The story finds the Guardians settled on Knowhere, but their peace is shattered when the gold-skinned (Will Poulter) launches a brutal attack, leaving Rocket mortally wounded. Because of a "kill switch" embedded in Rocket by his creator, the team cannot use standard medical technology to save him. This triggers a desperate race across the galaxy to infiltrate the headquarters of the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), a mad scientist obsessed with creating a "perfect" society through cruel genetic experimentation.