Groot Is Dead! James Gunn Reminds Us That Original Groot Is Gone

Spoiler alert. If you have not seen Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 back up, now (and watch it).

The internet melted, today, as Guardians of the Galaxy Director, James Gunn announced that the original Groot is dead and will never return to the franchise.

Gunn took to Twitter earlier this year to clarify that Baby Groot, of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, isn’t actually Groot. By that I mean, he isn’t the original Groot, he is actually original Groots son.

The shock announcement came in response to backlash from the fans after Gunn wrote of his dislike of the cliched and overused trend of hero resurrections in the industry, today.

Fans panned the statement referencing his recent portrayal of Groot and his resurrection in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1.

Gunn held no punches in his reply. "I also mentioned to folks who...kept throwing the Groot revival in my face, that that example doesn't really work because Groot is dead,"

He added, "Although I don't necessarily think it's obvious in Vol. 1, it's important to say that if you exploded and a little glob of you started growing into a baby, I would not assume that baby was you."

This is pretty devastating news if I am honest. Groot is an unsung hero. It turns out that he knew he would die if he committed to saving everyone by enveloping them all to protect them. Meaning that the sacrifice was a lot greater than any of us gave him credit for. So, please, spare a thought for our courageous tree next time you take a stroll in the park.