Groot | |
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Marvel Cinematic Universe character | |
![]() Different versions of Groot as depicted in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) (L) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) (R) | |
First appearance | Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) |
Based on | |
Adapted by | |
Voiced by | Vin Diesel |
Motion capture by |
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In-universe information | |
Full name | Groot |
Alias | Baby Groot Swoll Groot |
Nicknames |
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Species | Flora colossus |
Gender | Male |
Occupation | |
Affiliation | Guardians of the Galaxy |
Family | Rocket (adoptive father; Young Groot) |
Home | Knowhere |
Groot is the name of two fictional characters voiced by Vin Diesel and portrayed via motion capture by Diesel, Krystian Godlewski, Sean Gunn, James Gunn, and Terry Notary, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Both Groots are depicted as tree-like humanoids, with the original being Rocket's associate, and the second becoming his adoptive son. Both are members of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
In March 2017, Gunn confirmed that the character Baby Groot introduced at the conclusion of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) following the original Groot's death and adopted by Rocket as his son is a different character from the first Groot, who does not have his biological father's memories. [1] [2]
As of 2021 [update] , the original Groot appeared in one film, the other in five and the animated series of shorts called I Am Groot (2022) released on Disney+. He will return in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022).
Groot first appeared in Tales to Astonish #13 (November 1960), and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby. [3] "Groot" is the Dutch word for "large", possibly referring to his stature and ability to grow in size. [4] He appeared again in The Incredible Hulk Annual #5 (Oct. 1976), alongside five other monsters from Marvel's anthology horror comics of the late 1950s and early 1960s. In The Sensational Spider-Man #−1 (July 1997), Groot was featured in a nightmare of the young Peter Parker. Groot reappeared in 2006 in the six-issue limited series Nick Fury's Howling Commandos , and appeared in the Annihilation: Conquest and Annihilation: Conquest – Star-Lord limited series. Groot went on to join the Guardians of the Galaxy in the series of the same name, and remained a fixture of the title until its cancellation with issue #25 in 2010.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige first mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International, stating, "There are some obscure titles, too, like Guardians of the Galaxy. I think they've been revamped recently in a fun way in the [comic] book." [5] Feige reiterated that sentiment in a September 2011 issue of Entertainment Weekly , saying, "There's an opportunity to do a big space epic, which Thor sort of hints at, in the cosmic side" of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Feige added, should the film be made, it would feature an ensemble of characters, similar to X-Men and The Avengers . [6] Feige announced that the film was in active development at the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International during the Marvel Studios panel, with an intended release date of August 1, 2014. He said the film's titular team would consist of the characters Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Groot, and Rocket. [7]
In September 2013, Vin Diesel stated that he was voicing Groot, [8] though Marvel did not confirm Diesel's involvement in the film at the time. [9] [10] [11]
A sentient tree-like being, Groot becomes associated with the raccoon-like mercenary Rocket. In 2014, on the planet Xandar, they spot Peter Quill fighting Gamora for possession of the Power Stone. Rocket and Groot interfere in their fight, as they attempt to capture Quill for a bounty. All four are captured by the Nova Corps and sent to the Kyln, a space prison. Rocket devises an intricate plan to escape from the Kyln, which involves a battery taken from a device from high up on the wall as the last step due to its connection to an alarm. However, Groot, innocently meaning to help, extends himself to a great height and takes the device, triggering alarms and forcing the rest to accelerate the plan. They escape along with Kyln inmate Drax, and the five become the Guardians of the Galaxy. They travel to Knowhere to sell the Power Stone, where Rocket and Drax have a heated argument resulting in a bar fight between Drax and Groot. After Drax drunkenly calls his powerful enemy Ronan to confront him, Ronan arrives and easily beats Drax and acquires the Power Stone, tossing Drax into a vat of spinal fluid from the mining operations on Knowhere. Groot rescues Drax from drowning, and while Rocket wants to flee, he is convinced by Groot and by Drax's apology to help save Xandar from Ronan's attack.
