Adam Warlock is a character that has long been overdue for an onscreen debut. Ever since Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he has been hinted at and teased at on multiple occasions. Now, with the announcement that Will Poulter will be taking on the role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, it appears that viewers will finally get to see the character in action. This is good news to many, as Warlock is very much a fan-favorite character. However, his late entrance into the MCU does lead to many questions regarding his role in the upcoming film, mainly due to one very important detail about the character’s comic book origins.
In the comics, Warlock was practically synonymous with the Marvel Universe’s Soul Stone. The “Soul Gem,” as it was originally called, debuted in the pages of Warlock’s first solo outing, Marvel Premiere #1. In the issue, Warlock was gifted the gem by the High-Evolutionary, so that he could take down the Man-Beast on “Counter Earth.” After that initial introduction, the soul gem remained in Adam Warlock’s possession, becoming a pivotal part of the character’s stories and often being contributed as the reason he is so powerful. This connection even made him a key player in the fight against Thanos, with him frequently being the one to defeat the Mad Titan.
With all the Infinity Stones seemingly destroyed in the MCU by Thanos, it is hard to tell if Warlock will have any connections to Soul Stone when viewers finally get to see him on the big screen. There are, of course, multiple ways in which the character could still come across the stone. After all, with the Multiverse being a major focal point in Phase Four, it would not be unheard of for any of the Infinity Stones to reappear somewhere down the line. Disney +’s Loki had already hinted at that fact, with the Time Variance Authority having powerless Infinity Stones stashed away in their desk drawers. There is also the chance that the Infinity Stones could come back in other ways, as they did in the comics.
However, there is a strong possibility that Warlock might end up having little, if any, connection to the Soul Stone in the MCU. It is probably more likely that any connection he might have to the Soul Stone will be indirect, especially if his involvement in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has anything to do with Gamora. This is far from being a bad thing, as the character was not necessarily defined by the gem. In the comics, he was still one of the most powerful beings without any Infinity Stone to aid him.
Whatever Warlock’s role may be in the MCU, and whether that could connect to the Soul Stone, it seems clear that his involvement will be important in the next Guardians of the Galaxy film. But with the movie not set to premiere until May 23, 2023, it will be a long time before fans learn just how connected Adam Warlock and the Infinity Stones will be.
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