Rocket Raccoon

"I didn't ask to get made! I didn't ask to be torn apart and put back together over and over and turned into some little monster!"

- Rocket's crippling hidden pain

Rocket Raccoon is a Marvel Comics character who is a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy. He is an intelligent, anthropomorphic raccoon, who is an expert marksman and master tactician.

Development
The character was created by Bill Mantlo and Keith Giffen, and consciously inspired by the Beatles song "Rocky Raccoon".

Personality
Rocket is easily enraged and aggressive. He often gets insecure when people do not treat him as an equal and give him the same respect they would give a common animal. But this wisecracking raccoon is nothing short of lovable.

Physical appearance
Rocket is a genetically engineered talking raccoon who wears an orange battle suit. In many aspects he is very much alike a normal raccoon, his body being only subtly different from a regular animal at first glance. Whilst his face is not very different from that of a normal raccoon (albeit perhaps with a greater ability for facial expressiveness), he does however posses a slightly human-like body structure, his legs being longer and oriented to line up with his body more than on a normal raccoon, enhancing his ability to walk upright. His hips and torso also appear to have been restructured to enhance bipedality, and his shoulders and upper arms also appear fairly human-like. These differences are not drastic however, and seem to not greatly compromise his ability to move on all four, as he is shown to be able to do so in the movie. It could perhaps be said that Rocket's body is semi-anthropomorphic in most respects. In addition to being genetically altered, Rocket is shown to have cybernetic implants within his body.

Powers

 * Raccoon Physiology: Rocket possesses the same enhanced abilities attributed to Earth raccoons, including an acute sense of smell and sharp eyesight. A raccoons grayish coat mostly consists of dense underfur which insulates against cold weather.
 * Enhanced Senses: Being a raccoon many of Rocket's senses are heightened to levels well above human. Able to see much better than the average human and extremely well adapted to near dark conditions. His enhanced sense of smell allows him to detect subtle changes in scents around him enabling him to detect the approach of others and increasing his ability to operate in darkness. With his broad auditory range, he can perceive tones outside the range of the human ear as well as subtle sounds caused by vibrations on the ground. His hyper sensitive paws allow him to identify objects before touching them with vibrissae located above his claws.

Abilities

 * Expert Marksman: Rocket is well-versed in the use of high-powered firearms, from all over the Galaxy.
 * Expert Hand-To-Hand Combatant/Martial Artist: Rocket is an expert in hand-to-hand combat and martial arts, being very skilled in multiple fighting styles.
 * Master Tactician: Rocket is an accomplished tactician. Star-Lord once told him, "You got the best tactical mind I ever met", both on and off the battlefield. He is able to formulate battle strategies and his brilliant tactical sense allows him to alter any strategy to fit the changing need of the situation.
 * Pilot: Rocket is an accomplished starship pilot.

Guardians of the Galaxy
Subject 89P13 was the result of illegal genetic and cybernetic experiments on a lower life form. He called himself Rocket when he began his career as a bounty-hunter. As a result of his illegal activities Rocket was imprisoned in a twenty-two occasions; but from all he managed to escape. Rocket and Groot were to Xandar in search of employment. Here, they found Star-Lord, who weighed about a reward of forty thousand units. As they desired that reward, he and Groot were involved in the fight between Star-Lord and Gamora for the Orb.

Due to the scandal they caused in Xandar, he, Groot, Gamora, and Star-Lord were sent to Kyln. Upon arrival, Rocket claimed that he had escaped from twenty-two prisons before. Rocket and Groot saved Star-Lord, who was being harassed by another prisoner. He informs the rest of the prisoners Star-Lord is their booty and if they wanted him they had to pass over them. That same night, Rocket saw Star-Lord get up to save Gamora. He advised not interfere, however Quill saved Gamora from Drax and the other prisoners. Then Rocket, Gamora, Groot, and Star-Lord decide to join to escape, sold the Orb and to divide the profits between the four.

The next day, while Rocket, Gamora, and Star-Lord planned the escape, Groot decides to skip to the last step plan and cut off the quarnyx battery. Rocket was very frustrated due to Groot's action. Drax then stepped in and got him a weapon with which he could defend itself. Eventually, Rocket, Star-Lord, Gamora, Groot, and Drax manages to escape. During the trip, Rocket built bombs to spend time (despite the displeasure of Star-Lord). Arriving at Knowhere, the group went to Boot Jemiah to hang out. After being pleasantly playing with Drax and Groot, Rocket gets drunk and fights with Drax. Rocket was very upset because he hated being called "Rodent" and "Vermin"; Star-Lord calms him saying that he should only support one more night and he will be rich.

