Drax Isn't Shirtless In The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special, But His Nipples Are Probably Fine
Minor nipple-related spoilers ahead for "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special."
Since 2017, we've been worried about Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista). The poor guy lost his entire family, survived many battles, and struggled to understand how to not take everything anyone says literally. The worst part of those trials and tribulations by far, however, is Drax's struggle with sensitive nipples. We learned this detail in "The Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" when Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) wondered why Drax wasn't wearing Rocket's (Bradley Cooper) aero-rings. Poor Drax was terribly self-conscious about it, particularly after Rocket's teasing. Will no one think of Drax's nipples?
Now, Drax has continued to go shirtless in most of his appearances, which isn't great as far as armored protection goes. One might wonder why he's never thought of using band-aids over them as some marathon runners do, but maybe they just don't have those outside of Earth. When the Cosmic Rewind theme park attraction opened in 2021, director James Gunn had to take to Twitter (in a now-deleted tweet via WeGotThisCovered) where he addressed fans' concerns after seeing Drax's chest covered up. Gunn reassured us that Drax's shirt is "lined with fine orloni leather and it feels quite pleasant and unrestrictive."
It's a relief that our Drax is going to be okay, friends. It's good to know that someone is looking out for him and keeping his nipples safe and secure on the ride. But it seems his newfound modesty goes beyond that one shirt; "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special" premiered today sees Drax wearing both a tactical vest and, later on, a Christmas sweater on featuring a cat with laser beams shooting out of its eyes. Those novelty sweaters are never made with natural materials, and I was worried.
'Fine orlani leather'
There are several possibilities concerning what's going on here. Drax's tactical vest looks somewhat similar to the one he sports on Cosmic Rewind, so we can safely assume that it's made from more fine orloni leather, which is why it isn't bothering him as he and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) walk through the streets of Hollywood, But what, pray tell, of the Christmas sweater? When he first appeared in it, fans weren't sure whether to be worried about his comfort, or desperate to find out where he purchased the soft and cuddly novelty garment (answer: he stole it).
Maybe the sweater is soft enough to soothe said nipples, though it really doesn't look like a material that is comfortable or even fire-resistant. Perhaps they stopped at the local drug store on Hollywood Blvd. to pick up some band-aids for him or assorted ointments (excellent stocking stuffer ideas). Maybe Drax thought of a soft undershirt? I mean, sure, this could simply have been a way to cut makeup costs and time in the chair, but this is Drax. We must protect him and his nipples at all costs!
Hopefully, James Gunn will address our concerns. All we want to see is a happy Drax, hugging his elf doll and enjoying the holidays with dance hero Kevin Bacon.
"The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special" is currently streaming on Disney+.