As Groot and the Guardians battle Ronan the Accuser aboard the Dark Aster, Rocket crashes a Ravager ship through the control room of the Dark Aster, causing it to crash-land on Xandar. Before impact, Groot sacrifices himself to shield Rocket and the others by extending his body to form a cocoon, taking the brunt of the impact. On Xandar, the remaining Guardians are able to regain control of the Power Stone and destroy Ronan. Rocket plants a sapling taken from Groot's scattered body, which grows into a baby of his species, whom Rocket names Groot in his biological father's honour. [1]
Following the death of his father, "Baby Groot" is grown from a sapling cut from him in a pot, and raised by Rocket as his son on Peter Quill's ship as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Groot develops a love of music and dances while listening to Quill's music. Sometime later, Baby Groot struggles to take his first steps when his pot is cracked. [lower-alpha 1]
Two months later, the Guardians of the Galaxy are hired by the Sovereign to protect valuable batteries from an inter-dimensional monster. Baby Groot accompanies them, but rather than fighting the monster, he picks fights with rat-like reptiles in the area. When Quill's father Ego reveals himself to the Guardians, they split up so that Quill, Gamora, and Drax can go with Ego to his planet while Rocket and Groot stay behind to watch Nebula and repair the ship. However, the Ravagers arrive searching for Quill and after a fight, they capture Rocket and Groot and free Nebula. The Ravagers mutiny against their leader, Yondu, and mistreat Groot, with one Ravager pouring drinks on him and stomping on him. After the Ravagers fall asleep, Rocket and Yondu plot their escape, and Groot tries to find Yondu's fin. Eventually, Groot kills the Ravager who had tormented him and they destroy most of the Ravager vessel except for a breakaway quarter, in which they travel to Ego's planet. They learn that Ego is an evil living planet intent on dominating the universe. Quill keeps Ego occupied in combat with his newfound Celestial powers until Rocket is able to assemble a bomb, which Baby Groot places in Ego's brain.
Baby Groot encountered the Grunds alien species, who believe he is their hero when Groot farts a leaf. When Groot returns from retrieving additional leaves, he accidentally steps on the Grunds. He also encounters Iwua, a space-shifting alien who impersonates him in a dance off, but Groot kills him via opening the airlock. Sometime later, Groot takes a bath and uses his leaves to form multiple "costumes", and skins a squirrel-bird creature that mocked him. Baby Groot sets out to retrieve tools to paint the Guardians of the Galaxy; which he shows to Rocket, whom he saves from an explosion.
In 2018, an older, video game-addicted teenage Groot and the rest of the Guardians respond to a distress signal and end up rescuing Thor, who is floating in space amidst the wreckage of the Statesman. Thor tells them of Thanos' plan to obtains the Infinity Stones, and the Guardians split up, with Rocket and Groot accompanying Thor to Nidavellir to create a new weapon. They find an abandoned Nidavellir and meet the dwarf king Eitri. The four work together to create Stormbreaker, a powerful axe that also grants Thor the power of the Bifröst. Thor is near death from the strain of creating the weapon, and Groot uses his own arm as a handle to finish the axe and heal Thor. Thor transports himself, Rocket, and Groot to Wakanda on Earth via the Bifröst to help the Avengers and the Wakandan army in the battle against the Outriders. Despite being severely wounded, Thanos is able to activate the Infinity Gauntlet, snap his fingers, and teleports away. Rocket watches helplessly as Groot dissolves into dust alongside half of all living things in the universe. Groot uttered one final "I am Groot," which director James Gunn revealed translated to "...Dad?" as he looked to Rocket for help. [12]
In 2023, after the surviving Avengers travel back in time to obtain past versions of the stones to resurrect those who had been victims of the Blip, Groot is restored and reunites with Rocket in battling the forces of an alternate 2014 version of Thanos. Later, Groot and the restored members of the Guardians of the Galaxy attend the funeral of Tony Stark, who had sacrificed his life to stop Thanos. Groot and the rest of the Guardians, accompanied by Thor, then return to space.
The Guardians returned to their adventures in space. On Indigarr, the team learns of distress calls as gods were being killed, and they split off from Thor to answer various distress calls across the galaxy.
In 2025, the Guardians buy Knowhere and Groot, now bulky and bigger, [13] helps rebuild it following the attack it had faced. Later that year, he joins in the Christmas celebrations.
