Honestly, if you blinked, you might have missed him—or at least, you didn't realize it was him. When the news first dropped that Nico Santos was joining the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, fans of Superstore and Crazy Rich Asians were basically throwing a party. We expected the sass of Mateo Liwanag or the flamboyant charm of Oliver T'sien.
What we got instead was a pale, cybernetic scientist with a penchant for casual cruelty.
It’s one of those "wait, that's him?" moments that makes the MCU so fun. James Gunn has a knack for taking actors we love for their comedic timing and burying them under five pounds of prosthetics to play absolute creeps. Santos didn't just show up for a cameo; he played a pivotal, if repulsive, role in the darkest entry of the trilogy.
Who Exactly Did Nico Santos Play?
Nico Santos took on the role of Recorder Theel.
If that name doesn't immediately ring a bell, just think back to the High Evolutionary’s ship. Theel was one of the two main "Recorders" (alongside Miriam Shor’s Recorder Vim) who functioned as the High Evolutionary's right-hand scientists. They weren't just assistants; they were living databases.
Theel is a Motio, a species created specifically to serve. He’s got that distinct look: white irises, black sclera, and those eerie blue veins popping out around his forehead. But the most important part of his "costume" was the cybernetic implant on the right side of his head.
That little piece of tech is actually a major plot point.
The Crucial Role of Recorder Theel
Theel isn't just background noise. He’s the one who holds the literal key to Rocket Raccoon’s survival.
💡 You might also like: Doomsday Castle TV Show: Why Brent Sr. and His Kids Actually Built That Fortress
Early in the movie, we find out that Rocket has a "kill switch" attached to his heart. If the Guardians try to perform surgery on him to save his life, he dies. The only way to bypass it is with a specific override code.
Guess who has it?
Theel. He actually downloaded the file and deleted the original from the OrgoCorp servers. This makes him the primary target for Peter Quill and the gang. While the High Evolutionary is the big bad, Theel is the obstacle standing between Rocket and a second chance at life.
It’s a far cry from the retail floor of Cloud 9. Instead of worrying about expiration dates or floor cleaners, Santos was busy assisting in the inhumane "Batch 89" experiments. He’s a "cowardly scientist" archetype, but played with a cold, amoral detachment that makes your skin crawl.
Why the Casting Worked
The brilliance of casting Nico Santos in this role is the subversion of expectations. Santos has built a career on being the "sharp-tongued but ultimately human" guy. In Superstore, Mateo is competitive and sometimes mean, but you root for him.
As Theel, there is zero humanity.
Gunn utilized Santos’s ability to deliver lines with precision, but stripped away the warmth. In interviews, Santos mentioned that he viewed Theel as a "survivalist." He followed the High Evolutionary not out of some grand vision, but because he wanted to be close to power. He figured if he stayed behind the biggest bully in the galaxy, he’d be safe.
📖 Related: Don’t Forget Me Little Bessie: Why James Lee Burke’s New Novel Still Matters
He was wrong.
That Explosive Final Scene
If you’ve seen the movie, you know Theel doesn’t exactly get a "happily ever after."
His exit is one of the most satisfyingly violent moments in the film. During the chaotic climax on the Arête Laboratories ship, Star-Lord finally catches up to him. There’s no long monologue. There’s no trial.
Peter Quill basically tackles Theel off a ledge, and they plummet toward the ground. In the mid-air struggle, Quill uses his jet boots to stabilize himself while Theel... well, Theel hits the ground. Hard.
The payoff? Quill retrieves the memory chip directly from Theel's corpse (or what’s left of it). It’s a gruesome, "get the job done" moment that solidifies just how high the stakes were. Santos joked in a Collider interview that shooting that day was "intense" because it involved stunts, explosions, and working directly with Chris Pratt and a very angry Groot.
The Transition from Sitcom to Sci-Fi
Transitioning from a 22-minute sitcom to a $250 million Marvel blockbuster isn't just a pay bump; it's a total shift in craft.
Santos has been vocal about how "daunting" the scale was. He’s a self-proclaimed sci-fi nerd, so walking onto these massive physical sets—James Gunn famously prefers real sets over 100% green screen—was a "pinch me" moment.
👉 See also: Donnalou Stevens Older Ladies: Why This Viral Anthem Still Hits Different
But it wasn't all fun and games.
- The Prosthetics: He spent hours in the makeup chair. You can’t just "act" through that much silicone; you have to learn how to move your face so the expressions actually reach the camera.
- The Tone: Guardians 3 deals with animal cruelty, genocide, and trauma. Santos had to find a way to be a part of that darkness without leaning into his comedic roots.
- The Ensemble: Sharing scenes with Chukwudi Iwuji (who played the High Evolutionary with Shakespearean intensity) meant Santos had to level up his "evilness" just to keep up.
What Most People Get Wrong About His Inclusion
Some critics argued that using an actor of Santos’s caliber for a relatively "minor" villain was a waste.
I disagree.
The strength of the Guardians franchise has always been its texture. The world feels real because the people in the background are just as talented as the ones on the poster. By casting someone like Nico Santos, Gunn ensures that even the "henchmen" have a specific energy.
Theel isn't just "Scientist #2." He is a specific, pathetic, and dangerous individual. If he were played by a generic stuntman or a less capable actor, the hunt for the override code wouldn't have felt as personal.
Practical Takeaways for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into Nico Santos's work after seeing him in the MCU, here’s how to navigate his filmography:
- Watch "Superstore" first. If you want to see the range he has, Mateo is the blueprint. It shows his timing and his ability to handle heavy subplots (like his character's undocumented status).
- Re-watch Guardians 3 with the sound up. Listen to the way he interacts with Recorder Vim. There’s a subtle power dynamic there—Theel is the more submissive one, constantly checking the High Evolutionary’s mood.
- Check out "Crazy Rich Asians." It’s the perfect middle ground. He’s funny, he’s stylish, and he proves he can command a big-screen frame.
Nico Santos might have played a "cowardly scientist" who met a messy end, but his contribution to the MCU's most emotional chapter is undeniable. He proved he can do more than just make us laugh; he can make us genuinely hope for his character's demise. In the world of acting, that’s a massive win.
Go back and watch the Counter-Earth sequence again. Focus on the way Theel treats the "failures." It makes that final plunge into the abyss all the more earned.
Next Steps for the curious:
Check out the behind-the-scenes features on the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 digital release. There’s some great footage of the makeup application process for the Recorders that shows just how much work went into making Nico Santos look that unsettling.