After the original Groot returned to his original state in the first Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel fans have been watching the new Groot grow ever since. Since the first movie, Vin Diesel has portrayed Groot in various roles. Initially, he was a fully grown character who sacrificed his life for his friends. The audience then witnessed the hero's journey from Baby Groot to Teenage Groot. Now, in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, James Gunn brings a reimagined "Swoll Groot" created entirely through CGI rather than motion capture.
On Twitter, James Gunn, the new head of DC Studios and writer-director, discussed the need to make the new Groot stand out since he is the same size as his "father" from 2014. Furthermore, he explained why the personality of this Groot version is a little different:
“YA Groot, or Swoll Groot, as we call him, is getting bigger, outward as well as upward. As you can see by now he has a different, stockier physiology (and a more outgoing personality) than his father did.”
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is not only an exhibition of Gunn giving up his trademark irony and dark humor for something sweet and heartwarming. It is also an affirmation that the MCU heroes still have strong feelings of friendship and care.
In the movie, Groot and the other Guardians throw a Christmas party to comfort Peter Quill, who has not yet recovered from losing Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War. Despite not knowing anything about Earth's holidays, the Guardians decide to present Quill with the most fitting gift for this special occasion: Kevin Bacon, the legendary hero. Like each Guardians movie, Holiday Special has a peculiar and humorous touch while also being authentically welcoming, as any gift from a friend would be.
How Different is Groot?
Gunn explained on social media that the Guardians of the Galaxy have changed since their debut. Considering their first appearance was almost a decade ago, it is only natural that they would do so. There is no doubt that Groot's evolution has been the most noticeable since he has become an entirely different hero.
According to the MCU timeline, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special takes place after Thor: Love and Thunder. Over a year has passed in this story, and the Disney special is set in 2025. Because of that, according to what is known about Groot's species' aging, he is likely between 14 and 18 years old.
Despite his much bigger frame compared with the last movie and other recent appearances as the teen Groot form, it is known that the alien tree is still "just a kid." In a sense, this special serves as a "Christmas hero movie" and a prologue to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which will be released in May.
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