James Gunn On ‘Swoll Groot’ And How He Is Different From The Old Groot

Guardians of the Galaxy franchise director James Gunn shares his thought about Swoll Groot and how he is different from the original Groot.

2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy formally introduced us to the extraterrestrial tree-like figure named Groot. The Flora colossus alien was originally a companion to Rocket (Bradley Cooper) before the duo became part of the original members of the Guardians of the Galaxy. However, fighting against Ronnan brought forth the untimely demise of Groot. The changing of his “I am Groot” to “We are Groot” was like a punch to the gut, which solidified the character as one of the MCU’s fan favorites. But luckily, the death of the original Groot made it possible for the appearance of Baby Groot.

Baby Groot returned to the big screen in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The cute character made everyone fall in love with his silly and innocent antics. Since then, we’ve seen how Baby Groot grew throughout the MCU movies. In Avengers: Infinity War, Baby Groot became Teen Groot. And just like any other teen, Groot was temperamental and a complete snob. 

Before his appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special as Swoll Groot, the character also starred in Disney+’s I Am Groot. The series featured the adventures of Baby Groot, which often led him to trouble. The events of the series happened between the time of the first and second Guardians of the Galaxy films.

From Baby Groot to Swoll Groot

When Baby Groot first appeared, fans were ecstatic to see the loving alien return. But even then, Gunn was clear that Baby Groot and the original Groot were not the same entity. He perished completely when the original Groot sacrificed himself to save the Guardians. Baby Groot only came to be when Rocket took a twig from the original Groot’s body and planted it in a pot. Baby Groot also doesn’t have memories of the old Groot. 

However, it appears that the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special has awakened the same discussion. One fan tweeted their concern about how Groot’s head appeared larger than the original Groot. James Gunn, in a tweet, explained that Swoll Groot is different in many ways compared to his father.

“Well, YA Groot, or Swoll Groot, as we call him, is getting bigger, outward and upward. As you can see by now, he has a different, stockier physiology (and a more outgoing personality) than his father. #GuardiansoftheGalaxyHolidaySpecial“

Another fan claimed that Swoll Groot will return to his original size in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Gunn quickly turns down the suggestion in another tweet, noting that it is “not even physically possible.”

“Nope. That’s not even physically possible. He’s much broader than OG Groot ever was. He’s his progeny & a totally different Groot.”

The difference between the two Groots has been clearer with the release of the GOTG Holiday Special. We’ve seen Swoll Groot participate in activities that perhaps the original Groot wouldn’t even consider. This is a nod to the differences in personality between the two. 

Towards ‘Guardians of the Galaxy 3’

Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special officially ends MCU’s Phase 4 this year. The next time we’d see the Guardians band together is in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

Earlier this year, Gunn mentioned that Vol. 3 would probably be the last time we’d see this group of Guardians together in the MCU. Actors like Dave Batista and Karen Gillan have already penned their goodbyes to their beloved characters, Drax and Nebula.

While Vol. 3 might be an end of an era, it’ll also be the start of a new adventure for the MCU. It’ll be interesting to see how Swoll Groot interacts with the other Guardians once the movie comes into theaters next year.

Meanwhile, catch Swoll Groot and the rest of the Guardians in the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special on Disney+.

Paul is many things. He's a fan of anime, superheroes, and everything in between. He dedicates his downtime to annoying the heck out of his cats and dog.