While Godzilla vs. Kong will see the two iconic monsters face off in a battle the likes of which the modern world has never seen, theirs is actually a rematch resulting from an ancient war of their ancestral species. The latest trailer for the upcoming film reveals as much, referencing the the truth behind the ancient myths and legends uncovered by the government organization known as Monarch, tasked with monitoring and studying the Titans that roam the Earth in the MonsterVerse.
This ancient Titan War and rivalry have been teased in previous films set in the MonsterVerse, teasing the battle that was always going to be inevitable. Both monsters are alphas and kings, and neither will be willing to bow to the other, holding to the same instincts and desire for dominance as their apparent predecessors once did.
As the trailer notes, this Titan War has gone on for eons, with Godzilla and Kong simply being the last ones standing to carry on the fight. Here are the previous references made to this ancient Titan War, and the possibility that Godzilla and Kong could ignite a brand new one that will no doubt throw the world into absolute chaos.
Godzilla & Kong's Species Are Ancestral Enemies
It's been revealed in prior MonsterVerse films that neither Godzilla nor Kong are unique creatures. Instead, they are both the last Titans standing of their respective species. Likewise, myths and legends have persisted that confirm that their two races were battling it out for dominance long before mankind ever came into being.
Now, Kong and Godzilla will essentially be carrying out the instinctual tradition of their ancestors by facing one another. While it seemed as though the current Godzilla was content to leave Kong alone so long as he stayed on Skull Island, their fight begins thanks to Monarch, who are seen removing Kong from his home in the trailer for some unknown reason. It looks as though Godzilla will quickly intercept the aircraft carriers ferrying Kong across the ocean, perhaps due to Kong's intrusion upon its territory. Furthermore, Godzilla seems to no longer care that the humanity he once protected is now being destroyed by his actions, purely focused on defeating Kong once and for all.
Every Hint At The MonsterVerse's Ancient Titan War
In the first Godzilla film released in 2014, the organization studying Titans known as Monarch found a massive skeleton belonging to the same species as Godzilla himself. Now that there's knowledge of an ancient Titan War, it's possible that this skeleton could have been the remains of a previous Godzilla that was slain by one of Kong's ancestors. Additionally, the bones of Kong's family and ancestors were seen in the 2017 Kong: Skull Island film as well.
Related: King Of The Monsters May Have Permanently Upgraded Godzilla's Power
The end-credits scene of Kong: Skull Island also revealed ancient texts, myths, and drawings depicting Godzilla fighting the vicious King Ghidorah, as well as images of fellow legendary Titans Mothra and Rodan, all of whom were featured in 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters. In that same vein, the most telling piece of evidence provided by the previous films is seen in the end-credits scene of King of the Monsters. At the very end, there was a reveal of a large cave painting depicting the ancient conflict between the ancestors of Godzilla and Kong, confirming their species have fought before in the Earth's past, as well as articles reporting Monarch's confirmation that Titans have rivalries and grudge matches.
The trailer for Godzilla vs. Kong does indicate that Monarch will be uncovering more about this ancient Titan War in the film, and they seem to have picked a side as a result, helping Kong fight an out of control Godzilla. As such, they seem to have led Kong to a special place on what looks like Skull Island. In this particular shot, Kong places his hand on a similarly-sized handprint to his own on the face of a stone wall, which could unlock a doorway where he gets the axe he's seen wielding against Godzilla at the end of the new trailer.
Godzilla vs Kong Could Start A New Monster War
Another key element of King of the Monsters' end-credits scene were several articles and news reports indicating seismic disturbances around Kong's home of Skull Island, as well as Monarch dispatching additional security measures in the wake of several Titans being drawn to the island itself. This is perhaps due to Kong existing as a rival monster king in his own right. Not only that, but the news reports also claim that a key entrance to the Hollow Earth (the subterranean realm where the Titans originated) lies beneath Skull Island.
Could Godzilla and Kong's upcoming battle lead into a brand new Titan War, where several other Titans will be forced to pick sides in an all-out brawl? This would be something Monarch would obviously want to prevent, as it would no doubt result in untold destruction, rather than the coexistence with the massive monsters that they've been trying hard to maintain in recent years. This could be another reason why Monarch has picked a side, hoping that if they help Kong win, balance can be restored before things really go south.
However, there are several teases in the trailer that indicate a team-up between Kong and Godzilla is in the cards near the end of the film. The two kings may very well join forces to face an all-new threat that would take precedence over their ancient rivalry (such as Mechagodzilla). If this is indeed the case, it could mean a new dawn of the Titan War, where an alliance is formed for the first time between Godzilla and Kong's species. In any case, the battle of Godzilla vs. Kong is one that has a much bigger history than just this one conflict, but it could very well be the most important conflict seeing as how they're both the last of their kind.
