Structures of Nostalgia. Music, Objects, and Narrative in Guardians of the Galaxy

Abstract

This article examines how nostalgia is integrated into the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, focusing on the role of music and specific technological objects as symbolic triggers that activate processes of identity construction, intergenerational connection, and emotional regulation. The authors find that nostalgia functions as a structural axis linking past and present through the activation of emotions, which, in turn, facilitate processes of acceptance, personal transformation, and group cohesion among the characters. These findings contribute to understanding nostalgia both as an aesthetic resource in superhero cinema and as a narrative-commercial strategy shaping the cultural construction of identities and memories.