Warning: contains spoilers for Guardians of the Galaxy #6!The Guardians of the Galaxy fans know and love are gone, as Star-Lord’s team take on a chilling new identity that tears Marvel’s cosmic community in two. Last issue, the team died, sacrificing themselves to Groot in order to understand what motivated his shocking turn to evil. Now, they’re back, but their loyalties have shifted in a shocking way.
In a preview of Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing, Kev Walker, Matt Hollingsworth, and Cory Petit’s Guardians of the Galaxy #7, Wiccan and Hulkling investigate one of the world’s transformed by Groot’s new ‘Grootfall’ powers. During their exploration, they discover unexpected plant-life which mimics fauna, as well as the former Guardians of the Galaxy.
However, having merged with Groot and taken on new plant-based forms, the team now reveal they’ve become the Guardians of Grootspace – protectors of the many planets that Groot has colonized for himself, and apparent enemies to any cosmic heroes who may see fit to interfere.
The Guardians of Grootspace Are Born
After a fateful mission to the mysterious Branch Worlds, Groot was present for the death of Granopy – an ancient Flora Colossus suspected to be the first of his kind. Granopy passed on unimaginable power, turning Groot into a Galactus-like monstrosity whose seeds roared across the galaxy, landing on innocent worlds and terraforming them, including any hapless life forms who happened to be in the way. The Guardians fought Grootfall as long as they could, but finally bonded with Groot to understand why he’s so committed to this path of destruction. Apparently, they liked what they heard.
The New Guardians of the Galaxy Are Coming
However, that doesn’t mean the galaxy will go without its Guardians. The issue’s summary asks “Is this the beginning of a NEW Guardians of the Galaxy?” – and with Wiccan and Hulkling having been on the team in their previous, pre-Grootfall incarnation, it makes sense that they’d be the founders of any new group. However, with existing spacefaring civilizations living in fear of Grootfall, it seems like these two groups will be at odds – the Guardians of the Galaxy fighting for the old universe, and the Guardians of Grootspace fighting for the new.
There’s still a lot to find out about why the former Guardians of the Galaxy have joined Groot and what they hope to accomplish, but having given up their lives and been reborn in strange new forms, Star-Lord’s group are officially debuting a new identity and mission. Hopefully, the new and old Guardians of the Galaxy can forge some kind of peace, rather than becoming the front line of an impossibly destructive new galactic war.
Guardians of the Galaxy #7 is coming from Marvel Comics October 11.
