The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was met with soaring reviews and wonderful Christmas delight from fans. In it, Kevin Bacon was forcibly brought face to face with Peter Quill. But aside from kidnapping a movie star, the Guardians of the Galaxy dropped a big change in MCU canon as if it wasn’t a big deal at all. At the beginning of the Holiday Special, Nebula casually mentioned that the Guardians bought Knowhere from the Collector. That’s right, the Guardians of the Galaxy now own a huge abandoned head floating through space.

Despite mentioning it so offhandedly, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special created some big changes in canon for the MCU. Knowhere was once home to the Collector and millions of other aliens who created an economy out of mining the biological material of the dead Celestial. It’s natural that the Collector no longer wanted the place after it was destroyed by Thanos, but it raises many questions. Where is the Collector now? What happened to his collection, or is he selling it off? And how is this going to play into Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3? Knowhere is a big place, and it’s valuable space real estate. If the Guardians own it, it could mean bigger things down the road in the MCU.

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The Guardians Bought Knowhere

MCU's The Collector - Guardians of the Galaxy
Marvel Studios

At the start of the Holiday Special, Nebula casually mentions that the Guardians “bought” Knowhere from the Collector. It’s a big reveal, not only that the Collector physically owned Knowhere but that he was also putting it up for sale. For a long time, fans weren’t sure that the Collector was still alive since Thanos destroyed Knowhere in Infinity War. Now that we know for certain, there are many curious things put into play by a Collector on the loose.

The first and most interesting thing to consider is what must’ve happened to his collection. It’s Marvel Comics canon that his collection on Knowhere wasn’t his only one in the universe, so he is likely tending to some other menagerie. But there were a lot of interesting items hidden in his Knowhere vaults, including Cosmo, the space dog, whom we saw enjoying her time on Knowhere with the Guardians. And we already know Howard the Duck is free – he might even be getting his own Disney+ series. But what else was in those cages? Along with a couple of fun Marvel side characters, there could have been seriously valuable technology or magical items that got snatched up before the Collector could get his things together.

It might even be the case that the Collector sold the whole of Knowhere to the Guardians and included what little remained of his collection there. If so, Peter Quill might be in store to find some pretty incredible things in that hollow skull. It’s also a pretty big plot hole just waiting to be filled with opportunity. Knowhere has played a huge role in MCU lore for just being an empty head. All Black, Gorr’s Necrosword, though he got it from a deceased shadow lord, was originally made from the materials in Knowhere’s chest. So Knowhere could still be an extremely valuable resource even though it’s been burned down twice now.

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How Will This Fit Into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?

Guardians of the Galaxy 3
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

James Gunn noted that Knowhere would play some kind of role in Vol. 3. Now that the Guardians live on it, they’re changing it into a place for refugees and displaced peoples. Peter Quill is likely trying to make this the intergalactic home for people affected by the blip. This might be a very heroic act of charity, but it’s important to remember that the Guardians have made a lot of enemies on their previous adventures.

We saw the High Evolutionary and the Sovereign in this most recent Guardians trailer, or at the very least, we saw Adam Warlock, and we know the Sovereign made him. But the only thing keeping these enemies at bay, until now, has that the Guardians are constantly flying around the Galaxy, unable to be tracked. Now they are settled in one singular, very famous location. And if they’re trying to create some sort of colony of lost souls, then word should get around quickly of where to find them.

Knowhere is also still full of very valuable resources. Not only could people come to reclaim various treasures the Collector may have stolen, but the very matter of which Knowhere is made is worth something on the black market. Living in Knowhere puts a target on all of the Guardians’ backs just by being there. It may be for greed, or it may be for revenge, but it’s highly likely that someone is out there aiming a big gun at the Guardians of the Galaxy and their new home of Knowhere.