15 Best High Evolutionary Quotes from ‘GotG Vol. 3’ & Comics

The High Evolutionary is a fictional Marvel Comics character that recently appeared as the main antagonist of MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Portrayed by Chukwudi Iwuji, the High Evolutionary was a bone-chilling villain – one of the vilest in the MCU – but in the comics, he was probably even worse.

If you want to get to know the character better, the best way to do it would probably be through his own quotes. So, without further ado, here are the 15 best High Evolutionary quotes from the comics and the MCU. They aren’t ranked in any way but represent who the High Evolutionary is and why he is such a prominent Marvel supervillain.

Best High Evolutionary quotes from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

“’Mo egraste forn, mo egalore fornonte,’ which translated is, ‘be not as you are, but as you should be.’ It’s our sacred mission to take the cacophony of sounds around us and turn it into a song. To take an imperfect clump of biological matter such as you, and transform it into something… perfect. And we’re halfway there, aren’t we?”

This quote came in a flashback when Rocket was still 89P13, an experiment conducted by the High Evolutionary. It somewhat perfectly describes his motivations, which, out of context, seems reasonable. However, as soon as you learn what he means by those words – and how he ‘transforms’ things, you’ll see that we’re dealing with a complete psycho.

“There is no God! That’s why I stepped in!”

This quote came from the High Evolutionary while speaking to one of his subordinates. It clearly shows how narcissistic and self-centered the High Evolutionary is. He thinks he is God and puts it upon himself to make the world ‘perfect,’ at least in his eyes. What is worse, he thinks he has the right to experiment, torture, and kill ‘lesser species’ as he sees fit.

“You! You thought you could escape me? No! You think you have some worth in and of yourself without me? No! You are an abomination! Nothing more than a step on my path! You freakish little monster! How dare you think you are more! 8… 9… P… 1… 3!”

This is just another example of the High Evolutionary’s insane narcissism, thinking that he is better than everyone. He sees Rocket as simply a mistake he made along the way, as only a number. He doesn’t see Rocket as a sentient, intelligent being but rather a failed experiment. 

You can see that in the last part of the quote, where he refuses to call Rocket by his name and instead uses his experiment number, 89P13.

“I’m not trying to conquer the universe… I’m perfecting it.”

These villains always seem to have an explanation for their ridiculous actions. This quote from the High Evolutionary came in dialogue with Star-Lord, where Peter told him that he doesn’t need another speech from a villain rationalizing their reasons to conquer the universe.

If you remember, that’s exactly what Thanos did – he explained that he plans on ‘saving’ the universe by literally cutting it in half. His reasoning was completely irrational, but the High Evolutionary might be even worse. Who is he to say that someone isn’t good enough? Who is he to say what is perfect?

“Anything I’ve done, I’ve done for the betterment of the universe.”

This quote is yet another example of the High Evolutionary being completely delusional about his actions. He sees nothing wrong with the experimenting, torturing, and murdering of innocent life – he only sees it as meets to an end. That’s why he’s one of the cruelest, vilest MCU villains to date.

“They will be destroyed unless you bring me what is mine!”

This quote came during a phone call with Star-Lord. The High Evolutionary demanded that they bring Rocket back to him. He believes that Rocket (or 89P13, in his words) still belongs to him. The High Evolutionary doesn’t see his experiments as living beings – he sees them as his possessions.

“Look what he did to me! For what? All I wanted to do… was to make things… perfect!”

Even in defeat, the High Evolutionary still didn’t see the error of his ways. He still believed that everything he had done was for a good cause. He was left on the ground faceless and still believed that the things he made were meant to make everything ‘perfect.’

Rocket answered with the best response he could’ve given his creator and torturer: “You didn’t want to make things perfect. You just hated things the way they are.”

“You’re simply a medley of mistakes we made.”

For someone claiming to be the one that wants to perfect life and make the universe a perfect place, the High Evolutionary really doesn’t value life at all. He sees Rocket, Floor, Lylla, and Teefs as mistakes. Learning what Rocket went through broke our hearts, but this quote shows how abuse doesn’t always have to be physical. Words can abuse, too.

