Did Groot Die in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’?

Groot is a special character in so many ways. Over the years, he took the fans on an emotional roller coaster. This humanoid tree made us laugh and brainstorm what he was saying, but we also felt sad on occasions because of him. He was loyal and protective over those he cared about, so he sacrificed himself when the rest of the team was in danger. But did Groot die in Guardians of the Galaxy, or did something else happen?

Groot died in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Guardians were battling Ronan the Accuser and got trapped in his flagship, Dark Aster. The ship was damaged and about to crash on Xandar. So, Groot used his abilities and created a protective barrier around his team, sacrificing himself. All that was left of Groot was a small twig, which would later become ”Baby Groot.”

There are many polemics regarding Groot’s death. Some consider that Groot didn’t die because a small twig of him did remain and became Baby Groot, while others consider that Groot died and the twig is actually Groot’s son. So, let’s see what happened and who’s right.

What happened to Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie?

Before Groot met Star-Lord, Gamora, and Drax, he spent his days as a bounty hunter alongside Rocket. The two were a funny duo who decided that catching Quill could be lucrative for them. However, that does not go as planned, and Nova Corps imprison Groot and Rocket alongside Quill and Gamora. There they meet Drax, and soon enough, they devise a plan to escape prison.

Groot soon grew fond of them all and considered them his only friends. When the Ravagers abducted Quill and Gamora, he didn’t hesitate for a second and was adamant that they needed to save them. At first, the rest of the Guardians, except Rocket, were slightly annoyed by Groot because they thought he lacked communication skills. However, Rocket explained to them that Groot couldn’t talk as well as the rest of them, and his vocabulary was limited to three words: I am Groot. And soon enough, that wasn’t the problem, and they got used to it.

Groot showed on many occasions that he fears nothing. He was very powerful, and he knew that. Sure, he sometimes reacted before thinking it over first, but all that was part of his charm. What is important is that anyone who opposed the Guardians would also have to feel his wrath.

Ronan the Accuser was the main villain in the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and he planned to use the Power Stone to destroy the planet of Xandar. The Guardians decided to prevent that and confronted Ronan in a grand battle. That same battle would be Groot’s last one, as he sacrificed himself.

The Guardians got stuck in Dark Aster, Ronan’s flagship, during the battle. The ship was damaged and about to crash on Xandar. That kind of impact would most likely mean the death of everyone onboard the Dark Aster. However, Groot decided to protect the rest of the team – his friends and keep them from harm’s way. He spread his arms and ”branched out”. Those branches started to form a protective cocoon around the Guardians. So, Groot protected his friends, and they survived the crash on Xandar. Unfortunately, Groot died, and all that remained was a small twig.

Groot died, and his son, Baby Groot, was born

After the crash, Rocket picked up a few twigs and mourned Groot. Later, when Ronan was defeated, he planted one twig in a pot, and Baby Groot was born from that twig. Baby Groot had our hearts instantly, and we could not wait to see more of him in future Marvel movies.

But, the question remained, was Baby Groot the same Groot that died, and now he is reborn, or is he something else? There were many debates regarding this question up until James Gunn, the movie’s director, provided an answer. Back in 2018, he simply tweeted: ”First Groot is dead.” And then in the next tweet: ”Baby Groot is his son.”

So yes, the ”original” Groot died in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, but he did have an offspring. Baby Groot is Groot’s son, who is different from his father. Gunn also had this to say:

 ”I do think it’s more obvious in Vol. 2, as Baby Groot has a different personality than Groot, none of his memories, and is much, much dumber.”

All of this clarifies things. Baby Groot, adolescent Groot, and the most recent ‘‘buffed Groot” are the same character, and that character is an offspring of the old grown-up Groots we’ve seen in the first movie. Groot’s sacrifice was one of the most emotional moments in the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie. His line ”We are Groot” became a foundation that solidified the Guardians of the Galaxy team.