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So, there were many references/parallels made to David Hasselhoff (or I assume him) in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), especially at Yondu's funeral.

In particular, I was wondering if someone could explain them all: talking car, dated hot women, I forget what the arrow was compared to, did cool stuff, etc.

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In the early 80s, David Hasselhoff's only major role was Knight Rider, which included a talking car, and Hasselhoff's character being a heroic action-figure type. That show aired until 1986, only two years before Peter was abducted; Hasselhoff's next major role (Baywatch) wouldn't come along for another couple years. So, everything Peter was referencing was from Knight Rider combined with Hasselhoff's real life as a celebrity, and a decent amount of hero worship thrown in.

Keep in mind, Hasselhoff was being used here in much the same way that Kevin Bacon was used in the first movie: a pop culture reference that Peter remembered from a young age as a boy on Earth. Since the people who live in Andromeda have no idea who David Hasselhoff is, they only have Peter's (often exaggerated) stories to go by, and they see him as some kind of Earth hero. When people other than Peter make reference to him, you can assume they're probably doing it wrong.

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  • Peter's dad probably has accurate knowledge of Hasselhoff as well.
    – JAB
    Aug 31, 2017 at 21:38
  • I have a feeling Baywatch was also factored into the movie's reverence for Hasselhoff, even if the dates are inaccurate (movies in the MCU aren't the best with dates and continuity)
    – Ghoti and Chips
    Sep 1, 2017 at 4:25
  • Also, Yondu's arrow (and whistling to it in particular) was compared to Hasselhoff's singing career ("He didn't have the voice of an angel, but he had a whistle of one"), as he was quite popular singer, especially in Europe. Prior to 1988 (the year of Quill's abduction) he released two studio albums and his biggest hit "Looking for Freedom" was released in 1988, so maybe Quill already had a chance of knowing it.
    – mzywiol
    Sep 28, 2017 at 21:23
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One side of it is that David Hasselhoff is a big 80s icon. Knight Rider, Bay Watch, his singing career. It's just a funny pop culture reference.

But in the story, Peter, who's a giant 80s pop culture nerd, saw David Hasselhoff, the actor, as a father figure. Cause he is (was, meh) cool. Peter was a bastard child and latched onto the actor to emulate. Literal Daddy issues.

On top of that, the movie suggests, heavily implies that Ego the Living Planet was also David Hasselhoff while on Earth. Making it true, that Hasselhoff was Peter's father.

Ignoring that, Peter, who always saw Hasselhoff as his father figure, after realizing Yondu was his real (adoptive) father figure (cannibalism jokes aside), spoke about his younger feelings about Hasselhoff and how Yondu was just like him. It was Peter's way of calling Yondu the coolest, best father he could have hoped for.

Talking car = knight rider, Hot Women = actor's real life and tv character lives, the arrow & doing cool shit was compared to Hasselhoff's various characters,

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    He transformed into Hasselhoff, but it was never ever implied he wan actually Hasselhoff
    – user23604
    May 17, 2017 at 5:38
  • @CreationEdge that transformation implied it. im·plied, adjective, suggested but not directly expressed; implicit.
    – cde
    May 17, 2017 at 5:44
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    Uh, that's an enormous leap to think it's implying he was Hasselhoff and didn't just get a peek at Peter's pocket photo.
    – user23604
    May 17, 2017 at 5:46
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    Especially since the Marvel universe is supposed to be similar to our own, meaning Hasselhoff is still around, and Ego, who barely even stayed on Earth and showed up after Hasselhoff's birth, couldn't have possibly been him.
    – user23604
    May 17, 2017 at 5:49
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    1) We were told Hasselhoff exists, shown what he looks like, and tad description of a show just like Knight Rider. The exceptions are obviously exceptions, it doesn't mean everything is different. Marvel has always paralled real Earth as much as possible. 2)Kevin Feige says Kurt Russell looks different in MCU than Ego
    – user23604
    May 17, 2017 at 6:05

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