Rocket Raccoon and Groot have one of the best relationships in all of Marvel. Whether it’s in the comics or the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Rocket and Groot always have each other’s backs thanks to an unbreakable bond between the Guardians of the Galaxy members. In their most recent adventure, the two end up bonding in the more literal sense as Groot protects an extremely fragile Rocket by literally becoming his armor.
In the most recent Guardians of the Galaxy, the Universal Church of Truth has brainwashed or captured the Guardians, with a disheveled Rocket the only thing standing between the group’s domination and plans to kill Death. He has used a suit of armor to keep him going, but once that’s gone, Rocket is vulnerable. Rocket is in rough shape. He is a bag of bones who’s using his last ounces of energy to save the day. Still, he pushes forward.
In Guardians of the Galaxy #12, Rocket manages to take over the Universal Church of Truth’s ship systems, freeing the rest of the heroes from stasis. Rocket is dying when Groot’s branches pick him up and wrap him up to his chest. Groot becomes Rocket’s new armor, as he’s carried by his friend. Rocket lets out a “Hell yeah,” before a memory restored Drax tells him “you look so stupid.”
The Guardians, led by Rocket and the Groot suit, successfully defeat the Church. Later, Rocket recovers from his injuries. While a doctor says “he’s lucky to be alive,” Rocket makes it out of the ordeal in one piece. When he awakes in a hospital bed, the Guardians and a handful of Marvel’s other cosmic heroes are there to greet him. It’s revealed he’s missed the last year in a coma and the story fills in the events he missed - the rise of the powerful Cosmic Ghost Rider, the Death of the Inhumans and Silver Surfer: Black. Rocket says he needs to sleep but stops his original Guardians team from leaving. He tells them he’s going to get better quickly. Star-Lord tells him the Galaxy can wait.
The final issue of Guardians of the Galaxy before it reboots again turns out to be quite a touching issue. Rocket uses his last ounce of strength to save his friends and is saved himself from his best friend in the galaxy. Is the Groot suit stupid as Drax suggests? Maybe. It is a tad ridiculous. However, Rocket wouldn’t have made it out of the fight without it. Rocket Raccoon and Groot’s bond is somehow even stronger and will likely never be broken.
