When "Guardians of the Galaxy" came out, it was widely hailed by critics -- namely, me -- as a funnier and more charming "Avengers," led by the ever-charming Chris Pratt as Star Lord. Despite the unstoppable charisma of Mr. Pratt, the most beloved character by far became the stoic, monosyllabic ent-monster, Groot. Groot is the true hero of the film, and largely because everything about him harkens back to a great hero from our collective childhood, the Iron Giant.
First of all, both characters are voiced by the guttural Vin Diesel. This may be a shock to some people, as the titular giant seems like an odd first role for the leader of a team of car-crashing thieves in a franchise which contains approximately ten dozen high-grossing films I have never seen. Mr. Diesel -- if that is his real name -- lends his deep-throated growl to the ten-story robot and the ten-foot tree creature, to great acclaim in both cases.
Both the Iron Giant and Groot are infinitely relatable to all viewers. Because neither can speak more than a few words, they have few discernible personality traits. This, in conjunction with their lack of gender and the "neutral face" that remains permanently plastered across both faces, allows for the audience to empathize with them on a personal level. In any situation, the viewer can project fear, excitement, happiness, or melancholy onto their hero without any contextual evidence. The few times the hero shows their emotion is played for laughs before they return to the same blank expression, making them the perfect canvas upon which a blend of emotions can be painted.
Most importantly, both heroes are innocent. The blank expressions and lack of vocabulary give the Giant and the Groot a childlike quality, making them even more sympathetic to the audience. They are carried through the story by heroes much smaller in size who still manage to "parent" their massive companions. They never feel the need to be a leader, or a villain, or a monster, until they become a victim of circumstance. They are whatever room they are standing in, as many of us feel at many times in our lives. They are us, and we are them.
Groot and the Iron Giant capture the hearts of everyone because they are the same, and they are everyone. Anyone can create a hero who stands for truth, justice, and the American way, but that character is a caricature of itself. The only way a character can be truly relatable is to stand for nothing, and stand for it as strong as they possibly can.