Peter's efforts were almost thrown away when the Collector called Rocket "Groot's pet". The Collector told them the story of Infinity Stones but he was not interested because he wanted to have his pay. When the Collector was preparing the pay, Carina decides to grab the Orb with the purpose of killing the Collector, which caused a huge explosion. After the explosion, Rocket ask Star-Lord why he still had the Orb in his possession. He also suggested to deliver the Stone to Ronan. He along with Gamora and Star-Lord fled when Ronan and his troops arrived in Knowhere looking for the Orb. He watched as Nebula exploded the ship where Gamora was traveling. Rocket advised Star-Lord to left Gamora to die, however Star-Lord decide to ignore it and save Gamora again. Rocket the watched as Yondu abduct Star-Lord and Gamora.

Rocket returned to Knowhere annoyed by Star-Lord's attitude. He told Groot they should flee before Ronan find them. Groot instead did not want to leave Gamora and Star-Lord. Rocket was very skeptical but he is finally convinced by Groot. He threatens Yondu and Ravagers by exploit their ship, if they did not free Gamora and Star-Lord; unaware that Yondu and Star-Lord made a deal. Before the final battle, the team gathered to devise a plan which would defeat Ronan and they would get the Orb for Yondu.

During the battle, Rocket was entrusted to protect civilians and prevent an attack of Necrocraft to Xandar. As the others were defeated by Ronan, he then decides impact the Milano against Dark Aster. Groot knowing that the ship would impact in seconds against Xandar, he decides to create a shield with his body to protect his friends. Rocket asks him not to do it, but Groot already had taken its decision. After the impact, while he mourned the loss of his best friend, Ronan appears without any damage. Rocket tried to attack but only he is blasted by Ronan. When Ronan was ready to destroy Xandar, Star-Lord distracts him by a dance off allowing Rocket and Drax repair the Hadron Enforcer.

He and Drax destroy the Universal Weapon by a blast and allowing Quill grab the gem, which almost kills him. Gamora, Rocket, and Drax come to his aid and the four use the Orb's power to blast Ronan, killing him. After the battle, they learn that Quill descends from an ancient alien race. Rhomman Dey also informs them that their criminal records were erased. The Guardians left Xandar in the rebuilt Milano accompanied by a twig recovered from Groot, which was already regrowing.

The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes
Rocket Raccoon, along with the other Guardians of the Galaxy, comes to Earth in order to hunt down Michael Korvac.

Ultimate Spider-Man
Rocket Raccoon was a master strategist with a laser gun and rocket pack. But he is not actually a Raccoon his alien species just resemble the Earth Raccoon. He is is a leading member of the Guardians of the Galaxy alongside Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Groot, and Nova, whom he served as a mentor for.

The Guardians battle the Chitauri an alien race led by Korvac. When Rocket Raccoon's ship is pulled into the Chitauri ship, Rocket fakes surrender so that they can free the captive Guardians of the Galaxy members. Afterwards, Spider-Man discovers that the Chitauri are planning to destroy the Earth. The Guardians plan to run the Chitauri ship into the sun while fighting the Chitauri forces. When their tactic does not work, the Guardians end up making their way towards the Dark Matter Cannon. While Nova and Spider-Man head to the Dark Matter Cannon, the Guardians fight the Chitauri and Korvac. After Korvac is defeated by Groot, Nova destroys the Dark Matter Cannon and the Chitauri ship is destroyed.

Disney INFINITY
Rocket appears alongside the rest of the Guardians in the Disney INFINITY: 2.0 Edition Guardians of the Galaxy Play Set by protecting Knowhere from Ronan the Accuser and his Sakaaran forces.

Rocket is also playable in the Avengers Play Set if the player collects all his crossover coins. He is also featured in the Marvel Battlegrounds playset.

Marvel vs. Capcom series
Rocket Raccoon appears as a playable character in the Ultimate re-release of Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, and was also recently confirmed to be playable in the upcoming Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. In Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, he appears by himself as a standalone character, but in Infinite, Groot appears as an assistant character for him.

Trivia

 * According to the filmmakers, Rocket is a unique product of experimentation: "He's a little animal that was taken and experimented on and pulled apart and put back together again and implanted with cybernetics and he's half-machine and half-raccoon. And he's a gnarled, miserable, angry creature because there's nothing else like him. And that's something not easy to be."
 * Rocket was modeled after a raccoon living in the UK named Oreo.
 * Being inspired by "Rocky Raccoon" by The Beatles, the lyrics "Rocky had come equipped with a gun" may have inspired the fact that Rocket wields a massive gun after saying "Oh, yeah!" during his departure of the Kyln.
 * Adam Sandler, David Tennant, Sharlto Copley, Jim Carrey, and H. Jon Benjamin were considered to voice Rocket Raccoon.
 * Michael Rooker expressed interest in playing Rocket Raccoon, and there was a large fan petition trying to make it happen. But he was cast as Yondu instead.