Warning: Major spoilers for Marvel's Symbiote Spider-Man Crossroads #1!
When the odds are pitted against him, the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man borrows a page from Star-Lord's book and enacts an unanticipated diversion that the sinister sorcerer Moondark least expects.
Writer and director James Gunn (The Suicide Squad, Super)'s 2014 space ensemble Guardians of the Galaxy began Marvel Studios' foray into the beloved cosmic universe, bringing to the screen the grand and often whimsical element of the comic books. With Gunn bringing his own unique vision to the Marvel Cinematic Universe interpretation of the team, the Guardians themselves are not quite as straight-laced as their comic counterparts. Rather than being a no-nonsense space cop, actor Chris Pratt's portrayal of Guardians leader Peter Quill a.k.a. Star-Lord occupies the role of a man-child smuggler who relives his early years on Earth by listening to classic '70s music. This slight deviation leaves Quill relying on his own secret weapon exclusive to the films: dance moves.
During his formative years as a human host to the alien symbiote costume, Peter Parker found himself at odds with a handful of offbeat supervillains who plagued New York City. One of the zaniest was a piteous sorcerer known as Moondark the Magnificent. Peter David (The Incredible Hulk, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man) and Greg Land (Weapon X, Mighty Avengers)'s standalone tale Symbiote Spider-Man Crossroads #1 depict Spider-Man's encounter with Moondark, who is in search of an ancient Norn Stone contained within New York's historical Museum of Natural History. With Moondark's mastery of the mystic arts far outweighing the feats of the heroic web-slinger, Spider-Man must rely on his own brand of cunning. Spidey resorts to a classic breakdance in order to buy time for the police to immobilize and apprehend the former stage magician. Spider-Man's dance distraction proves that it is the go-to move for Marvel heroes, as Star-Lord uses a similar technique in his big-screen debut just a few years prior.
With the remainder of his team unconscious and indisposed, Guardians leader Star-Lord's timely bop to The Five Stairsteps' 1970 hit song O-o-h Child becomes the jingle that ultimately saves the planet Xandar from tyrannical Kree zealot Ronan the Accuser. Now, Quill does not quite reach a breakdance but his fervent act of desperation manages to leave the formerly stoic Ronan temporarily preoccupied providing fellow group members Rocket Raccoon and Drax the Destroyer ample opportunity to deprive Ronan access to his greatest strength... the Infinity Stone of Power.
While Quill's dance was rather unconventional, the sequence made such an impact with audiences that it would not only be referenced in future MCU outings such as 2018's Avengers Infinity War but even real-life competitions. Though the two heroes may often operate worlds away, Star-Lord and Spider-Man share a knack for misleading their villains with memorable if slightly offbeat diversions.
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