Guardians of the Galaxy was Marvel Studios' biggest cinematic risk yet and it paid off in spades. The first adventure of Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Groot and Rocket won over critics, converted doubters, took the box office by storm and gave fans an experience they'll be quoting and revisiting again and again for years to come. With so many great scenes and moments to choose from, it would seem hard to pick just one that embodies everything that worked about the film, but the choice is obvious: Groot's sacrifice. As we got to know the characters over the course of the film, it's telling just how endearing they quickly became to audiences when laughter and excitement gave way to hushed emotional silence when Rocket asks his friend why he's willing to die only for Groot to respond, "We are Groot." So effective has the movie been up to this point in turning two completely CGI characters - a talking raccoon and living tree, no less - into ones we already feel like friends with that the emotional weight of the moment is wholly earned. Though the four survivors would go on to unite and overcome the strength of the Power Stone as friends in an equally solid scene to defeat Ronan shortly after, it's Groot's sacrifice that makes it all possible and truly binds the group together, literally and figuratively, as the family they are. Even further, the reveal that Groot is regrowing in Rocket's pot and the fan favorite dancing scene don't serve to take away or undermine the strength of the cocoon sequence, instead giving fans and Groot himself a reward for his selflessness that doesn't ring hollow one bit.
Writer, film enthusiast, part-time gamer and watcher of (mostly) good television located on the fringe of Los Angeles, who now has his own website at www.highdefgeoff.com!
