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Peter Quill meant what he said when Rude Robot Guy (honestly, who--who hasn't heard of Starlord?) accused him of being like Yondu. He's not a Ravager.
While it's true most of his development has been influenced by space pirates with funky jackets and a serious fixation on eating most of the supply they acquire (Peter himself "graciously" excluded). The point of the matter is, Peter's not a ravager but he's been predisposed to have ravager tendencies. A ravager scavenges, and like most scavengers they collect and leave. Sometimes, things stay around though. Not that Peter needs them or anything. They're just nice to have. Yeah, that's all. Besides how else is he supposed to know who he is. He's not sure what he is, but more than a pirate he knows that. Thief usually comes up but all kleptomaniac accusations aside, Peter would say he has somewhat of an excuse in the matter.
Space is, well, big. Approximation of infinity and onward, with the very real risk of black holes and all their relative time lapses scattered around quadrants Peter can't even begin to comprehend, can be intimidating for a Terran in a small ship with only a tape to his name. So, yeah, it's not stealing, it's collecting to spell out what he as Idiot Without a Clue in a galaxy full of idiots.
When Peter left Earth he had his walkman. That one was his, it belonged to him. It kept him warm and grounded without gravity, he heard his mother singing off key in a kitchen, lets him traveled farther than the lightyears he's delivered. Peter is human, that's enough for a long time.
Then Yondu catches him swiping one of his weird bobble heads that rest on his control pad captains chair (despite space turbulence being nonexistent and practically fatal when it does hit). Beside cutting off his hand and "EATING YOU ONE DAY I SWEAR WE WILL AND IT WILL BE SO GOOD YOU WILL BE DEEP FRIED", Yondu smiles at him for the first time since they'd picked him up. He calls over Kraglin, who smiles too, which is just weird too many scary space pirate smiles. They take his measurements and Peter is sure this is it, that tonight is the night The Dreaded Pirate Roberts--er, Yondu--would finally kill him. Instead of becoming a brisket though, he's thrown an oversized jacket that matches all of the crew. Something swells in Peter's chest, like this could mean something, but he's still human and scared so flails and says, "What's the point of measuring me for hours when you give me a leather balloon as a dress?" Yondu slaps him on the back of his head going on some tandem about how he'll grow into it when he's really a ravager. That night the folds of the oversized jacket could cocoon him in a warm and cushioned barrier against the steel floor that had been his home for the past months before, and he finally sleeps through the night. Peter will admit after that he thought he was a ravager.
Until Peter took opportunity and units to sail out with the Milano to see who Peter could be by himself. Plus, the whole run in with the Kree during the retrieval for the supposed shiny desk decoration for an intergalactic fancy pawnshop further distanced Peter from his Ravager identity. Kree aren't by nature nervous in transactions with something they want, and seeing one's worry cracking through the anger and intimidation was interesting. So, Peter decided at that moment he definitely wasn't a Ravager, he'd be some Scavenger hybrid. He would keep the jacket though, it was a nice jacket.
Peter feels a sense of authenticity in his place in the world. Which last for about twenty minuets, then he delivers the funky space rock and the Pawn Store Owner kicks him and that identity out. In a split moment when he's kicked out of said obnoxiously fancy pawnshop, and his face is slammed into the ground once outside by the very pretty and very painful person he met, he considers bounty hunter could work.
Just as soon as he makes this revelation, he chases her for something he has no idea why he wants it. The chase is exciting enough though, and he has an upper hand for about three seconds, before being electrocuted after being slowed down by actual bounty hunters. Peter strikes out Bounty Hunter.
In the prison the guard confiscates Peter's tapes, listens to Peter's tapes. He reverts back to some lack of self Peter wasn't sure he had ever been close to becoming. He feels disconnected, floating against the gravity, as he slips through the door to have a tantrum over how those tapes were his you can't take them they are mine they belong. To. ME. When the guard shocks him, and strips him down taking away what little he assembled for himself, Peter is left in some suspended void.
He doesn't really land back into himself until he's somehow pulled into the gravitation of the group that got him arrested to help them all escape. Everything levels out again, as a talking raccoon is flying a pod through floating security guards. He steals back what's rightfully his, and flies back to his ship.
