Drax (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Drax
Marvel Cinematic Universe character
Dave Bautista as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
First appearance	Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Based on	Drax the Destroyer by Jim Starlin
Adapted by	James Gunn Nicole Perlman
Portrayed by	Dave Bautista
Voiced by	Fred Tatasciore (What If...?)[1]
In-universe information
Full name	Drax
Alias	Drax the Destroyer
Species	Unknown
Affiliation	Guardians of the Galaxy
Weapon	Dual knives Various weapons including the Hadron Enforcer[2]
Spouse	Hovat
Children	Kamaria (daughter)

Drax, also known as Drax the Destroyer, is a fictional character portrayed by Dave Bautista in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. In the films, Drax is a warrior and member of the Guardians of the Galaxy who seeks vengeance for the loss of his family. Originally he sought to avenge his family by killing Kree fanatic Ronan the Accuser, but after Ronan's death, his mission became defeating Thanos.

As of 2021^[update], the character has appeared in four films: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019), as well as the Disney+ animated series What If...? (2021) as alternate versions, voiced by Fred Tatasciore instead of Bautista. He will return in the upcoming films Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).

The comic book character, Drax the Destroyer, first appeared in The Invincible Iron Man #55 (February 1973), and was created by Jim Starlin with the help of writer Mike Friedrich. He appeared in various Marvel series, and was "killed" several times. Drax received an eponymous 4 issue miniseries in 2004, and was a starring character in Annihilation: Nova #1–4 (2005) and Annihilation #1–6 (2006). After a follow up appearance in Nova vol 4 #4–7 (2007) and the 2008 "Annihilation: Conquest" storyline, he was featured as a team member in the 2008 relaunch of Guardians of the Galaxy, and appeared in the 25 issue series of the same name. The character had a small role in The Thanos Imperative #1–3 (2010), in which he was killed. The comic book origin of the character was as the displaced soul of a human from Earth placed in a body created to seek revenge on Thanos.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige first mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International, stating, "There are some obscure titles, too, like Guardians of the Galaxy. I think they've been revamped recently in a fun way in the [comic] book."^[3] Feige reiterated that sentiment in a September 2011 issue of Entertainment Weekly, saying, "There's an opportunity to do a big space epic, which Thor sort of hints at, in the cosmic side" of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Feige added, should the film be made, it would feature an ensemble of characters, similar to X-Men and The Avengers.^[4] Feige announced that the film was in active development at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International during the Marvel Studios panel, with an intended release date of August 1, 2014. He said the film's titular team would consist of the characters Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Groot, and Rocket.^[5]

In 2018, Bautista joined his castmates in support of Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn after his firing for old tweets joking about pedophilia and rape.^[6] Bautista declared that if Disney (parent company of Marvel Studios) did not use Gunn's script for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, he would ask to be recast, calling Gunn's firing "nauseating".^[7] Ultimately, Gunn was reinstated as director of the film in March 2019.^[8] Bautista indicated that at one point Gunn wanted to do "a Drax and Mantis film" as a spinoff, but that the concept was not pursued by Marvel.^[9]

Bautista's makeup took approximately four hours to apply, though it could be removed in 90 minutes.^[10] Drax has various scarring patterns on his body, which replace the simple tattoos from the comics, each having a specific story. Additionally, his skin tone was changed from the bright green in the comics to a muddier grey, to avoid visual similarities to the Hulk.^[11]

For the second film, Bautista's makeup took only 90 minutes to apply, down from four hours for the first film. He would have to sit in a sauna at the end of the day to get the makeup off, after his makeup test was found to be too "abrasive".^[12]

Prior to 2014, Drax's homeworld was invaded by forces of Thanos under the command of Ronan the Accuser. The invaders killed Drax's family, setting him off on a path of revenge, resulting in him being captured and sent to a space prison called the Kyln.

In 2014, the other Guardians first encounter Drax in prison, where he has immediate hostility towards Gamora due to her connection with Thanos. Drax attacks Gamora, but Peter Quill convinces him to spare her in return for her ability to draw Ronan to her, so that Drax can exact revenge. Drax helps the Guardians escape from prison, accompanying them to Knowhere, where he argues with Rocket and then drunkenly sends a signal out to challenge Ronan to come and fight. Ronan arrives, easily defeats Drax in combat, and leaves with the Power Stone. Drax regrets his actions and joins the Guardians in defending Xandar from Ronan's attack. After Ronan's ship crashes, Drax and Rocket destroy Ronan's axe holding the Power Stone, and join Quill and Gamora in controlling the stone long enough to destroy Ronan. After the Nova Corps praise the Guardians for their actions, Gamora genuinely assures Drax that his family was avenged. He accepts her advice, although he acknowledges that Ronan was merely a pawn of Thanos, whom he now seeks revenge on.

