Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 villain the High Evolutionary will be played by Chukwudi Iwuji in the MCU. In Marvel Comics, the High Evolutionary was crucial to the origin of Adam Warlock, who will also debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, played by Will Poulter. Debuting in 1966, the High Evolutionary is a brilliant scientist with a penchant for genetic manipulation and a particular interest in elevating animals to intelligent self-awareness. Undoubtedly, the High Evolutionary's debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 — considering his Marvel Comics history — makes him an interesting fit for the MCU's Multiverse Saga.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 trailer hints heavily at James Gunn's final Guardians of the Galaxy movie being the darkest chapter in the cosmic team's history, and there's no better villain to deliver such a climactic event than the High Evolutionary. The inclusion of the High Evolutionary in the MCU's Phase 5 could go a long way towards tying up some loose ends and providing some much-needed answers, especially when it comes to Rocket's MCU origins and Adam Warlock. Here’s who the High Evolutionary is in Marvel Comics and how the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 villain could alter the course of the MCU.
High Evolutionary's Marvel Comics History Explained
Making his first Marvel Comics appearance in 1966's The Mighty Thor #134, the High Evolutionary factored heavily into the storylines of several major heroes, including being revealed to be responsible for the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver's abilities. Originally, the High Evolutionary was a genius human biologist named Herbert Edgar Wyndham, who became obsessed with the concept of evolution after being inspired by the work of Nathaniel Essex, the X-Men villain known as Mister Sinister. Operating from his base in Mount Wundagore, Wyndham transformed animals into talking, sentient creatures which he dubbed "New Men," which may have been glimpsed in trailers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
After learning of the demon Chthon's presence in Mount Wundagore, Wyndham trained his New Men to be the "Knights of Wundagore" in an effort to keep the demon trapped. He would be credited with starting Adam Warlock's journey, naming the hero "Warlock" and entrusting him with the Soul Stone, and while his intentions throughout his career were reasonable (wanting to evolve humanity into the perfect species), he would often come into conflict with the likes of the Avengers, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four. His activities even caught the attention of major villains such as Galactus and the Celestials, so his debut in the MCU could spell bad news.
High Evolutionary's Powers Explained
The High Evolutionary's powers in Marvel Comics extend far beyond the New Men, as Wyndham had originally used himself as a guinea pig. This transformation enhanced his intellect to the point that it outclasses the potential of any normal human; even the Fantastic Four's Reed Richards, Doctor Doom, Iron Man, and Hank Pym couldn't match his genius and scientific knowledge. This allowed the High Evolutionary to even engineer his own planet. The villain created a replica of Earth on the other side of the sun, named Counter-Earth, which he populated with his New Men and will also be appearing in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Remarkable intellectual feats such as this prove that, in a multiverse full of super-geniuses, it's rare the High Evolutionary isn't the smartest person in the room. Even so, his intelligence isn't his only asset, as he is also a formidable fighter and is imbued with the gifts of telepathy and telekinesis. His self-inflicted evolutionary experiments left the High Evolutionary with enhanced strength, durability, and precognition, as well as the ability to project blasts of energy from his hands. His sentient armor also gifts him a regenerative healing factor and can withstand attacks from heroes as strong as Thor and the Hulk.
High Evolutionary Comics Changes Explained
Trailers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 have revealed more details about the MCU's High Evolutionary and suggest that some major aspects of his character will be changed for his live-action portrayal. It's unclear whether his origins on Earth or connection to Mister Sinister will be the same in the MCU, especially since the backstory for Adam Warlock has already been changed. Even so, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will show a younger High Evolutionary and the present-day iteration, so some backstory should be explained. Aside from that, his cosmic powers are nowhere to be seen in trailers, as his scientific genius is put front and center instead.
While the High Evolutionary has no connection to Guardians of the Galaxy's Rocket in Marvel Comics, the Phase 5 film will confirm that Rocket's genetic enhancements are the work of Wyndham himself. This effectively makes Rocket one of the High Evolutionary's New Men and means that Bradley Cooper's Rocket's MCU backstory will get explored in great detail. Even so, it appears that the High Evolutionary used grounded and scientific tactics to enhance his New Men in the MCU rather than any cosmic techniques, though it would be great to see a mention of Mount Wundagore after its previous appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
High Evolutionary's Role In Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Explained
While Adam Warlock is set to be featured as a Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 antagonist, the major threat will be posed by the High Evolutionary. In part, this is due to James Gunn's decision to leave Marvel Studios following the release of the Phase 5 film, as he has claimed that his favorite character is Rocket, and he wants to conclude Rocket's story in Vol. 3. This means that Rocket's origins with the High Evolutionary must be explained, which link back to the theme of family in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, as the High Evolutionary is Rocket's creator, and therefore perhaps the only family he has.
Even though it was the High Evolutionary in Marvel Comics who gifted Adam Warlock his purpose, it's likely the pair won't have a connection in the MCU, as Warlock's origins have also been changed. Instead, the High Evolutionary could pose a greater threat to the entirety of humanity, as his goal is to evolve the human race into the perfect species, similar to the ambition of the Sovereign who created Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Hopefully, the High Evolutionary won't be featured as a one-and-done villain, as the character has such as rich history in Marvel Comics that is deserving of a long career in the MCU.
High Evolutionary Confirms A Big Adam Warlock GOTG Vol. 3 Role
Will Poulter has been known for some time to be debuting as Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, but his involvement alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy and the High Evolutionary suggests he'll have a much larger role in the MCU's future. In Marvel Comics, Adam Warlock is shown to be able to take down the Mad Titan Thanos with a collection of cosmic abilities that rival the power of other heroes such as Captain Marvel, America Chavez, and the Scarlet Witch. James Gunn seems to be setting up an epic finale for the current Guardians team, pitting them against two of Marvel Comics' most memorable characters.
Poulter's casting as Adam Warlock was unexpected, as it was unclear if the young actor could express the sheer force of Warlock accurately. However, trailers for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 have put many minds at ease and have shown that Poulter's Warlock will be pivotal to the storyline for the film, perhaps as much so as Chukwudi Iwuji's High Evolutionary. Perhaps Marvel Studios will keep the original connection between Adam Warlock and the High Evolutionary intact, meaning Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 could see two of Marvel's most powerful characters forces, at least for a short while.
