The Marvel Cinematic Universe. Their unique personalities come together to form interesting dynamics, but there's one member in particular that has far more to him than meets the eye, and that is Groot.
While his dialogue is seemingly only limited to three simple words — "I am Groot" — each utterance of that classic phrase says so much more in reality. Although not every one of Groot's lines has been translated, the ones that have range from deeply profound to humorous and profane.
Updated on November 29, 2022 by Stacie Rook: Groot's antics as a Guardian of the Galaxy have made him a firm fan-favorite, and the character has now starred in a series of shorts—unsurprisingly titled Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5th, 2023).
"Raccoon."
When He Calls Rocket An Animal
Throughout Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the other characters humorously refer to Rocket as several other animals rather than a raccoon, a term that Rocket finds insulting. From "trash panda" to "triangle-faced monkey" and even a "fox" and "rat," Groot later corrects them and refers to Rocket as what he really is (initially misheard by him as "rabboon").
Compared to the original Groot in the first film, Baby Groot in the sequel is shown to be just as honest, but more brutally so, not caring if he hurts anyone's feelings. It's a perfect example of just how different the two characters are, since calling Rocket by his animal name is something the original Groot would never have done.
"I Need To Pee."
When He Needs A Bathroom Break
Avengers: Infinity War features a throwaway gag involving Thor, Rocket, and Teen Groot, who separated from the rest of their crew to enlist the aid of the dwarf king, Eitri. On the way there, Groot seemingly requests permission for a bathroom break while Rocket assures him to just "Tinkle in the cup, no one's looking."
It's one of the more awkward and cringiest one-liners in the MCU, but it also gives viewers a surprising look at how Groot's anatomy functions. Whether this is necessary information for the film to include, though, is debatable.
"I Hate Hats."
Finding The Fin
In a scene that perfectly sums up Baby Groot as a character, both Rocket and Yondu are left to rely on him to help them escape from Yondu's Ravager crew in Guardians Vol. 2. After a series of misunderstandings as they try to get Groot to fetch Yondu's backup fin, Yondu shows Groot the symbol to look out for, which results in Groot thinking that Yondu wants him to wear it as a hat, which he its to hating — on anyone, not just himself.
Baby Groot's dislike of hats is an interesting, albeit unusual character trait, but his reason behind it is just as weird. He claims to hate hats because of situations where "one minute you think someone has a weird-shaped head, the next minute you realize part of that head is a hat." That one line itself is enough to give Baby Groot's other eccentricities a run for their money.
"Yes, I Like Knives."
His Line In Endgame
At the end of Avengers: Endgame, Thor decides to tag along with the Guardians as they venture out to find answers on Gamora's whereabouts. When Drax and the others humorously suggest that Star-Lord and Thor have a knife fight over the position of leader, Groot smiles and seemingly agrees.
According to the Russo brothers at a 2019 Q&A mentioned on Reddit, Groot's single line of dialogue in the film actually does have a meaning: "Yes, I like knives." As funny as that moment is, it further demonstrates how much more edgy and even violent Teenage Groot is compared to his original form.
"It's Better Than 11 Percent."
His Optimistic
Throughout the first Guardians film, despite his criminal life with Rocket, Groot was constantly shown to be the most kind-hearted and optimistic member of the Guardians. His optimism burns brightly in one particular scene when the Guardians attempt to discuss a plan to bring down Ronan and his army.
When Rocket mocks Star-Lord for having only "12 percent of a plan," Groot chimes in, claiming that it's still "better than 11 percent," much to Rocket's confusion. This not only shows Groot's unwavering for his new friends but also the charm that makes him one of the best characters James Gunn brought to the MCU.
"They're The Only Friends We've Ever Had."
Not Leaving His Friends Behind
In Guardians of the Galaxy, having saved Drax from drowning after the battle on Knowhere and learning of Peter and Gamora's capture, Groot refuses to tag along with Rocket, who plans to retreat far away to avoid the incoming destruction from Ronan the Destroyer.
He tells Rocket that they shouldn't be abandoning "the only friends" they've ever had, and boldly states that they need to "save them." This sentiment is even enough to make Drax offer his . Rocket and Groot are a dynamic duo for the ages, but it's scenes like this that show how different they truly are.
"Boring!"
When He Sasses Star-Lord
During the end credits of Vol. 2, Groot is shown to have now aged into a lazy, trash-talking, video game-obsessed teenager. When Star-Lord scolds him for not cleaning his room and for having an unhealthy addiction to his game, Groot refuses to make eye and mockingly rebuts Quill's complaint by simply calling him "boring."
Any fans who happen to be a parent of teenagers can't help but find this scene both hilarious and relatable, with Quill even itting that he now knows how Yondu felt while looking after him. With his unnecessary sass and attitude, Teen Groot can be hard to love at times, but those same traits also make for some rather humorous moments, making him hard to hate.
"F**k!"
His Constant F-Bombs
Much to the shock of the rest of the Guardians, ever since the original Groot's death, Baby Groot (and later Teen Groot) has developed quite the potty mouth. Normally in a PG-13 film, filmmakers can get away with at most one f-bomb, but according to Gunn, the amount that Baby Groot utters throughout the course of Vol. 2 goes well into double-digit territory.
The MCU has yet to audibly include the f-word in any of its films so far, but Gunn has taken to Twitter to it that in his special "Groot script," Baby Groot dropped nearly 50 F-bombs. Teen Groot's attitude and language aren't as much of a surprise for a teenager, but to know that he had developed such a colorful vocabulary so soon in life as a baby, and that his language barrier helped the movie keep its PG-13 rating, is absolutely hilarious.
"Dad..."
His Last Word
In the shocking final moments of Infinity War, no one was safe from the snap of the Infinity Gauntlet, and Nebula and Rocket were the only ones to be spared. In his final moments, Groot utters one last "I am Groot" to Rocket before fading away, and what it translates to makes the moment all the more heartbreaking.
Gunn served as a producer and had an uncredited hand in providing additional dialogue for the film. When asked on MCU's best superhero duos.
"Welcome To The F**king Guardians Of The Galaxy."
When He Initiates Yondu Into The Family
Yondu plays a much bigger role in Vol. 2, with a bittersweet character arc revealing his true hidden colors, giving his own life to save Star-Lord's. Before Yondu's tragic self-sacrifice, Groot decides to verbally initiate him into their dysfunctional family.
He does so in the translated line, "Welcome to the f**king' Guardians of the Galaxy" (Rocket substitutes the f-word with "freakin'"). It's quite a heartwarming and bittersweet moment, especially considering what happens to Yondu later, and it shows how much Groot has grown to trust and care about him the same way as his fellow Guardians.