“My sacred mission is to create the perfect society.”

This one simple line sums up the High Evolutionary’s motivations perfectly. However, while he thinks he’s creating the perfect society on Counter-Earth, Peter Quill’s response absolutely hits the nail on the head: “Yeah, well, newsflash, better universes typically don’t have octopuses selling meth to guys with cockroach heads.”

The High Evolutionary is simply violent, narcissistic, sociopathic, and a megalomaniac, believing he has the right to do as he sees fit and believing that his judgment is superior to anyone else’s.

Best High Evolutionary quotes from Marvel Comics

“Should my bestial subject survive, he will be far more than a New-Man…far more than a wolf whose evolutionary process was speeded up!! In point of fact, he will be the ultimate end of evolution…a combination of the supreme man…coupled with the supreme beast!! His power will be too awesome to imagine!! And, if he should be evil–!”

This was a quote from the High Evolutionary in Thor Vol. 1 #134 when he created the infamous Man-Beast – an evolved, anthropomorphic wolf capable of incredible violence. As you can see, the High Evolutionary also experimented in the comics, just like he did in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Only, in the comics, his experiments went even further…

“And now, prepare for pain, strangeborn – for other sights and senses you have never known before. Do you feel it? The sheer, awful agony..? That is the merest fraction of what it means – to be a Man!”

This is a partial quote from Marvel Premiere Vol. 1 #1 when the High Evolutionary found Him and ‘perfected’ him to create what we now know as Adam Warlock. Here, the High Evolutionary simply called him Warlock. Still, I found the quote awesome compared to what we saw in the MCU, where Adam Warlock was also partially the High Evolutionary’s creation.

In both instances, however, Adam eventually turned on his maker and chose a more righteous path.

“I, the High Evolutionary, have given my Word – AND MY WORD IS MY BOND!”

This particular quote came in Warlock Vol. 1 #1 when the High Evolutionary spoke about how easy and tempting it is to send everything into oblivion. However, he gave his word not to do it, and he claims that his word is his bond.

Funny enough how the High Evolutionary sees morals in keeping his word but doesn’t see the immorality of experiment and torture on ‘lesser life forms.’ Villains always find a way to make themselves look and feel righteous.

“The High Evolutionary intends to build a god fit for the twenty-first century. And you will be his raw materials.”

On the surface, I found this quote funny, just because the High Evolutionary thinks so highly of himself that he speaks about himself in the third person. The quote came in Iron Man/Thor Vol. 1 #1 when the High Evolutionary tried explaining what he wanted to accomplish.

“If you win the next hand, I shall relinquish the Prodigal–I’ll even tell you how to shut it down. But if you lose–Well, I’ve always wanted to have an Avenger in my lab for vivisection.“

In my eyes, this quote from Avengers Unlimited Infinity Comic Vol. 1 #44 perfectly shows just high brutal the High Evolutionary is and that the only thing he wants to do is play god. The hand he mentioned was played against the Black Panther, as he wanted to literally dissect him for his vile experiments.

That shows that High Evolutionary never intended to perfect ‘imperfect, lesser life forms.’ His goal was to recreate the entire universe by his standards and likings. Everything else was just a front.

“The gods are returning to judge their creations. The Celestials are returning… And you and I are the only hope for humanity’s survival.”

Take this quote from New Warriors Vol. 5 #2 out of context, and it sounds like something a hero would say – being the only hope to save humanity. But, in reality, this is a quote from the High Evolutionary who’s trying to rationalize his desire to experiment on humanity and make it ‘evolve.’

He claims that the Celestials are coming to judge humanity; if it remains the way it was, they will wipe it out. Humanity’s only hope is the High Evolutionary making it better – or perfect, as he likes to say. Clearly, that’s bollocks, but it yet again shows how delusional and malevolent the High Evolutionary was.

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