Sometimes an argument leads to a revelation you simply can’t take back. Such was the case with a recent, playful Twitter debate involving James Gunn. Gunn was responding to the question of whether he would rather save a Porg or Baby Groot. This, of course, led to Gunn dropping the bomb that the Groot from the first movie is actually dead, and that Baby Groot is his son.
First Groot is dead. Baby Groot is his son.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 27, 2018
Naturally, Guardians of the Galaxy fans were not pleased with this revelation. Most were likely operating under assumption that Groot had regenerated into a younger version of himself in the Guardians post-credits sequence — Groot was the hero who saved the galaxy, but he was also Baby Groot. Not the case.
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Gunn went on to further elaborate on the revelation, reiterating that Baby Groot has no memory of his dad’s allies from the first film, meaning that he was effectively raised by the Guardians.
He doesn’t remember anyone. He’s a baby but he’s been with them for two months.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 27, 2018
Gunn has teased the fact that Baby Groot is not the same as Groot before, noting in a 2017 Facebook chat that it was never confirmed that the two characters are the same. It’s a small detail for some, but for avid Baby Groot fans it can be a hard blow realizing that the Groot from the first film has been dead and gone for quite some time.