Geez, man. The world sure has been real lately, right? It seems Americans can’t pop off to make a cup of coffee without Future Historical Events™ erupting left and right. We live in interesting times, and I mean that in the most “you’ve been cursed by an angry wizard” sort of way. But into times of great darkness, there is always a light. A person who is always there for you, to calm your fears and magically make the world a less terrifying place. That person is Mary Poppins.
No, I’m not talking about the upcoming Emily Blunt remake. I’m talking about Michael Rooker, better known as Yondu in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. If you’re confused, you obviously haven’t seen the recent sequel and, as such, are not equipped to understand the pure, unadulterated joy that is this photo Rooker posted to Instagram.
Allow me to explain, in a completely spoiler-free way. After a battle in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Yondu uses his magic arrow to safely float down to the ground and join the rest of the crew. At which point Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) declares his not-dad looks like Mary Poppins. Yondu, revealing the very human need to feel accepted and not mocked asks if Mary Poppins is cool and, in a touching moment, Peter declares yes, Mary Poppins is cool. Yondu, preening with the compliment, lands on the ground declaring “I’m Mary Poppins, y’all!” It’s the kind of pop culture touchstone that lands on several levels and has quickly become a fan-favorite line.
So it’s just cute to see the actor lean into the love with a little nod. Well played, Rooker. Well played indeed.