Guardians Of The Galaxy 3's Dance Scene Was A 'Powerful' Moment For James And Sean Gunn

This post contains spoilers for "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."

"Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3" has a handful of moments that seem designed to make audiences cry. Most of them are sad ones, as the Marvel trilogy finally delves into the tragic backstory of Rocket the Raccoon (Bradley Cooper) — and it turns out to be even more painful and depressing than we could've imagined. Other cries are more cathartic, like at the film's climax when Rocket is able to save a whole bunch of raccoon babies from a cruel fate as alien test subjects.

Then there's the last cry, the one that feels like a celebration. Not every film can or should end with a dance sequence, but in the music-filled world of "Guardians of the Galaxy," it's an ending that's not just fitting, but meaningful. After years spent listening to some of the best classic rock tunes planet Earth has ever made, the Guardians' music taste recently got an update in the form of Rocket's Zune. At times throughout the movie, the music player almost seems as if it's the only thing keeping the sick critter alive, as the Guardians keep a rotating playlist going despite his comatose state.

Once the High Evolutionary is vanquished, the Guardians scattered to the wind, and on the misfit planet Knowhere on its path to being rebuilt, Rocket plays one last track, and starts to dance. It's Florence + The Machine's "Dog Days Are Over," one of the purest pop anthems of the 21st century, and the siren song of People Who Will Get Through This everywhere. It's a powerful scene for audiences and these characters, and according to writer-director James Gunn, it was powerful for him and his brother Sean, too.

In addition to his behind-the-camera roles, James Gunn has actually performed in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, doing the motion capture dancing for the heroic tree, Groot. Sean Gunn, meanwhile, pulls double-duty in the trilogy, playing the whistle-arrow-wielding team member Kraglin and performing in a mo-cap suit as Rocket. That means the final scene, which featured Rocket and Groot dancing together, was a chance for the Gunn brothers to share an incredible moment.

"It was a high point in my life, really," James Gunn told the New York Times. "My brother Sean is dancing for Rocket, and in the moment we were shooting the wide shot and dancing toward each other, it was surreal and beautiful and wonderful." The film marks not just James Gunn's final installment of the Guardians trilogy, a high point in the MCU since its 2014 debut, but also his last Marvel project before he headed over to DC as the co-CEO of DC Studios. When the two were dancing, though, it was apparently just like the two were kids again.

"We've been goofing around and playing with Fisher-Price characters since we were kids in our parents' basement," he noted, "and now we're on the biggest set I've ever been on with gigantic Tinker Toys instead of smaller ones, but with that same purity and imagination we had as kids." Gunn also confirmed that those of us blowing our noses on our sleeves in theaters when the strings of Florence's song came in weren't alone. "Everybody was crying as it was happening," he told the outlet. "It was a really powerful moment."

Even Florence Welch herself thought so: in a video that went viral soon after the film's premiere, the musician can be seen bursting into surprised, happy tears while watching the dance scene unfold. Regardless of your feelings on Marvel, the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy, or the latest film, it seems like there's one thing that can transcend all barriers to make filmmakers, actors, and audiences of all ages alike feel like a kid again: a good, old-fashioned dance party.

"Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" is now in theaters.