As we've already seen, Gary is far from immune to distraction even with his improved reflexes. His focus is on those roots; he finds some satisfaction in feeling them rip under his hands and watching them flinch away like a bunch of frightened animals, not necessarily in their pain, but in that he feels he's making some progress, some kind of impression. It's a powerful compulsion.

It is not nearly as powerful as the bough that hits him upside the head.

The branch connects with a dull whump, hard enough to throw Gary several inches off the ground before he comes rolling to a stop a few feet down the path. Stars dance in his vision and the headache he's been ignoring since the Cornucopia claws with renewed vigor at the back of his eyes. He is thoroughly dazed and will need a minute of recovery. Hopefully Kurt can hold is own until then.