And Rocket had already watched the original Groot sacrifice himself in Guardians of the Galaxy, so for him to see Groot Jr. fade away in Avengers: Infinity War was equally as heartbreaking… actually, arguably more so considering what the adolescent tree’s final word was.
Ever since we saw the two of them staking out bounty targets on Xandar, it’s been clear that Rocket and Groot shared a close bond.
Unfortunately, I fear it’s not going to work this time around, and that makes this artwork all the more devastating.
Sure, Groot may have publicly been known as Rocket’s “muscle,” but make no mistake, those two cared deeply about each other.