As it turns out, Rodan’s fight with Ghidorah in Godzilla: King of the Monsters was secretly a rematch. In the third MonsterVerse entry, the King of the Skies had a memorable clash with the three-headed monster. Rodan made a valiant effort to win, but ultimately yielded to Ghidorah.
While it seemed that Rodan and Ghidorah's battle for supremacy was the first time they’ve encountered each other in the MonsterVerse, a hidden detail in the film suggests otherwise. During the scene set in Godzilla’s underwater city, a painting on one of the walls hinted at a battle that involved all four of the movie’s principal Titans. On one side of the mural was Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra, with Ghidorah on the other. The implication of this image was that the residents of Godzilla’s original home bore witness to a fight where Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan teamed up against Monster Zero. This easy-to-miss detail means that Rodan and Ghidorah have a history that predates King of the Monsters.
Why Did Rodan Fight Ghidorah The First Time?
What motivated Rodan’s participation in Godzilla’s ancient battle with Ghidorah is unclear, but one possible explanation for it relates to the threat Ghidorah poses to the planet. As Monarch found out for themselves, Ghidorah is an alien invader who actually has no place in the Earth’s ecosystem. That’s why Ghidorah had no qualms about terraforming the planet. Since that was his goal in 2019, it makes sense that he might have tried something similar thousands of years ago as well. But the difference between that battle and the one that occurred in the movie is that Godzilla may have actually gotten to the Titans before Ghidorah did. Instead of Godzilla saving the world solo, the three Titans could have worked together to stop him.
Rodan fighting Ghidorah in the MonsterVerse’s ancient history raises questions about his role in King of the Monsters. The fact that he sided with Ghidorah indicates that he’s a traitor who joined forces with his former enemy to save his own life. However, there’s an alternative answer to this mystery. It’s at least possible that like the MonsterVerse’s Kong in Godzilla vs. Kong, he’s actually a descendant of the creature seen in the painting. If so, he could have an ancestral rivalry with Ghidorah that he chose to ignore in King of the Monsters.
Will Rodan Help Godzilla In The MonsterVerse’s Future?
Regardless of the circumstances of Rodan’s past alliance with Godzilla against Ghidorah, the idea that they were once on the same side helps build excitement for a potential onscreen team-up in the MonsterVerse’s future. Despite being allies in Toho’s movies, Godzilla and Rodan never fought together against the same foe in the MonsterVerse, but apparently, precedence for the two to join forces does exist in MonsterVerse canon. And, it may be that Godzilla will enlist Rodan’s help the next time a powerful villain threatens the Earth.