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Groot: Marvel Superhero |
Today, I gave in and purchased “Groot,” a fictional superhero
appearing in comic books published by Marvel, as an ornament to dress our
Christmas tree. I first laid eyes on Groot, in the movie version of Guardians of The Galaxy, Vol 2. I am not
a Marvel comics follower, nor am I an action adventure movie kind of girl, well
unless Will Smith is in the movie. One will not usually find me in front of a
T.V watching Marvel movies, however, I do sometimes share screen time with my
husband, when there is a viewing of Spiderman, Iron Man, Captain America, and
so on.
This time, I was totally caught off guard when I first
noticed Groot in Guardians of The Galaxy,
a loyal, sentient, tree-like character (who I actually called “Tree” for
several days until my husband corrected me), and a steady alliance to the
intergalactic criminal Rocket Raccoon, the feisty, brave, and laughable too, space
saving adventurer who really cracked me up.
Besides, being caught up in all the galaxy battles of good versus
evil, I found myself mesmerized by this extraterrestrial tree, whose race was
thought to be extinct until he landed on earth seeking humans as test subjects.
Groot and Rocket Raccoon, with all of his contorted clap backs, traveled the galaxy
picking up bounties. Lots of fighting, smashing and galactical blow ups, when
the two met up with their galactical fire fighter friends on Xandar, and the
four were eventually captured in a battle. Long story short, Groot convinced
his friends to risk everything to stop the enemy Ronan the Accuser’s plans to
destroy Xandar and enslave the world.
Whewww!!
By this time, I had begun to intuit a message, or, the moral
of the story as they say. Here is the what got me. In the final scene, the four
defenders of Xandar were trapped. Groot sacrificed his own life to save his
friends by growing. Yes, growing roots. Throughout the movie, he would often
eat new branches, I didn’t understand why he was doing that. Once the troop
became trapped, Groot allowed his roots to grow until his friends were totally
enclosed in an almost capsule like ball. By doing so, his friends were shielded
from (I think it was the Orb of destruction or something like that). Rocket Raccoon
pleaded with his friend Groot, not to grow his roots, but Groot grew, and then
he died. He captured my heart with three words, “I am Groot.”
I became really emotional during this part of the movie, until
Rocket Raccoon, while assessing the destruction, found a root of Groot, planted it, and
then, well, baby Groot is growing for the sequel I guess.
Groot touched my heart, and is now hanging on my tree. The
fictional character reminded of a scripture, John 15:13. Greater love has no
one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
In this vitriol, divisive time of uncertainty, when it seems
like the world is blowing apart, and delusion, deception and destruction are
all around, the fictional character, Groot provided me with a message of hope. Sometimes
we must die to our individual agendas, and collectively work together to help
friends for the common good of humanity.
I am reminded of this, now and every time I gaze upon it,
encircled in the glow of my Christmas tree.