Drax and the Guardians are later hired by the Sovereign to fight off an alien attacking their valuable batteries, in exchange for retrieving Gamora's sister Nebula. After they leave, they are chased by the Sovereign fleet, as Rocket has stolen their batteries, of which Drax was aware. After crash-landing on a planet, they meet Quill's father, Ego. Drax decides to accompany Quill and Gamora to Ego's planet, while Rocket, Groot, and Nebula stay behind. On Ego's planet, they meet Ego's assistant Mantis, with whom Drax develops a friendship though he finds her hideous. When the Guardians find out about Ego's true self, Drax joins them in fighting Ego until Quill puts a jetpack on him and sends him away.

In 2018, when the Guardians answer the distress call from Thor's destroyed spaceship and find revive Thor from floating in space, Drax accompanies Quill and Gamora back to Knowhere to head off Thanos from gaining the Reality Stone. However, Thanos gets there first and uses the stone to briefly turns Drax into a pile of blocks. After Thanos takes Gamora and leaves, Drax reforms into himself and accompanies Quill and Mantis to Titan, where they join with Avengers Tony Stark, Stephen Strange, and Peter Parker in an effort to defeat Thanos there, which ultimately fails due to Thanos' power with the partially assembled Infinity Gauntlet. Shortly after, Drax disintegrates due to the Blip.

In 2023, Drax is restored to life and is transported via a portal to Earth at the destroyed Avengers Compound to join the battle against an alternate Thanos and his army. Afterwards, Drax attends Stark's funeral, and along with the other Guardians and Thor, departs for space.

In Guardians of the Galaxy, Drax is characterized as a warrior who seeks to avenge his family's death at the hands of Ronan.^[13] On relating to the character, Bautista said, "I can just relate to Drax so much it's not even funny. Just the simple things that we have in common. Simple things like the tattoos, the tragedy—because, you know, I had a bit of tragedy in my life, as well. So it's really easy for me to pull from that." Bautista also said that there was "a lot of comic relief to Drax", but the character was not aware of it. Bautista stated that he did not do much preparation for the role, because "Luckily, for me, I'm a lifelong athlete and I adapted real quick".^[14]

In preparing for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Bautista waited for the final version of the script so as to not take "away from the magic", which he felt had happened when he read early drafts of the first film.^[15] He added that "I wasn't crazy about my part [in Vol. 2, initially]. It went a different direction than what I thought they were going to go with Drax," noting he did not "think Drax was that significant in the film". The part "clicked" for Bautista after the table read with the other cast.^[16] Bautista called Drax "more funny, driven" than in the first film,^[17] and having "a sense of innocence and heartbreak about him",^[18] despite "most people's first perception of Drax [that] he's just a big, muscly brute".^[17]

Drax appears in "What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord?", an episode of What If...?, although voiced by Fred Tatasciore instead of Bautista.^[1] Bautista claimed he had not been asked to voice Drax in the series,^[19] although Marvel Studios vice-president Brad Winderbaum doubted this.^[20]

Several alternate versions of Drax appear in the animated series, What If...?, where he is voiced by Fred Tatasciore.

In an alternate 2014, Drax works as a bartender on Contraxia and is an admirer of Star-Lord T'Challa, after his homeworld and family were saved by him from a Kree invasion.

In an alternate 2011, Drax attends Thor's intergalatic party on Earth. He becomes upset when Thor calls on the partygoers to clean up their mess until Thor uses his powers to intimidate them into cleaning up while mentioning that Frigga is coming.

In an alternate 2015, Drax, along with the other Guardians, are killed by Ultron on Sovereign.

Despite his rough exterior and tragic backstory, Drax commonly serves as comedic relief, and his lines within the franchise have often been used as internet memes.^[21][22]

• Characters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

• Drax on the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki
• Drax on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki
• Drax on Marvel.com