Summary
Because ofGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, I can’t help but feel that the Monsterverse has failed to do justice to Rodan. Despite losing to Mothra and Ghidorah inGodzilla: King of the Monsters, Rodan was presented as a force to be reckoned with. Not only that, but he sported a great design and a set of fire powers that honored his portrayal in the Heisei era. He’s not as strong as Godzilla, but he may still be one of the strongestTitans in the Monsterverse. All that aside, I felt that the movie didn’t do as much with him as it should have.
Initially, I was admittedly a little disappointed that he was utilized as a secondary villain rather than a hero. But at the same time, Rodan was certainly fun to watch inKing of the Monsters, especially since he seemed more dangerous and more powerful than ever. In that sense, I thought the Monsterverse handled him well. But after rewatching one of my favorite Godzilla movies from the 1990s, combined with Rodan’s continued absence fromthe Monsterverse’s movies, I now see his treatment as one of the most unsatisfying parts of the Monsterverse.
Rodan Has One Of The Most Selfless Arcs In The History Of The Godzilla Franchise
Rodan Proved He Was A True Hero In Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II
Rodan’s role as Ghidorah’s chief minion inKing of the Monstersis a far cry from the kaiju I rememberfromGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II.After years of serving as an ally to Godzilla in the Showa era, Rodan was reintroduced in the 1993 movie as a creature with no existing backstory in connection with Godzilla. In the film, Rodan was regarded as a threat to humanity, but not for the same reasons as most giant monsters that attack civilization. Rather, his motivation was much more relatable - he was trying to rescue a lost member of his family.
Specifically, Rodan was looking for what he perceived to be his sibling. He hatched next to another egg that had been nesting alongside him for years, unaware that it was Godzilla’s. Falsely believing this egg to be his brother or sister, Rodan worked tirelessly to take it back from the film’s human protagonists, even going up againstGodzilla and Mechagodzillain the process. In the interest of protecting his sibling,Rodan even sacrificed his own life. By using what was left of his life essence to restore Godzilla’s energy, he set up Mechagodzilla’s defeat to ensure his sibling was taken away from the humans.
Receiving Rodan’s power is what unlocked one of Godzilla’s strongest attacks, the red spiral heat ray.
This instinct is nothing new, however, considering that Godzilla had protected his son before inSon of Godzilla. But what set it apart from that was the scene that showed Rodan laying his eyes on the newly-hatched Godzilla Junior during the big battle. This added all sorts of emotional weight to Rodan’s big moment, as it meant thathe knew that he was dying for someone who wasn’t even his biological family. The fact that resolving this misconception didn’t deter Rodan from making the ultimate sacrifice made me see this monster on a human level that I didn’t expect.
The Monsterverse Robbed Rodan Of His Heroic Traits (& Gave His Big Moment to Mothra)
Rodan Is Far From A Hero In Godzilla: King Of The Monsters
The side of Rodan that I saw inGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla IIwasn’t represented at all inGodzilla: King of the Monsters. Based on a mural in the underwater city, a member ofRodan’s species sided with Godzillaagainst Ghidorah thousands of years ago. But in the movie, losing to him results in Rodan fighting on his side. But after Godzilla kills Ghidorah, Rodan immediately bows down to a new master. Rodan’s focus on self-preservation inKing of the Monstersstands in stark contrast to the selfless hero he was inGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II.
What’s worse is that Rodan’s tragic and heroic ending inGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla IIactually is in the film, but was handed to Mothra instead. After falling in battle to King Ghidorah,Godzilla is saved by Mothra, who copies the 1993 version of Rodan by powering up Godzillawith her remaining life essence. In doing so, she became one of theMonsterverse’s greatest heroes; to date, she’s the only Titan to die for the greater good. Rodan, on the other hand, never evolved beyond the role of the Titan who switched sides only to save his own life.
How The Monsterverse Can Still Do Right By Rodan
It’s Not Too Late To Redeem Rodan In The Monsterverse
AlthoughGodzilla: King of the Monsters’handling of Rodan didn’t live up to the high standard set byGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II(or his other roles), there was still room for that to be rectified. But considering that there have been two big-screen Monsterverse movies since then and neither featured Rodan, I’m not very confident that the Monsterverse intends to do anything more with him. But whileGodzilla vs. Kongleft much of what happened inKing of the Monstersbehind it (Rodan included),Mothra’s return inGodzilla x Kongmade me optimistic that the Monsterverse hasn’t forgotten about the movie’s contributions to the lore.
Rodan showing up inGodzilla x Kong’ssequelor perhaps one of the Monsterverse’s new TV shows is absolutely plausible, asKing of the Monsters’ending does allow for that. Rodan accepted Godzilla as the new alpha and relocated to a volcano in Fiji offscreen. Presumably, he’s still there and could resurface at anytime. As for why he would,it’s possible that he’ll be summoned by Godzilla. TheGodzilla vs. Konggraphic novel prequel,Godzilla: Dominion, confirmed he can let out a call that orders all the Titans following him into hibernation, which indicates that the reverse should also be true.
This makes a Godzilla-Rodan team-up something that the Monsterverse can easily arrange, potentially inGodzilla vs. Kong 3. But, Rodan’s relationship with Godzilla shouldn’t be based solely on his alpha status, as his actions on Ghidorah’s behalf inKing of the Monstersimply. To adequately honor his Toho counterpart’s heroic legacy from bothGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla IIand his Showa era films,the King of the Skies needs a moment where he chooses to help Godzilla. I want to see Rodan fight beside Godzilla not out of fear of disobeying the alpha, but in an act of true selflessness and loyalty.
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II
Cast
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II is a 1993 Japanese kaiju film directed by Takao Okawara. The film features Godzilla facing off against Mechagodzilla, a robot created by the United Nations Godzilla Countermeasures Center. As the battle between the two giants unfolds, humanity finds itself caught in the crossfire. The film stars Masahiro Takashima, Ryoko Sano, and Megumi Odaka in key roles.
