Warning: SPOILERS for Mech Strike: Monster Hunters #5A major change in than Peter Quill, AKA Star-Lord. Mech Strike: Monster Hunters #5 reveals his long history ties into his new backstory: Groot was on Earth long before he ed the Guardians.
The Guardians of the Galaxy, similarly to the Avengers, change their roster quite frequently, but the franchise is currently known for two major teams above all the others. The first included Yondu Udonta as the team later, and fan-favorites like Gamora and Drax are nowhere to be found. The second team included Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax and the famous duo of Rocket Raccoon and Groot; this team achieved a considerable amount of fame after 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy film in the MCU.
In Mech Strike: Monster Hunters #5, written by Christos Cage with art by Paco Diaz, the Avengers fight a skyscraper-sized Doctor Doom; the power of the Eye of the Kraken has transformed Doctor Doom into a massive monster, and no sole Avenger can even hope to stop him. Rocket has an idea: "You guys might not know this, but the first time Groot came to Earth...he was a giant monster too. Give him a sec to absorb the local plant life and he could be one again." The scene flashes back to a classic moment from Tales to Astonish #13, released in 1960, depicting Groot rampaging through a city. One problem: this was not the same Groot.
Groot Lore Changes Forever In One
In Marvel lore, the original Groot who attacked the town in Tales to Astonish #13 was an entirely different being, and not the same character from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise (a notable bit of proof occurs when the first Groot dies at the end, killed by a swarm of termites). This retcon implies the two beings are one - and Groot traveled to Earth to abduct humans for experimentation back on his homeworld of Planet X. Furthermore, Groot actually spoke in full sentences in Tales, so the Groot in the present day either lost that ability or simply chooses to only say "I am Groot" instead.
This means Groot was once a planet conqueror similar to Kang who was felled by termites, somehow returned from the dead and became a peaceful character with a severely limited vocabulary. While this is not out of the realm of possibility, it does transform Groot's character into an atoner: one who wants to make up for his past sins during Tales to Astonish #13. With this in mind, it adds an extra dimension to Groot's character, making this Guardians of the Galaxy hero far more interesting.
