[s1e1] Groot's First Steps Page

One root snapped away from the central cluster. Then another. He fashioned them into two shaky, uneven legs. He took a breath, whispered a determined "I am Groot," and took a step.

By the time the maintenance robots returned, Groot wasn’t on the shelf. He was halfway across the room, marching toward the window to see the stars, leaving a trail of happy little footprints in the dust. [S1E1] Groot's First Steps

He was no longer a captive of the soil. He was a Guardian in the making. One root snapped away from the central cluster

The crash was deafening. The ceramic shattered into a million orange shards, scattering his precious soil across the cold floor. He took a breath, whispered a determined "I

When the robots placed the new plant next to him, Groot’s little wooden heart sank. It was pristine. It didn’t have any stray twigs or dirt under its fingernails. Worst of all, the robots began giving the bonsai his favorite nutrient-rich water.

He wobbled like a jelly-leaf. He tumbled. He tripped over a stray pebble. But with every fall, his wooden "muscles" grew tougher. He realized he wasn't just a plant in a pot; he was a creature of the galaxy.

Groot lay in the wreckage, gasping. For the first time since his rebirth, his roots were exposed to the open air. He felt small and vulnerable. But as he looked up at the towering shelf, a spark of defiance lit up in his eyes. He didn't want to be a decoration anymore.