Which happens to have four other convicts on it now too, but for the most part Peter's feeling better.
Peter orchestrates the reluctant team to joining forces for awhile and deliver the orb to the only person who seems to have any idea what it is, and more importantly is willing to pay.
In quick and ruthless succession, Peter's original ideas about what he thought the orb was, how long and important his connection with the other Misfits of Space would last, and the security of the galaxy he lives in not blowing up sporadically one day are compromised. While flying towards Gamora, unconscious and dying in space, he wonders if he'll die too. He remembers the stories on Earth his mother would tell him about where the hero dies, but to comfort him, she'd always let him know they died for a reason, they died a hero. Keeping someone safe seems like a good reason, and Hero sounds pretty nice too.
Peter doesn't die. He and Gamora gasp for air, are yanked back for some aggressive family reunion (which Peter really didn't need Gamora to see, but he's sure if he actually said God, Yondu you're so embarrassing he really will be eaten), and saved/almost killed by Rocket, Groot, and Drax's attempts to get them back.
After not dying though, Peter feels a boost of determination to not almost die again, especially if it means dragging down the rest of the galaxy with them. He makes plans, organizes connections of past relationships he's collected throughout the years to congregate in an attempt to keep all of those connections from not dying.
Ravagers are patrolling the ground level, Nova Corps trusts him enough to give themselves to a forcefield, and his team, his friends, infiltrate the heart of the invasion.
As sentimental as the layout is, the plan still goes to shit. Really fast.
But, in those final moments, where he's sure he's going to die again, holding Rocket close with Gamora flanking his side, he feels his insides tighten around this moment. Something not palpable or physical, but something he can sense in the thick of everything that's led them here. Peter feels like Peter. Some Peter, a shaking and restless Peter, he's kept away from what he's seen in the endless stars, emerges. That Peter sees everything now and holds on tight in the perceived ending everyone in the room knows is coming.
Or, well, everyone but Groot. Groot who literally envelops himself around the same everyone who were convinced they were dying moments ago. There's a circular hold Groot has around them all, the same bioluminescent glow that brings a natural relaxing and connection. His friends, the ones he's kept alive so long, they curl around him and Groot lets them be a part of himself, even as he crashes to the ground in fractals of himself.
Everything crashes to a world still at risk of destruction, where a mad blue dude with an overcompensating hammer arises out of ashes he had no right to live thorough.
The infinity stone is in Ronan, who tosses Rocket aside like Groot's sacrifice was nothing. Peter tires to make sense out of what he could do here, but categorizing each skill he's learned from his space raising overwhelms him and leaves him useless. That is until, the same Peter let loose just a few minuets ago convinces him, yes, dance off is the best idea right now, why not?
He lets that Peter present himself, dancing to their and his mothers favorite song, and the most surprising of outcomes presents itself. It works.
Peter is reaching for the Infinity stone knowing what will happen to him, split into too many versions of himself, destroyed from the inside out. Overall, it seems like an appropriate way for him to go.
Across the existential plane where the stone harvests its energy, Peter hears help. Not for anyone else, but someone asking to help him. His mother, the galaxy, his team, Gamora. The hand he hadn't been able to hold those years ago, he reaches for now. The energy pulsates through them, then Drax, then Rocket, and Peter feels himself returning through the burden they've decided to take on.
Ronan asks how they did it all, and Peter, the real Peter deep down tells him it's because "We're the Guardians of the Galaxy, bitch."
Form there everything aligns to destroy Ronan. Gamora slams down the containment over the infinity stone and Peter holds himself upright in trying to contain a confident and sure sense of what will inevitably follow.
Yondu approaches first, in appropriate sequence of taking advantage of his hold over Peter even after all these years. Peter tries to warn him that what he finds inside might not be what he wants to see, but Yondu leaves taking his chances and Peter is left wondering if Yondu knew the whole time he was only going to get a troll doll out of their contributions. The Ravager in Peter says that's what he deserves, which must mean the person who instilled that Ravager part of Peter must know.
