Warning: Contains Preview Pages from Guardians of the Galaxy #6!Groot‘s final mission as a hero for the Guardians of the Galaxy has officially been revealed. The latest run of Guardians of the Galaxy has become notorious for taking one of Marvel’s most beloved characters and turning him into a villain. Groot’s newest form, dubbed by the Guardians as Grootfall, has been consuming planets across the galaxy to become a part of him. However, the events leading up to his turn to evil have been left ambiguous until now.
A preview for Guardians of the Galaxy #6 by Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing and Alex Lins picks up directly where issue #5 left off as the Guardians are killed in battle by Grootfall. Now literally one with the nightmarish Groot, the group recounts what led them to this point as they flash back to one year ago. They come across a mysterious world deemed by Rocket to be “the most statistically dangerous planet in the galaxy” and decide to explore what lies below. What they find ultimately changes the team forever, but it turns out Groot himself is completely up for the challenge.
Groot Valiantly Volunteers to Explore a Mysterious Planet, Leading to His Undoing
What’s notable about this reveal is that Groot’s kind-hearted heroics are what lead him to becoming the monstrous Grootfall to begin with, even with other members of the team blaming themselves for losing him. He is willing to dive headfirst into the planet’s terrain to uncover the secret of the uncharted world if it means the betterment of the galaxy. The reason why he’s become a fan-favorite is because of how sweet he is to put others ahead of himself. He’s not without ego, but it’s not nearly as swelled as his team, making him the group’s conscience that keeps them together. In the end, it’s this kind heart that leads to his demise as he becomes a darker “devourer of worlds” than Galactus.
Rocket Leaving the Team Makes Much More Sense
What’s really telling about this chapter in the Guardians’ lives is that it empathizes with why Rocket ends up leaving the Guardians after losing Groot. Every hero has been blaming themselves for losing the core heart of the team, but Rocket takes it especially hard since he knows that he could have stopped him. In fact, he doesn’t even hestitate to tag along with Groot after he volunteers to travel to the planet. Groot is his best friend, and the fact that he doesn’t even stop to talk him out of it has led him to a year filled with regret as he pins the blame squarely on himself. He likely couldn’t stop his friend from going because Groot is going no matter what, but the fact that he feels like he could have swayed his friend’s decision understandably makes him want to quit the team and be on his own for a while.
The secret on the uncharted planet has yet to be revealed, but based on Nebula deeming it “a secret that could’ve stayed secret,” it is the catalyst that turned Groot into Grootfall. What lies below on Groot’s final heroic mission will be an interesting reveal as he turns from beloved Guardian to heartless monster. The Guardians of the Galaxy were never the same when Groot turned to evil, and this final mission for the Flora Colossus will tug at fans’ heartstrings just as it did to his friends when he finally falls.
Check out Guardians of the Galaxy #6 on September 20 from Marvel Comics!
