Warning: This post contains spoilers for Godzilla vs. Kong.
Godzilla vs. Kong screenwriter Max Borenstein explains the origin of the iconic ape's axe from the film. The MonsterVerse's biggest installment yet arrived last week both on HBO Max and in theaters, and it's so far proving to be a success. In the first few days of its release, Godzilla vs. Kong posted pandemic-best numbers at the box office, and it remains to be seen how big it was on HBO Max. Nevertheless, audiences are turning up to see the clash between cinema's biggest and most enduring monsters. Godzilla vs Kong also received generally positive reviews, with many praising the action above all else.
Godzilla vs. Kong finds its titular characters in interesting spots, as the former is in a rage unlike anything he's done before, and the latter has been pulled from his home to lead explorers to the Hollow Earth. It's there, in that mystical world at the center of the planet, where Kong discovers his true origins. In addition to seeing proof of his past family, Kong discovers an axe that proves to be his main weapon in the final fight against Godzilla.
Screenwriter Borenstein gave an in-depth explanation for where the axe came from in a new interview with Collider. When asked if he, along with co-screenwriter Eric Pearson, came up with the backstory for the axe, Borenstein first said, "Implied, but not specifically." He then elaborated, explaining it stemmed from the ancient race Kong emerged from:
Like to me, Godzilla's scales have this kind of conductive radioactive quality, and the primate Kongs were at a kind of evolved civilization of sorts, as primates might, and [used] simple tools, and had used the spine of a Godzilla creature to create it. Presumably, there are more like it, but it feels like the iconic scepter of a king. That's what so fun about it.
The axe certainly gave Kong a new edge in the fight against Godzilla, and watching him wield it against Gojira brought an extra level of excitement. Unfortunately, it couldn't quite secure a win for him, as in the end, Godzilla was the victor of the battle. However, Kong did get to destroy Mechagodzilla, so it wasn't a complete loss for the ape. Seeing as Godzilla was armed with his atomic breath, it's fair that Kong received a weapon of his own, one that could even withstand the lizard's deadly assaults. It's also interesting to hear how the axe connected to Kong's ancestors, and how it even is made from a piece of Godzilla.
Godzilla vs. Kong came about because of the ancient rivalry between the two, and the subtle touches in the design of Kong's axe only deepens that longstanding animosity. Both Kong and Godzilla ended the film alive, and it remains to be seen if they could ever make it to the big screen again. Odds are, they will, though it might not be in another MonsterVerse movie. Regardless of what comes next, Godzilla vs. Kong gave fans what they had been waiting for, and it was certainly worth it.
Source: Collider