Groot is first introduced as Rocket's partner appearing in the film Guardians of the Galaxy. [14] He has a limited vocabulary, using only his popular catchphrase "I am Groot", although he later managed to say the phrase "We are Groot" before sacrificing his life for the Guardians of the Galaxy in the battle with Ronan for an infinity stone. Other Groot characteristics include the ability to grow his branches in height, length, and girth (assimilating arms and legs), vining branches, growing flowers and producing a form of luminescent seeds.
A tree-like humanoid, [15] he is the accomplice of Rocket. Diesel stated that he provided the voice and motion capture for Groot, after originally being in talks to star in a new Phase Three Marvel film. [16] [17] [8] Diesel also provided Groot's voice for several foreign-language releases of the film. [18] Krystian Godlewski portrayed the character on set, though his acting was not used in the final character CGI. [19] [20] On the character, which Gunn based on his dog, [21] Gunn said, "All the Guardians start out the movie as bastards—except Groot. He's an innocent. He's a hundred percent deadly and a hundred percent sweet. He's caught up in Rocket's life, really." Gunn added that the design and movement of Groot took "the better part of a year" to create. [22] Gunn added, "The ways in which Vin Diesel says, 'I am Groot,' I am astounded. All of the 'I am Groots' that were earlier voices didn't sound very good at all ... Vin came in and in one day, laid down all these 'I am Groot' tracks, and he's a perfectionist. He made me explain to him with ever [ sic ] 'I am Groot,' exactly what he was saying ... It was amazing when we first put that voice in there how much the character changed and how much he influenced the character." [23] Regarding the limited words used by Groot, Diesel said in many ways this was, "... the most challenging thing to ask an actor to do." [24] Diesel found an emotional note in his performance, invoking the death of his friend and Fast & Furious co-star Paul Walker, saying, "This was in December [2013], and the first time I came back to dealing with human beings after dealing with death, so playing a character who celebrates life in the way Groot does was very nice." [25] Groot's form and size-changing abilities are seen, with Gunn stating that he has the ability to grow in the film. [26]
The mature Groot appears to be nearly indestructible, as seen when his limbs are chopped off and by his ability to thicken his branches into a protective mass that's impenetrable by bullets. He serves as a friend, shield and protector of Rocket and his fellow Guardian friends.
Following adult Groot's death [27] in the crashing of Ronan's spaceship, Rocket recovered and planted pieces of his branches in a flower pot which grew into his son, Baby Groot, whom Rocket raises and is later seen as teenage Groot. [28] [29] The character began growing from a sapling at the end of the first film, with James Gunn intending for him to be fully grown by the sequel. Gunn eventually decided to keep him as "Baby Groot", which was one of the reasons the film is set only a few months after the first. [30] Gunn described Baby Groot as the son of Groot from the first film, [31] with Diesel explaining that "we're going to see this goofy, adorable, baby Groot [just] kinda learning as he goes." [32] [33] Prop master Russell Bobbitt created a 1:1 scale model of the 10-inch (25 cm) Baby Groot for filming, to use as a lighting reference and sometimes as a puppet for the actors to interact with. [34] As Groot only communicates with the phrase "I am Groot" in different inflections, Gunn created a "Groot Version" of the script for himself and Diesel, which contains each of Groot's lines in English. [35] Diesel used a higher register of his voice for Baby Groot, which was pitched up by seven to nine semitones depending on the take. He also delivered lines slowly to avoid any time stretching issues. [36] Diesel recorded Groot's voice for sixteen foreign-language releases of the film (up from six in the first film). [37] Sean Gunn provided on-set reference for adolescent Groot in the post-credit sequence. [38]
Jacob Stolworthy of The Independent praised the character, opining that Groot was "one of the best things about the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, and his camaraderie with Rocket Raccoon [was] a highlight". However, Stolworthy also criticized the subsequent depiction of the character as a baby as "extremely annoying". [39] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian , meanwhile, praised the character, likening Groot to "a huge Tolkienian creature". [40]
Following the premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper, who voices Rocket, were nominated in the "Best Duo" category at the 2015 MTV Movie Awards. [41] The character has also been the subject of numerous memes on social media. [42] Media outlets expressed excitement at seeing the bigger, bulkier Groot who appeared in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. [13]
Vin Diesel reprises his role as Baby Groot in the 2018 film Ralph Breaks the Internet . He is seen in the Oh My Disney world of the Internet answering questions from fans, including his possible connection to Yggdrasil, his relationship with Drax, and what kind of Tree he is. However, as with his vocabulary, the only answer he is able to give is "I am Groot".
