver, and Scarlet Witch. Decades ago, the character succeeded in evolving himself. The transformation he went through enhanced his intellect to a point that it outclasses the potential of any normal human. His brain is so advanced that he was able to engineer his own planet. In the 1970s, he created a replica of Earth called Counter-Earth and populated it with its own human societies and culture. Remarkable intellectual feats such as this prove that even Mr. Fantastic, Doctor Doom, Iron Man, and Hank Pym aren’t on his level in regards to scientific knowledge.

The High Evolutionary’s intelligence isn’t his only asset. Multiple appearances in Marvel Comics have demonstrated that he can be quite formidable in combat. The evolutionary process he went through in his early years gifted him with superhuman strength, durability, the ability to project blasts of energy from his hands, and more. He also wears a specially-designed suit capable of withstanding attacks from characters as strong as Thor and Hulk.

High Evolutionary’s Rumored Guardians Of The Galaxy 3 Role

As mentioned above, High Evolutionary is thought to be the villain who will face off against Star-Lord’s team after their adventure in Thor: Love and Thunder. His involvement would have major implications for the story, especially since it will include both Adam Warlock and Rocket Raccoon. He has no confirmed link to Rocket in the comics, but that doesn’t matter. The MCU establishing a connection between them would make perfect sense. Given Rocket’s nature and the mystery surrounding his origin, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if he turned out to be a creation of the MCU’s High Evolutionary and one of his New Men. The Guardians meeting (and battling) the High Evolutionary can be how Marvel finally explains Rocket’s origin and ends his arc at the same time.

If Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3. does include High Evolutionary, there’s a good chance he’ll be used to streamline the movie’s Rocket Raccoon and Adam Warlock stories. In the comics, it was the High Evolutionary who gave Adam Warlock a new purpose in life by asking him to save Counter-Earth from the Man-Beast. The Man-Beast may or may not be part of the equation in the MCU’s version of the story, but the High Evolutionary can still share his comic counterpart’s role in Adam Warlock’s life by recruiting the hero for an important mission. Similar to what happened in the comics, Warlock may find a reason to exist by helping the High Evolutionary. He could be in the villain’s service when Star-Lord’s team finally cross paths with him in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

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