WARNING: Major spoilers for Godzilla vs. Kong ahead.
The MonsterVerse made the right choice in having Godzilla win during the final battle in Godzilla vs. Kong. In taking down Kong, Godzilla was able to retain his King of the Monsters title, which he gained in the previous MonsterVerse entry when he killed Ghidorah.
For decades, fans have debated which giant monster would win in a fight. The 1962 crossover, King Kong vs. Godzilla, ended in a manner that favored the giant ape. Both monsters fell into the ocean, and only Kong emerged in the aftermath. This gave the impression that Kong won the fight, but that didn’t settle any arguments. Many have maintained over the years that Godzilla should have defeated King Kong in the first fight. It wasn’t until the launch of the MonsterVerse and the official confirmation that Godzilla vs. Kong was on its way that it became apparent the Japanese pop culture icon would finally get a chance to avenge his 1962 loss.
Naturally, there was a concern that in an effort to satisfy both fanbases, the movie would end their fight with a draw. However, Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard said back in 2017 that there would indeed be a definitive winner when the two Titans came to blows. Now that the movie has been released, it’s been confirmed that the MonsterVerse kept its biggest promise. To the delight of many and to the disappointment of others, Godzilla defeated Kong, thus further legitimatizing his status as the Alpha Titan.
How Godzilla Defeats Kong
Godzilla had the upper hand from the very beginning of their MonsterVerse fight. Godzilla’s sheer physical might proved to be quite the challenge for Kong, which was on display during their brief standoff on the battleship. Kong was able to make Godzilla stumble, whereas one good hit from Godzilla was capable of knocking him on his back. Even at this early stage in the movie, it was clear that Godzilla was stronger. Thanks in large part to Godzilla being at home in the water, he nearly drowned Kong and was the obvious winner of the first round.
The second fight was a bit different, as the King of the Monsters had a great deal of difficulty dealing with Kong’s new weapon. Not only was it a good defense for Godzilla’s atomic breath, but it could also pierce the Titan’s thick hide. The axe certainly helped to even the odds, but it didn’t take away all of Kong’s problems. Godzilla’s atomic breath and brute strength continued to be his best weapons against Kong. Because of the axe’s ability to catch Godzilla’s energy attacks, Kong was able to come out ahead in a collision between the two. Following Godzilla’s recovery, the fight raged on, but Kong was without the axe for the remainder of the battle. A powerful throw from Godzilla dislocated Kong’s shoulder, and as a result, his defeat became imminent. After repeatedly clawing his weakened opponent, Godzilla placed his foot on Kong’s chest in a showing of superiority. Kong struggled at first, but eventually relented, having realized that the fight was over.
Why Godzilla Winning Was Best
Godzilla beating Kong was the best possible conclusion the MonsterVerse could have delivered. It’s, of course, easy to root for an underdog like Kong, especially since he’s a relatable and sympathetic figure, but this is one situation where the predictable outcome was the best outcome. Based on the history of both creatures and who they are in the MonsterVerse, Godzilla winning was the resolution that made the most sense.
As Wingard has said in the past, the idea behind this movie was to feature a showdown between the “definitive” versions of Godzilla and Kong, which meant that it was of great importance that the MonsterVerse be true to who they were as characters. The MonsterVerse’s Godzilla shares a few differences to Toho’s, but for the most part he’s regarded by fans as an accurate portrayal of the King of the Monsters. He has a long-held reputation as a supremely powerful force of nature who has defended human civilization from global threats. Kong, on the other hand, is known as a humongous ape who lives on an island populated by other strange and rather large creatures. Most of his opponents are dinosaurs and other creatures that threaten the people of the island. As the King of Skull Island, Kong lords over one small corner of the planet, while Godzilla – the King of the Monsters – is regarded as the alpha predator of the entire world. All of this is why there’s a feeling to be had that Godzilla is on a different level to Kong.
This notion is reinforced by the fact that in both crossover movies, significant improvements had to be made to Kong just to make a fight possible. In King Kong vs. Godzilla, Kong had to get a massive size boost and new electrical powers to win. The growth spurt was necessary for the MonsterVerse version as well, but that alone wasn’t enough this time either. Kong had to be equipped with an axe made from Godzilla’s spikes to be a sufficient match for him. It’s for these reasons that Kong overcoming Godzilla is an ending that wouldn’t have felt earned.
It’s Good Godzilla Chose Not To Kill Kong
Unlike superheroes, monsters aren’t usually driven or hindered by morality, so there was a worry among fans that the loser of Godzilla vs. Kong may not walk away from their final encounter in one piece. Fortunately, the movie didn’t end with one Titan killing the other (even though that easily could have happened). Since it ended in this way, both Titans can have a future in the MonsterVerse.
It’s worth noting that there’s special meaning to be found in Godzilla passing on an opportunity to kill Kong. Godzilla sparing Kong demonstrated that he was never the villain he was accused of being in the marketing, and it allowed him to hold on to the heroic image that he created for himself in his first two MonsterVerse appearances. Also, his decision didn’t feel out-of-character in any sense. Instead, it spoke to his very nature as the alpha of the Titans and made him a deeper character. Their ancient rivalry may have had a lot to do with why he sought out Kong, but Godzilla wasn’t just a monster mindlessly hunting down an enemy because of a hatred he inherited from his ancestors. What Godzilla really wanted was to assert his dominance over a rival alpha and make Kong understand that he was the true King of the Monsters. By defeating Kong, he was able to achieve his own goal and lay to rest a debate that’s persisted for over half a century.