Original Air Date: October 17, 2015
The title uses a clever play on words once again for this Groot centered episode. If you need a quick refresher on Groot go check out his parts of Episode 0 over here. Trust me some of the info plays a big part into this episode.
It opens up on the Milano flying towards a new planet. It’s sort of Earth like so that’s a bit of a change. But it turns out that Titus still holds a grudge for what happened in Conjunction. He’s seriously waiting for them to screw up so he could arrest them. Worst cop ever. This planet just happens to be one that the Collector said that a Pandorian crystal is and it being the main driving force this season The Guardians go. We don’t get a proper name this time sadly. Back to the initial conflict, the Guardians notice that Titus is on their tail and shake him in an asteroid field causing him to crash into the planet.
Titus is tricked again.Once they land Rocket finds and crushes the tracker before the team heads outside. Another point to make, this episode has Star-Lord being really insensitive towards Groot and sort of plays into the overall plot of the episode. I won’t be pointing out every single instance because it’s just not cool. So once they get out Star-Lord makes his first horrible joke about trees and Groot. I felt uncomfortable about it. Rocket tells him to knock it off but Groot sticks back with the Milano.
Not cool Quill, not at all.They find a village and the first thing they notice is that they are deforesting the area causing Rocket to get even angrier, but they spot the crystal. They disguise themselves, once again prompting Rocket to mention how offensive they are, before getting caught by the village elder. Star-Lord thinks quick and says he’s fixing the crystal. Then the elder offers him a trade, the laser scalpel for the crystal. Both sides thinking that they got the better deal.
My laser knife for your rock,
and our rock for your laser knife.Groot then runs in screaming “I am Groot” after being followed by rock monsters. The village and the Guardians defend the village with Groot being bit by one of the monsters. Everyone celebrates with Gamora and Star-Lord partaking in the festivities, both involving logs. This upsets Groot and Rocket so they sit next to the large fire. Bad idea. The fire sparks up and catches Groot, who is completely wooden, on fire and he runs through the village and catching it on fire. Once Star-Lord puts out the fire they are almost thrown out of the village, but stick around as Groot walks away.
Groot, you can’t run away from your problems.
Tis just a flesh wound.Rocket makes Star-Lord go over to Groot to apologize but it’s too late. Did anyone else get a song stuck in their head after reading that last sentence? Just me? Cool. By the time Star-Lord meets up with Groot the infection has spread causing Groot to grow huge and angry, so basically a wooden Hulk.
Oh I guess not… Groot Smash!Back over to Titus and he’s fixing his ship when he sees huge Groot. Groot heads back to the village and attacks prompting the rest of the team to do something. Rocket and Star-Lord head inside after figuring out that it was inside of him too while Drax and Gamora fight off the angry mob that is approaching. But the villagers manage to get a shot off and into Groot’s leg putting Rocket and Star-Lord in danger. It’s then we find out that a meteor seems to be a cause of the parasite/fungus. So many parallels this episode wow. Then our good buddy Titus shows up to make a big mess even bigger when he starts attacking Groot with his ship. So now Drax and Gamora have to fight off Groot, the village, and Titus.
Now we need Groot in a Thinker pose.Back inside Groot they reach the source of all Groots, not his heart but the seed that we learned about back in episode 0. But that’s also where the crystal is and Star-Lord has his priorities straight, not really Rocket calls him out on it before a Fungus creature knocks Star-Lord into the seed. He floats around there for a bit before we go back outside where Titus is looking to use some destructive missiles, even going as far as to ignore orders. Luckily Drax is there and stops Titus from using them on Groot.
You’re his best friend Rocket, and you don’t know that?Inside Rocket defends himself from the Fungus while Star-Lord floats around some more until his eyes open and is now connecting to Groot learning what the seed is for. So once he’s conscious, and after yelling out “I am Groot!” he uses his Element Blaster to water the seed. And due to that the Fungus begins dying off. What really stops it all is back outside Drax stops an Anti-Matter missile from hitting Groot and redirects it toward the meteor, talk about brute strength. Groot then shrinks back to normal.
No you’re not. You’re Star-Lord.In the aftermath Titus tries to arrest them for interfering, when really he was the one interfering with them. The village stands up to him and he backs off. As a side effect of what happened Star-Lord is only able to say “I am Groot” at least for now. Groot gives the crystal to Star-Lord and they go on their way.
Oh, makes more sense now. #wearegrootFlash forward to them back in the ship and he can talk again, but now he has a better understanding of Groot and keeps his secret for him.
Is it just me or is an early 2000’s pop punk song stuck in your head?Final Thoughts:
Overall another fun episode for the series, my main gripe is the constant jokes about trees from Star-Lord. It just became annoying through the whole episode. I get where they were going though and it did provide a good moral lesson for the younger viewers. This episode does help propel the story forward too since we discovered what this season would be about. So now they are a step closer to either meeting Star-Lord’s dad, or finding the Cosmic Seed.
Guardians of the Galaxy airs Saturdays only on Disney XD