Mark Sinclair, known professionally as Vin Diesel, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-grossing actors, he is best known for playing Dominic Toretto in the Fast & Furious franchise.
Yondu Udonta, or simply Yondu, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The original version of the character is depicted as the last survivor of his species in the 31st century, and is a founding member of the original Guardians of the Galaxy team from the Marvel Multiverse alternate reality known as Earth-691. Yondu in Earth-691 is depicted as a blue-skinned male with a large red fin protruding from the back of his head and his back; he is a spiritual warrior who can control his killing arrows via sound waves, most commonly by whistling. Yondu joined Vance Astro and other survivors of the Badoon attack on the solar system in the 31st Century, who became known as the Guardians of the Galaxy. As part of the Guardians, Yondu traveled to present-day Earth and became an honorary member of the Avengers. The original Yondu never starred as a solo character in any Marvel Comic books, but was a core member of the team in the Guardians of the Galaxy comic that ran from 1990 to 1995.
Rocket Raccoon is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Keith Giffen, the character first appeared in Marvel Preview #7. He is an intelligent, anthropomorphic raccoon, who is an expert marksman, weapon specialist and master tactician. His name and aspects of his character are a nod to The Beatles' 1968 song "Rocky Raccoon". Rocket Raccoon appeared as a prominent member in the 2008 relaunch of the superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy.
Star-Lord is a fictional character and superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, created by Steve Englehart and Steve Gan, first appeared in Marvel Preview #4. The son of human Meredith Quill and Spartoi J'son, Peter Quill assumes the mantle of Star-Lord, an interplanetary policeman.
Groot is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #13. An extraterrestrial, sentient tree-like creature, the original Groot first appeared as an invader that intended to capture humans for experimentation. The character can only say the repeated line "I am Groot", but has different meaning. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star-Lord, Thor, and Rocket Raccoon are able to understand him.
The Guardians of the Galaxy are a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning formed the team from existing and previously unrelated characters created by a variety of writers and artists, with an initial roster of Star-Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, Phyla-Vell, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, and Adam Warlock.
Guardians of the Galaxy is a 2014 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 10th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Directed by James Gunn, who wrote the screenplay with Nicole Perlman, it features an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper as the titular Guardians, along with Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, John C. Reilly, Glenn Close, and Benicio del Toro. In the film, Peter Quill and a group of extraterrestrial criminals go on the run after stealing a powerful artifact.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is a 2017 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is the sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and the 15th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Written and directed by James Gunn, the film stars an ensemble cast featuring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sylvester Stallone, and Kurt Russell. In the film, the Guardians travel throughout the cosmos as they help Peter Quill learn more about his mysterious parentage.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is an American animated television series based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. It is produced by Marvel Animation. The series airs on Disney XD. It premiered on September 5, 2015, as part of the Marvel Universe on Disney XD.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is an upcoming American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy, produced by Marvel Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is intended to be the sequel to Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), and the 32nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is written and directed by James Gunn and stars an ensemble cast featuring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Will Poulter, Elizabeth Debicki, Sylvester Stallone, Sean Gunn, Maria Bakalova, and Chukwudi Iwuji. In the film, the Guardians embark on a mission to defend the universe and protect one of their own.
Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! is an accelerated drop tower dark ride attraction at the Disney California Adventure park at the Disneyland Resort. Based on the characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it depicts Rocket recruiting guests to attempt to free the remaining Guardians of the Galaxy from display within the Collector's fortress.
The Guardians of the Galaxy are a fictional spacefaring superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Brian Michael Bendis and Valerio Schiti formed this new version of the team with an initial roster of Rocket Raccoon, Kitty Pryde, Thing, Drax the Destroyer, Agent Venom and Groot. However, Star-Lord and Gamora eventually re-joined the team, and so did Angela. This Guardians team first appeared in "Guardians of the Galaxy" Vol. 4 #1.
