Fan Casting We are Groot (Prequel Spinoff)

Took place before the first Guardians of the Galaxy, story about a young and caring Groot who was a hyper-intelligent, tree-like organism from the species Flora colossus native to the Planet X. While he possessed human level intellect, Groot's robust and heavyweight physiology caused the organs of his acoustic generation to become stiff and inflexible, rendering the limits of his speech to the simple phrase, "I am Groot." He was imprisoned in a run down intergalactic zoo, forced to be an exhibit for tourists. One robotic guard named Tibius Lark took a liking to Groot and eventually decided to break him out. Groot and Lark became friends and associates as they went throughout the galaxy.