To understand the relation between Groot and Baby Groot it helps to look at the origin of Groot. Baby Groot made headlines in February 2018 when James Gunn revealed that he wasn’t Groot reincarnated. After Groot captured our hearts in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1, he proceeded to shatter them at the end. Many of us took solace in seeing him regrow and dance on our screens.
The revelation that adult Groot really did sacrifice himself caught us by surprise. It started with a Twitter question: if a porg and Baby Groot were in danger and you could save only one, who would you choose?
Gunn jumped in to point out that Baby Groot is an advanced life-form, whereas the porgs are just animals (read about the origin of porgs here). When someone pointed out that Groot can simply reincarnate, Gunn dropped a bombshell that shook the very foundations of geekdom (ok, perhaps I exaggerate a bit):
The origin of Groot
This got me wondering what the origin of Groot could be. His first appearance was in Tales To Astonish #14, in 1960. There were no superheroes in this story, and Groot himself was a monster from “planet X.” His evil scheme? To lift an entire city up into space…by growing the roots of all the surrounding trees and intertwining them enough to be able to carry a city…or something.
In truly astonishing fashion, a scientist defeated Groot by unleashing a fury of termites upon him – which he conveniently bred in his lab (the comic book title doesn’t lie, does it?). This Groot made some guest appearances in subsequent years, including the time he got his wooden ass handed to him by an angry Hulk.
Origin of Groot #1
Comic book stories are often retconned, which tends to confuse new readers. On top of that, these characters exist in multiple mediums, each with its own variation of an origin story. Movie Groot may have an alternate backstory from comic book Groot, as may the animated series Groot.
Guardians of the Galaxy #14 (2014) revealed that Groot was from a race called Flora Colossus on Planet X. He had a soft spot for small, squirrel-like beings called “maintenance mammals,” which Groots generally viewed as second-class beings. Upon seeing other Groots bullying a maintenance mammal, Groot lost his temper and smashed a Groot. His outburst resulted in his banishment from Planet X.
Origin of Groot #2
Though his soft spot for small, furry critters foreshadowed his future, MARVEL retconned Groot’s previous origin in 2015. This time, it’s revealed that the Flora Colossus are invaders, known for bringing slaves back to their planet for experimentation. The original Groot from 1960 is one such invader, as you may have guessed.
Our Groot was smaller and humbler than the other Flora Colossus, and they hardly noticed him. He was horrified by what his society was doing but felt trapped within it. When he met a little girl named Hannah, he realized how wrong it was and mounted an epic rescue at the expense of his comrades.
This act of rebellion resulted in his banishment from Planet X. Though slightly different from the 2014 version of the story, his exile was still caused by his compassion for small, defenseless beings.
Following these events, he was doomed to wander the galaxy in a state of loneliness, unable to find anyone who could understand him…literally.
Flora Colossi have stiff larynges (because…trees) which makes it sound like they’re repeating “I am Groot.” The meaning is in the various inflections of the words, and those who spend time with him are able to understand him over time.
How Groot and Rocket Met
Groot and Rocket Raccoon were placed in a cell together, to the chagrin of Rocket, who couldn’t understand Groot’s language at first. Rocket initially rejected Groot’s friendship, pushing him away and refusing to be seen in public with him, until…
After months of confinement, Rocket suddenly realized that he understood Groot, making him the first since his exile from Planet X to do so. Since then, Rocket is often seen translating for Groot…when he feels like it. Their friendship is sometimes compared to that of Han Solo and Chewbacca, though that’s a story for another time.
Their connection can be partly attributed to the fact that they both have a lonely existence. With Groot being banished and Rocket being the only creature of his kind, the mismatched pair had already formed a bond by the time Peter Quill, aka StarLord (played by Chris Pratt in the films), came along and recruited them for what later became the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Groot is often mistaken for a dumb being, and his inability to speak other languages is perceived as a shortcoming. When he communicates with Jean Grey (from X-men) telepathically he shows a very intellectual thought process, and much of what he says is an advanced form of communication…for those who understand it.
There you have it! The origin of Groot, one of Marvel’s most unique characters. He was one of the least known among MARVEL’s pantheon of heroes, but the 2014 film helped boost his stardom. The film captured the character’s personality – loyal, caring, and self-sacrificial. If you enjoyed the artwork in the featured image, shared again below, check out Scarlett Bustamante’s other works on her Instagram account or her Etsy account available here. Until then, I would just like to say:
WE. ARE. GROOT.
