Despite only including three films so far, the MonsterVerse succeeded in carving its own place in Hollywood. And while the real stars of the franchise are the giant kaiju who rampage across the world, compelling human characters are still necessary to anchor and further advance the story.

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Out of all the characters in the films, some are more memorable than others. But being memorable doesn't mean they have to be likable. In fact, some are noteworthy precisely because of how loathsome they are. Meanwhile, the heroes of the stories managed to capture the audience's interest, becoming nearly as important as the monsters at the center of the MonsterVerse franchise.

Preston Packard

Packard pointing a gun in Kong Skull Island

The villain of Kong: Skull Island, Packard is a rugged, stubborn Lieutenant Colonel assigned to be the expedition's military escort. A faithful believer in human supremacy, he wishes to exact revenge on Kong after the giant ape destroys several helicopters with Packard's men inside.

A rather one-note villain, Packard's character is still elevated by Samuel L. Jackson's fiercely committed performance. As he becomes more deranged and unstable, Packard's intentions change, betraying his own men in an ultimately futile effort to kill the giant beast that leads to his own demise.

Alan Jonah

Charles Dance as Alan Jonah looking at the severed Ghidorah head in the post-credits scene of Godzilla King of the Monsters

Charles Dance is slowly building a career as the ultimate bad guy. Thanks to his imposing figure, cold eyes, and deep, domineering voice, the veteran actor has convincingly brought to life some of pop culture's most recognizable villains. In Godzilla: King of the Monsters, he plays Alan Jonah, the misanthropic leader of an eco-terrorist organization.

The film gives Dance little chance to develop Alan, but the actor does his best with what he's given. In the end, Dance successfully makes the character seem vile and cruel, fulfilling his job within the movie. Still, and mostly because of Dance's impressive appeal, fans couldn't help but smile when he survived the ending of the film.

Dr. Emma Russell

Vera Farmiga in Godzilla King of the Monsters

A paleobiologist and environmental activist, Emma is Madison's mother and the co-inventor of the Orca, the device allowing Godzilla: King of the Monsters to happen in the first place. Emma sees the Titans, and Godzilla specifically, as the ultimate saviors in an age of catastrophic climate change.

It's a common trope in disaster movies; the antagonist who isn't really evil, is just astoundingly misguided. The role is chaotic and not entirely compelling, but Vera Farmiga can elevate any film she's in. In the end, Emma succeeds in being a tragic hero, even if she never quite manages to win the audience's sympathy.

Mark Russell

Kyle Chandler in Godzilla King of the Monsters

Godzilla: King of the Monsters has too many characters and too many monsters and can't give all of them the development they deserve. Mark Russell, Emma's ex-husband and Madison's father, is a prime example of this. He's a prototypical reluctant hero; also an animal behavior and communication specialist who co-invented the Orca and is now dragged into the Titans' conflict.

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Marked by the loss of his son, Mark has an unfavorable opinion of Godzilla and joins the mission to save Emma and Madison from Jonah's terrorist group. Despite being the de-facto lead of the movie, Mark remains distant and superficial, and not even Kyle Chandler's best efforts can make him more appealing.

James Conrad

James Conrad pointing his rifle in Kong Skull Island

The hunter-tracker for the expedition, Conrad is a rather stoic and impartial character. He starts the mission as a cynical and self-interested agent and gradually grows to understand and respect the conflict around him. Conrad is very much a soldier, albeit one less willing to blindly follow an idea or regime.

Hiddleston gives it his best and mostly manages to provide actual depth and complexity to his character. Audiences respond to his shifting allegiance and recognize him as the moral center of the story. The film makes it clear his character won't be coming back because Kong is the actual protagonist of the movie, though.

Mason Weaver

Brie Larson holding camera in Kong Skull Island

An anti-war photographer and investigative journalist, Mason is basically the heart of Kong: Skull Island. She has a deep respect for nature and disagrees with the way the expedition is being carried. She also forms a somewhat closer relationship with Kong without ever becoming the object of its affection.

Mason is an interesting character and Larson goes out of her way to provide her with some agency and purpose. She succeeds and Mason definitely comes off as one of the film's best aspects. However, the film's interest is clearly not on the human characters, so there's only so much Larson can do.

Ford Brody

Ford Brody carrying his bag and looking to his left in Godzilla (2014)

The first Godzilla prioritized human relationships over monster action, to decisively mixed results. However, it still introduced the franchise's most compelling characters. Ford Brody may not be a particularly interesting hero, but he's engaging nonetheless. His, and by extension the film's pro-military stance may seem questionable, but Ford is still a decent, courageous leading man with enough character development to provide a strong anchor for the story.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson makes for a successful action hero, providing enough rugged vulnerability to make Ford sympathetic. And while his relationship with his wife could've used a lot more development, his storyline with his father is more effective than anything that came later on.

Madison Russell

Madison Russell in the rain looking at Godzilla and smiling in Godzilla King of the Monsters

King of the Monsters chose Stranger Things breakout star Millie Bobby Brown to act as the story's emotional center. The gamble paid off because even if the film itself came up short in a lot of ways, Madison's presence felt integral to the plot.

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In between all the kaiju action, Madison shows enough intelligence to differentiate right from wrong. She's bound to play a key role going forward, even if her arc in King of the Monsters felt somewhat completed. And thanks to Brown's strength as an actress, the role will likely keep growing, to the franchise's ultimate benefit.

Joe Brody

It takes an actor of Bryan Cranston's stature to make a minor role feel vastly superior. Cranston, fresh off his Breaking Bad success, played a small but pivotal role in Godzilla as Ford's father, Joe. The film's heart-pounding opening sequence rests squarely on Cranston's shoulders and the actor, along with Juliette Binoche, another veteran, delivers a powerful and affecting performance.

Cranston can't help but seem wasted in the movie, considering his eventual fate, but he makes the most with the time he's given. And even though he could've been a more integral part of the story, his presence is still a triumph for the first movie.

Dr. Ishiro Serizawa

Serizawa is, in a lot of ways, the heart of the Godzilla story. A scientist with a clear and real interest to learn more about the powerful Titan, Serizawa ends up being more of a hero than any other character in the franchise, including the rugged action men.

Serizawa fulfilled the role of guide and mentor to everyone who wanted to understand the nature of the beast. His character arc may be complete, even if it did seem a bit out of the blue, but Serizawa's legacy remains. Still, the absence of both the character and an actor of Ken Watanabe's caliber will certainly leave a huge hole in the franchise going forward.

NEXT: Godzilla Vs. Kong: 10 Other Kaiju That Need Modern Movies