Here's an interesting thing that just happened over on Twitter: Guardians Of The Galaxy mastermind James Gunn has casually revealed that the Baby Groot we all fell in love with in Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 was not a reincarnated, reborn, or otherwise reworked version of the Groot who sacrificed himself at the end of the original Guardians Of The Galaxy, but Groot's son.
Gunn dropped this bombshell in the middle of a thread pitting Baby Groot against Porgs (forget it, Jake: it's Twitter). Check out these two exchanges:
First Groot is dead. Baby Groot is his son.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 27, 2018
Yes that’s why he has a different personality.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 27, 2018
Now, here's the interesting thing: the BMD team is divided as to whether or not this is news. For some of us, this development was a complete shock. For others, it was "something we've been told forever". Another writer claims to be in league with viewers who hate Baby Groot on the basis of his cuteness, and declined to offer an informed take on the matter. But over on Twitter, this news is blowing people's minds.
UPDATE: James Gunn adds the following:
Well... when it comes to talking trees the difference between clone and son is minimal.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 27, 2018
Uh-huh.
We're still working through our feelings on all this, but figured we'd make sure you folks had the opportunity to do the same (assuming you didn't already know this, in which case: when the hell were you gonna let us in on this one?). Please feel free to discuss this development in the comments section below.