15 Unforgettable Moments Which Made Guardians Of The Galaxy

4. Groot's Living Shield

In the midst of utter despair, the Guardians lying in ruins upon the Dark Aster as it plummets towards the Xandarian surface, we find what it is without a doubt the most moving moment of Guardians Of The Galaxy. By this point of the film razor-sharp writing, directing and character modelling have positioned Groot as the soft, endearing heart of the team - you just know we've all been groomed to fall in love with this guy. So when he gathers his broken allies together and grows himself into a living shield to protect them from the impending crash, with Rocket begging against it as it means Groot's certain death, audiences were choking on their tears. This act of utter selflessness is so beautifully realized on screen, the Guardians embraced in this ball of leafy branches as swirling embers cast a warm glow on their sullen faces. Few other moments in Marvel cinematic history have been so emotive, so stirring. When Groot drawls out his line, his standard "I am Groot" changing for the first time to "We are Groot", some will call it predictable, but it definitely moved audiences in a very deep way.