Godzilla's ultimate nemesis makes his MonsterVerse debut in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and here's all you need to know about Ghidorah, one of the Titans in Godzilla 2. In Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Godzilla will be up against three classic Toho monsters: Rodan, Mothra, and Ghidorah. The four monsters will battle for supremacy as well as the fate of the Earth.
Ghidorah debuted as the titular villain of 1964's Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, where it battled Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra. Later that year, Ghidorah returned in Godzilla vs. Monster Zero, once again as the main villain. This time, it was pitted against Godzilla and Rodan on Planet X. After teaming up with Gigan in Godzilla on Monster Island in 1972, Ghidorah didn't appear again until Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah in 1991. And now, it's appearing in the MonsterVerse for the first time in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
King Ghidorah has crossed paths with Godzilla more than any other Toho villain, including Mechagodzilla, Gigan, and Mothra. Though Ghidorah is always a foe of Godzilla, Toho's portrayal of the character hasn't necessarily been consistent. Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah saw the three-headed dragon fight Godzilla for the good of humanity when it transformed into Mecha-King Ghidorah. In Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, Ghidorah was a legendary guardian monster and one of the movie's heroes.
Ghidorah's Origin & Powers In Toho's Movies
Ghidorah's origins vary across several Toho movies. Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster introduced King Ghidorah as an alien who traveled the cosmos, wiping out all life on each planet it came across. Ghidorah arrived on Earth on a meteor. In many of its earliest battles with Godzilla, it was under the control of alien invaders. In Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, Ghidorah's remains were used to genetically engineer three creatures known as Dorats, who were designed to be the perfect pets. The fusion of the three Dorats through radiation led to the birth of a new King Ghidorah. Other movies have portrayed Ghidorah as an ancient, mythological monster native to Earth.
Traditionally much larger than Godzilla, the three-headed, golden dragon is easily one of Godzilla's most powerful enemies. In most of its appearances, Ghidorah can fly, shoot gravity beams, and knock down other monsters simply with the wind produced by its wings. The scales on Ghidorah's body also make it highly resistant to damage. Furthermore, unlike monsters such as Mothra and Godzilla, Ghidorah doesn't have a gender; therefore, the monster is typically referred to using the "it" pronoun.
What We Know About Ghidorah In Godzilla 2
The shot of a meteor headed to Earth in a trailer for Godzilla: King of the Monsters indicates that Ghidorah's aliens origins may be carried over to the MonsterVerse, though this has not been confirmed. However, it appears that Ghidorah has been on Earth for some time. Ghidorah and Godzilla may have even fought centuries ago. What's more, Ghidorah's possible defeat at the hands of Godzilla could be what led to the iconic kaiju being frozen in ice in Antarctica.
So far, it looks like Ghidorah will share the same set of powers as its Toho counterpart. In the trailers, Ghidorah has been shown clashing with Rodan in the air, blasting lightning out of his mouths, and going toe-to-toe with Godzilla. And true to form, Ghidorah towers over Godzilla, which helps make it the perfect villain to challenge Godzilla for the title of "King of the Monsters" in this year's Godzilla sequel.