Nova Corps is kinder in their test, they provide his team with his old ship, the Milano gleaming in all her resurrected glory. After a few mildly uncomfortable small talk heading towards the ship, Peter is left with Corpsemen Dey, who eyes him with suspicion as Peter assures him he'll keep an eye on them. Dey's doubt is understandable, with the asshole-but-not-100%-a-dick being the only certainty that this will work out. But, after everything Dey claps him on the shoulder and pushes him towards his ship, his home.
For Peter, humanity has been tricky. He sees humanity, or what he's been taught to perceive humanity as, in good and in heroics. But the core of his humanness, something he's not sure he can claim anymore now knowing about his father, remains music. When he brings himself to open the final packet he sees his mother had been right. She'd never left, she'd just been hiding beneath wrapping paper in a box behind Peter's fear of her disappearing forever if he opened it. A new Awesome Mix Tape 2.0 holds on to the Milano and Peter knows his mom's still here.
He runs to the main panel to say some quip about doing good and bad and both, to ease his teammates into their new jobs. If there's one thing Peter can understand, it's that acclimating to a new role is hard work. Before they go off and save any more galaxies he wants to make sure they're okay, that his friends know there's nothing wrong in feeling afraid about things they know nothing about.
Groot stretches in the pot he's been salvaged in, and they set off into through the atmosphere towards no where in particular at the moment. That is probably the best course Peter has ever been a part of.
For the next few hours everyone assimilates their new positions, what the Nova Corps expects of them, with what they expect of themselves. Peter should have the answer here; what he is, who he is, why he is. Something he can offer the people who agreed to board his ship, something he can do to help them in whatever comes across their ship. But, here he is, sitting in the corner of his bunker, slashing out the world with 10cc knowing that he won't be able to come up with anything else he can offer them besides a literal dance off distraction. The universe constricts around Peter's Walkman until a soft hand rests on his shoulder.
Gamora shifts in front of his vacant stare, cocks her head, and settles against him in a hug.
Peter is, um, understandably worried about the sudden show of affection. He makes sure she's comfortable in his hold, twisting his arms around her shoulders and supporting her. They stay like that for awhile, until Gamora finally speaks, "I know that look. I can't possibly imagine what's caused you to have that look, but I want you to know that we understand. All of us." Surprised by the plural introduction, Peter looks around and sees yes the rest of the gangs all here creeping forward to his bunk bead (Peter really should set boundaries).
"Listen, it's been a long day I don't think we're gonna be all that great at processing right now let's just--" Peter begins before Gamora takes hold of his lips and restricts him from saying anything else. Assassin comfort, he supposes.
Rocket leaps forward, holding Groot in a secure lock around his side. "I'm not going to get all sappy on you, 'kay? That's not my thing, wait until sapling here is grown and he'll literally douse you with sap," Groot squabbles out a whined noise Peter supposes is Groot's own name. Rocket continues, "That's right, buddy. See Groot just said he would I wasn't lying. But since our friend here seems to be in a compromised state let me try to translate what both he and I know about the situation. We're not all that sure why we are the way we are either. I reiterate, ain't nothing like us but us, am I right, Groot?" The baby Groot sings a high pitch in agreement. "What you are is, well, you're pretty alright Peter Quill, I don't know if you prefer labels or what but from my experience, the pain in the ass you are and everything, you're pretty alright."
Peter means to say something back, some joke about Rocket's literal soft side hiding under all that fur, but the words are stuck in his throat and stay that way until Drax knells down in front of Peter. "You are a warrior I never thought I'd ever come across. You fight without weapons but with--" Drax pauses, as if unable to a comparison. He settles with knocking Peter's chest a few times instead. Peter might actually start bawling in front of everyone which shouldn't be allowed because they are strong and cool and Peter doesn't want to mess everything up like he always does and
"Peter Quill, I am proud to have you as a commander." The words Drax say cuts out everything Peter had been spiraling into. He looks up, and around checking the faces of the people who have willingly become his team, his friends, his family.
Peter's a collection of himself. He's a Nova Corps representative through a self-proclaimed Guardians of the Galaxy, wearing a more comfortable than it has any right being jacket captain of a ship that houses his new found crew and family, who puts up with his constant Awesome Mix Tapes. Peter doesn't know everything about himself, but he knows this much and has friends that loves him for it so far. Peter would say he's doing pretty well for himself, whatever that might be.