Peter Jason Quill, also known by his alias Star-Lord, is a fictional character portrayed primarily by Chris Pratt in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Quill is initially depicted as a member of the space mercenary group called the Ravagers who was abducted from Earth as a child by Yondu Udonta. He becomes the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy after they assemble out of necessity to stop Ronan the Accuser from destroying Xandar. He discovers that he is a Celestial hybrid and that his father Ego created him as a means to terraform planets. With the help of his half-sister Mantis, Quill and the Guardians defeat Ego, and he develops a romantic relationship with Gamora. When Thanos begins his hunt for the Infinity Stones, Quill participates in the battle against him and learns Thanos killed Gamora. Quill is a victim of the Blip, but is resurrected by the Avengers and joins in on the final battle against Thanos where he meets an alternate 2014-Gamora who does not know him. After Thanos is defeated, Quill and the Guardians depart for space with Thor Odinson.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is an American television special written and directed by James Gunn for the streaming service Disney+, based on Marvel Comics featuring the superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy. It is the second Marvel Studios Special Presentation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films and television series of the franchise. The special is produced by Marvel Studios, and follows the Guardians of the Galaxy as they celebrate Christmas and search for a present for their leader Peter Quill.
I Am Groot is an American series of animated shorts created by Kirsten Lepore for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics featuring the character Groot. It features characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), following Baby Groot on various adventures that get him into trouble between the events of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and one of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's (2017) mid-credits scenes. The series is produced by Marvel Studios, with Lepore serving as head writer and director.
Drax, also known as Drax the Destroyer, is a fictional character portrayed by Dave Bautista in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. In the films, Drax is a warrior and member of the Guardians of the Galaxy who seeks vengeance for the loss of his family. Originally he sought to avenge his family by killing Kree fanatic Ronan the Accuser, but after Ronan's death, his mission became defeating Thanos. An element of comedy to his character is a running gag that Drax takes common idioms literally, being unable to understand the concept of metaphor.
Gamora is a fictional character portrayed primarily by Zoe Saldaña in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Gamora is depicted as a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, having escaped her previous life as an assassin after she was forcibly adopted by Thanos after he eliminated half of her planet's race, including her mother. For the next twenty years, she served Thanos as a cybernetically enhanced warrior, until betraying him to join the Guardians. Over time she becomes romantically involved with Peter Quill, and develops a positive relationship with her adopted sister Nebula despite their rivalrous upbringing. She is eventually killed by Thanos when he sacrifices her on Vormir to obtain the Soul Stone. When the Avengers use time travel in an effort to undo Thanos' actions, an alternate 2014-Gamora accompanies 2014-Thanos to confront the Avengers in 2023 after he hijacks their technology. However, upon being convinced by the alternate 2023 version of her adopted sister, she switches sides and joins the fight against her father, but disappears after his defeat.
Mantis is a fictional character portrayed by Pom Klementieff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. She is a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy with empathic powers and is the paternal half-sister of its leader, Peter Quill. Introduced in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2 (2017), she is an alien ward of Ego with the power to control the emotions of people by touch. She is commonly depicted as having a naive and innocent personality.
Nebula is a fictional character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise, portrayed by Karen Gillan, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. She is depicted as a blue-skinned alien warrior who is both the adoptive daughter of Thanos, who killed her blood family before raising her, and the adoptive sister of Gamora, with whom she grew to share a bitter rivalry. Although she is first introduced as the secondary antagonist of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), subsequent films see her develop into an antihero and eventually a protagonist, who joins her sister as part of the Guardians of the Galaxy and becomes a member of the Avengers and then officially of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Aspects of this interpretation were later integrated into the comics version of the character.
Rocket is a fictional character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise voiced by Bradley Cooper and based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Rocket was based on movements from Sean Gunn and an actual raccoon named Oreo. Rocket is depicted as a hot-tempered mercenary and weapons expert who, along with his companion Groot, joins the Guardians of the Galaxy in their battle against Ronan the Accuser. Following the Blip, Rocket remains on Earth as a member of the Avengers. He and his allies successfully obtain the Infinity Stones from the past using time travel, with Rocket contributing to the construction of the Nano Gauntlet used by Bruce Banner to restore the trillions of lives lost across the universe. Rocket fights in the final battle against Thanos, and rejoins the Guardians after their victory; departing for space, now accompanied by Thor.