We Regret To Inform You That Groot From ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ Is Actually Dead
Baby Groot is his son?
In a real J.K Rowling move, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has absolutely broken all of our hearts by confirming that our favourite tree-being, Groot, actually did die at the end of the first film. Yep, it’s canon.
Gunn made the revelation during a Twitter exchange about who to save in a life and death situation — Groot or the delightful porgs from Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Porgs, as you may remember, are basically just cute alien birds that live with Luke Skywalker on an island somewhere. As the debate continued, Gunn got continually more frustrated, claiming that as Groot was a thinking, sentient being, and Porgs are just birds, it wasn’t even a fair argument.
But then, someone pointed out that Groot can just grow back, into a smaller, cuter version of himself after death, which is what everyone ASSUMED happened at the end of the first film. And that’s when Gunn destroyed us all, writing:
“First Groot is dead,” he wrote. “Baby Groot is his son.”
First Groot is dead. Baby Groot is his son.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 27, 2018
The revelation that Groot actually did sacrifice himself makes everything so much sadder and more portentous in the first film. Sure, it’s nice that he managed to use the opportunity to give birth to his own son, but fans of the franchise never really got the opportunity to mourn the lovely plant-man properly.
Gunn absolutely doubled down on this, making sure that there was no room for mistake, confirming that Baby Groot is the name of Groot original’s son, that the baby doesn’t have Adult Groot’s memories, and that it’s “canon AF”.
.@TwitterSupport I want to report @JamesGunn's account for harassment pic.twitter.com/KlMSCuUiUM
— Ryan Broderick (@broderick) February 27, 2018
Apparently James Gunn has actually talked about this in interviews before, but for whatever reason, it was news to most people — and fans began broadcasting their grief.
I always thought Baby Groot was "of" First Groot, a regeneration of First Groot, sort of like a phoenix rising from the ashes or whatever. that Baby Groot was basically born when his dad died is so much fucking sadder
— priscilla page (@BBW_BFF) February 27, 2018
I’ll be over here in the fetal position after all this talk of dead Groots and porgs. pic.twitter.com/vcE2brnPL3
— Brian Truitt (@briantruitt) February 27, 2018
JESUS CHRIST… Find your chill, James Gunn. pic.twitter.com/yIDWh0mzhq
— Ben Philippe (@gohomeben) February 27, 2018
Fans: “I have a theory about this character”
James Gunn: pic.twitter.com/VZhLrtzJME— Kiki Roché (@OnionsAndWine) February 27, 2018
RIP Groot, long live Baby Groot.