USA Today has two more Guardians of the Galaxy photos, highlighting Michael Rooker as the blue skinned Yondu and Sean Gunn as his first mate Kraglin. Check out the grisly pair of space pirates, and then read on for more information about this dubious duo as Michael Rooker helps explain what Yondu, a sort-of surrogate father to Star-Lord, is all about.

Guardians of the Galaxy Photo #1 Yondu and Kraglin
Guardians of the Galaxy Photo #2 Yondu

Director James Gunn wrote the role of Yondu specifically for Michael Rooker, an extraterrestrial with blue skin, red eyes, gold teeth and a metal Mohawk. While he's not necessarily a bad guy, he is an outlaw by heart. Years before Peter Quill would become Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Yondu took the young boy under his wing and became Peter's guardian of sorts. Michael Rooker explains,

"He's feeling lost, vulnerable, defeated, emotionally drained and hurt, and here is Yondu in this light coming down and brings him up into the spacecraft and takes him away. It might have been pretty horrific, but also a bit cool."

Young Peter is raised alongside the Ravagers, who are described as a galaxy traipsing bike gang. As an adult, Peter schemes with Yondu to steal a mysterious orb, which sets the main adventure seen in Guardians of the Galaxy into motion. But once he steals the orb, Quill sets off on his own, which puts the Ravagers in hot pursuit along with the rest of the known universe. Peter must eventually try to keep the orb out of the hands of space villain Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace).

Michael Rooker goes onto explain his character's motivation.

"[He has] some interesting issues - not a good guy, not a bad guy. There's hope and there's a heart inside Yondu...It's not so black and white - I should say blue and white. And I enjoy roles that are like that, even if they're not in some galaxy somewhere other than ours."

To read more from Michael Rooker and director James Gunn about Yondu and his place in this universe: CLICK HERE