Groot is a fictional character voiced by Vin Diesel and portrayed in various forms and capacities 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. A tree-like extraterrestrial humanoid known as a flora colossus, the character is a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy and a close associate of Rocket in particular. The initial incarnation of the character sacrifices himself to save his allies during the battle against Ronan the Accuser at the climax of the first film, leaving behind a sapling which grows into a new Groot, colloquially known as "Baby Groot" and differentiated offscreen by James Gunn as the original's "son". Raised by Rocket as an adoptive son, the new Groot gradually grows to a similar size as his predecessor over the course of his next several appearances. He participates in the conflicts against Ego and then Thanos, falling victim to the Blip before being resurrected five years later by the Avengers and participating in the final battle against Thanos before departing for space with the Guardians. After the Guardians defeat the High Evolutionary, Groot continues to serve on the team, now under the command of Rocket.

The character's name is derived from either or both of two words: the Dutch groot, meaning big or great in size, or the noun groot, meaning mud, soil or earth. The origin of the noun, which is now obsolete except in dialect, was Old English.

, Groot has appeared in six films, the television special The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, and the animated series of shorts called I Am Groot released on Disney+.

Fictional character biography Groot Rocket and Joining the Guardians

A sentient tree-like humanoid, Groot becomes associated with Rocket Racoon. 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.

Groot II The Ravagers, Sovereigns and Ego

Shortly after the Battle of Xandar, Rocket plants a sapling taken from Groot's scattered body, which grows into a new, baby Groot who quickly develops a love of music and dancing. Two months later, the Guardians of the Galaxy are hired by the Sovereign to protect valuable batteries from an inter-dimensional monster. 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. 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 Groot places in Ego's brain.

Space Adventures

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. When exploring the planet of Terma, Groot took care of a bird like creature when its egg hatched. When he was looking for batteries for his video game. He stumbled upon a bionic nose and add a new perspective of smell, until he later took it off when he smelled his room. When the Guardians land on the ice planet of Falligar. Groot was having fun in the snow and made a snowman with parts of the ship, which went out havoc that Groot needs to shut it down. Later on, Groot noticed an intergalactic ice cream truck passing by the Quadrant and was searching for coins for some ice cream. When he was too late as it passed by, he got on to a pod and rammed into the truck. He got his ice cream, but got into trouble with Nova Corps for destroying the ice cream truck. Then Groot wandered into the temple of Drez-Lar where the prophecy of the Seed of Drez-Lar lies and for Groot to fulfill it to save the universe while he unnoticed being watch by the Watcher. But Groot messed it up by burning the seed into the lave as the temple collapses with him in it, but he survived the fallen temple and moves on in the ship as he's waving goodbye to the Watcher, which surprised him.

The Blip

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 obtain 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. During the battle, Groot is introduced by Thor to Steve Rogers. Groot joins the Avengers in the forest to protect Vision and tries to stop Thanos after he arrives. However, Thanos is able to activate the Infinity Gauntlet and snap his fingers. Groot is a victim of the Blip and 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.

In 2023, Groot is restored to life and is brought via portal by the Masters of the Mystic Arts to the destroyed Avengers Compound to join the battle against an alternate Thanos and his army. A week later, Groot and the reunited Guardians attends Tony Stark's funeral. Afterwards, he and the team pick Thor up from Norway and return to space.

Further Adventures

Groot and the Guardians returned to their adventures in space. In 2025, 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.

Few months later, the Guardians buy Knowhere and are joined by Cosmo the Spacedog. Groot, now bulky and bigger, helps rebuild it following the attack it had faced. Later that year, he takes part in Mantis' Christmas celebrations for Quill. Rocket and Cosmo dress him up to mirror a Christmas tree but he lowers his arms frustrating them.

Saving Rocket and forming the new Guardians

In 2026, after Knowhere is rebuilt, Groot carries a drunken Quill to bed. He then fights Adam Warlock after he attacks them to retrieve Rocket. After Rocket is injured, he joins the team in their new ship to find resources to save Rocket. Their ship gets stopped by Ravagers and an alternate Gamora joins them taking them to Orgocorp. He stays with Rocket on the ship before being tasked with picking the team up. They then travel to Counter Earth and alongside Quill, confronts the High Evolutionary, before engaging in a fight with his men. He and Quill escape and are picked up by Gamora, where he witness Rocket flatline, before he is resuscitated by Quill. They then reunite with Nebula, Mantis, and Drax and help release the High Evolutionary's captives. The team go back into the ship and help Rocket defeat the High Evolutionary before escaping to Knowhere. Quill calls for a meeting and gives Rocket the title of Captain, while most of the team leaves. Before Quill and Mantis depart, Groot says "I love you guys", making this the first time the audience understands him.

Groot stays on the team with Rocket, Cosmo, and Obfonteri, while being joined by Warlock and Phylla. He grows even more, becoming massive, and accompanies the team to Kyrlor.

Alternate Versions Alternate versions of Groot appear in What If...?, voiced by Fred Tatasciore.

Super Nova Nebula

In an alternate universe, Groot works at Howard the Duck's casino on Xandar. He joins Howard, Korg, and Miek to assist Corpsman Nebula in preventing an invasion and taking down corrupt Nova Corps leaders.

Killed By Incursion

In an alternate 1602, Groot owned a winery called Groot Groves and Thor was a customer. However, he was killed by tear in the universe due to the incursion.

Zombie Apocalypse

In an alternate 2018, Groot accompanied Rocket and Thor in battling against Thanos, who was caught up by the zombie infection. Groot and Rocket were subsequently vaporized by Thanos.

Conception and creation Groot first appeared in Tales to Astonish #13 (November 1960), and was created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby. "Groot" is the Dutch word for "large", possibly referring to his stature and ability to grow in size. 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.