MCU: 25 most heartbreaking Marvel Cinematic Universe character deaths

Marvel Studios’ AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

L to R: Star-Lord/Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Mantis (Pom Klementieff), Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel)

Photo: Film Frame

©Marvel Studios 2018

20. Teen Groot

Movie it happened in: Avengers: Infinity War

Why it was so heartbreaking: We got to the end of Avengers: Infinity War with all sorts of questions. One of those was how Thanos had won. Why hadn’t Doctor Strange told Iron Man what would have to happen. In Endgame, we found out why it all had to play out the way it did, but that didn’t stop some of the deaths after Thanos’ snap being absolutely heartbreaking.

Not all of them are going to make this list. Yes, they are all equally heartbreaking for the various characters, but some of them stood out more for us as fans. One of those was Teen Groot.

As he started to disappear, he said “I am Groot.” Okay, so he would always say that but after the events of the movie, we found out what that actually meant. He was reaching out to Rocket, and his words meant, “Dad.”

He was calling Rocket, “Dad.”

In that moment, everything that Rocket had done up to this point hit us like a ton of bricks. We got to see the effect Rocket had on Groot. He had been made from the death of one Groot and was raced by the Guardians. He had gone from cute but destructible baby to sullen teen across two movies, but in the end he was still a child.

And Rocket clearly understood. You can see the shock and loss in his eyes as Groot starts to disappear. Knowing what Groot is actually saying makes this Marvel Cinematic Universe death all the more heartbreaking.