Godzilla (GMK)

Godzilla; Gojira; King of the Monsters; God of Destruction; Monster of Vengeance

60 meters (197 feet)

85 meters (279 feet)

30,000 metric tons (33,069 short tons)

• Atomic breath
• Extreme physical strength and durability; nearly completely immune and impervious to damage from conventional weapons
• Energy absorption and redirection
• Amphibiousness

• Evident lack of a proper healing factor

Unique compared to past versions of the character, this Godzilla actively targets civilians instead of concentrating on buildings and military forces, as exemplified when he fires his atomic breath directly at a fleeing crowd early in his rampage. This Godzilla seeks nothing except for the complete and utter destruction of Japan and all of its people as punishment for forgetting the deaths and atrocities that occurred during World War II. For this reason, this may be the first Godzilla which can be considered legitimately evil, although past incarnations have also been antagonistic. Peculiarly, Godzilla did not directly instigate the fights against the first two Guardian Monsters he encountered, Baragon and Mothra: he stood still and observed them from a distance until they attacked him first, after which he retaliated.

This Godzilla is a malicious entity created from a combination of the restless souls of those killed as a result of the Japanese military's actions during World War II, which have conglomerated inside of Godzilla's body, who comes ashore in modern-day Japan to seek vengeance against the nation.

In 1954, Japan suffered an attack from Godzilla. The monster laid waste to Tokyo, transforming the once-proud capital of Japan into ground zero of a nuclear disaster overnight. Godzilla was finally killed with an experimental chemical weapon, while the weapon's inventor took his own life to ensure it could never be used again. In order to avoid facing ridicule for failing to stop Godzilla and ensure the citizens of Japan they were safe from future attacks, the Japan Defense Force claimed credit for killing Godzilla. Over the next several decades, humanity gradually began to forget about Godzilla, with many assuming the creature never existed and was simply a legend. In 1998, a giant reptilian monster attacked New York City, with American experts identifying the creature as Godzilla. The Defense Force doubted that the monster was Godzilla, but could not ignore the appearance of another giant monster. In the years following the New York attack, sightings of giant monsters skyrocketed around the world, forcing the Defense Force to be on high alert for the possible return of Godzilla. In 2002, an American nuclear submarine vanished off the coast of Guam. The Japanese research submersible Satsuma investigated the wreckage, noticing huge claw marks in the sub's hull. Just then, the ground shook, causing the Satsuma's sister craft to crash into a rock. Just then, the vessel's pilot witnessed Godzilla's dorsal fins briefly appear behind several large rocks.

When the Satsuma operator's story was reported to the Defense Force, units were scrambled to search for Godzilla. The monster came ashore in the Bonin Islands, stomping on several houses during a storm.

The Defense Force searched the waters all around Japan, but could find no trace of Godzilla. Several of the soldiers began assuming Godzilla never really did exist, and search operations were called off. Not long after, Godzilla appeared from Yaizu Harbor and came ashore in Japan once again. The beast destroyed a small town and marched through the countryside, eventually being attacked by the Guardian Monster Baragon, who had been awakened by the prophet Hirotoshi Isayama to stop Godzilla. Godzilla easily overpowered the smaller monster, and after a short fight obliterated Baragon with his atomic breath. Godzilla continued his march across Japan, as it became apparent that he was once again approaching Tokyo. Fighter jets were deployed to attack Godzilla, but their missiles had no effect and Godzilla easily shot the jets down with his atomic breath. Eventually, Godzilla reached Yokohama, where the Defense Force had erected a last line of defense to prevent him from reaching Tokyo. and was confronted by Mothra, a second Guardian Monster. Godzilla fired his atomic breath at Mothra, but she dodged it, causing the beam to hit the Yokohama Landmark Tower instead. As Godzilla was fighting Mothra, the third Guardian Monster, Ghidorah, arrived, and helped Mothra take on Godzilla. Godzilla proved to be more than a match for both beasts, knocking Mothra aside with his tail and tearing into Ghidorah's necks with his teeth before slamming him onto a building. Godzilla fired his atomic breath at the unconscious Ghidorah, intending to finish him once and for all, but Mothra flew in front of him and was blasted away by the beam. The Defense Force opened fire on Godzilla with D-03 Missiles, but only irritated him, and his return fire destroyed every launcher in the city, as well as the cruiser Ako. Godzilla then turned his attention to the final cruiser in the harbor, Aizu, as Mothra flew up behind him, intending to take him by surprise.

Suddenly, Godzilla turned around and fired his beam at Mothra, vaporizing her. However, the battle was not over, as Mothra's energy showered onto Ghidorah, reviving him as the Thousand-Year-Old Dragon, King Ghidorah. King Ghidorah formed an energy shield and took to the air, screeching at Godzilla. Godzilla fired his atomic breath at King Ghidorah, but his shield deflected it. King Ghidorah dropped his shield onto Godzilla, causing a massive explosion that blasted Godzilla into the sea and left a wound on his shoulder. King Ghidorah flew out over the water and attacked Godzilla again, but was pulled underwater. At the same time, two small research submarines called Satsuma, piloted by Rear Admiral Taizo Tachibana and Commander Yutaka Hirose, deployed from Aizu to fire their D-03 Missiles into Godzilla's shoulder wound. Hirose fired his sub's missile at Godzilla, who promptly pulled King Ghidorah into its path - knocking out the dragon once again. Godzilla surfaced, while King Ghidorah was reawakened by an ancient stone that fell into the water after the Admiral's reporter daughter Yuri Tachibana dropped it. King Ghidorah flew out of the water and blasted Godzilla with his gravity beams, electrocuting him. After taking several hits, Godzilla absorbed the gravity beams, then combined them with his atomic breath in a powerful spiral-wrapped beam that obliterated King Ghidorah in a single hit. The combined spirits of the Guardian Monsters then flew into Godzilla, dragging him underwater, where he swallowed Taizo's Satsuma whole. Inside of Godzilla, the Satsuma fired a D-03 Missile into Godzilla's shoulder wound, which tore it open until it was a gaping hole. Godzilla surfaced and prepared to fire his atomic breath at Yuri and her friend Mitsuaki Takeda, but the beam shot out of his shoulder wound instead. Godzilla tried to fire his atomic breath again, with the same result. Godzilla fell back underwater in agony, while the Satsuma escaped his body.

Godzilla saw the Satsuma swimming away and charged his atomic breath again. This time, Godzilla's wound flashed brightly and he suddenly exploded. Godzilla completely vanished from all radar and tracking systems, and it appeared he was finally gone. As Japan celebrated, Godzilla's disembodied heart began continuously beating on the sea floor.

Godzilla has rough charcoal-gray skin and smaller bone-white scutes. The head is smaller and more rounded once again, with prominent fangs extending from the mouth. Perhaps most distinct are this Godzilla's white pupilless eyes, which are meant to give him the appearance of being undead and otherworldly. This Godzilla has very large white claws on his hands and feet. His feet and legs are relatively large compared to the rest of his body. Rather than standing completely upright, this Godzilla leans forward slightly, holding his neck at a downward angle.