Godzilla vs Kong Hints Rodan Is Dead In MonsterVerse

WARNING: Mild spoilers ahead for Godzilla vs. Kong

Godzilla vs. Kong dropped a hint that has some fans concerned Rodan is dead. Despite surviving the final battle in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, the King of the Skies didn’t play a role in the fourth installment in Legendary’s MonsterVerse.

The popular Toho kaiju is traditionally seen as an ally to Godzilla. The monster has aided him against classic foes such as King Ghidorah and Mechagodzilla. As for the MonsterVerse’s take on Rodan, he was depicted as one of several Titans in the MonsterVerse and a minion to Ghidorah, who he came to view as the alpha. After losing to Mothra and watching Godzilla beat Ghidorah, Rodan bowed down to Gojira and accepted him as the new King of the Monsters. After the ending, there was a hope that he would be back for Godzilla’s fight with Kong, but Rodan hasn’t made an appearance since the battle in Boston.

In Godzilla vs. Kong’s opening credits, Rodan, Ghidorah, Mothra, the MUTOs, the giant Skullcrawler from Kong: Skull Island, and more were all listed as “defeated.” A few of these monsters are known to be dead, but what about Rodan? The movie never specifically mentions that he died, but it does lump him and King of the Monsters’ original Titans into the same category as Ghidorah and the MUTOs, who are most certainly dead. This could indicate that something happened to him in the five-year time gap between King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong.

That being said, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the MonsterVerse killed a fan-favorite off-screen, especially since Godzilla 3 is still a possibility. Plus, it’s hard to imagine that the humans, who struggled to contend with Rodan in King of the Monsters, had the means to kill him. Godzilla, on the other hand, likely could have killed him, but he would have no reason to do so, as it would be pointless for him to kill his own subordinates. It makes more sense for “defeated” to be a broad term with multiple meanings to Monarch. It could be that this status just pertains to where Titans stand when it comes to being the alpha. “Defeated” could signify that the monster has been removed from contention for the title. If so, the term would apply to Rodan, since he submitted to Godzilla. That seems feasible, since he was on Godzilla’s side of the screen, along with other Titans he’s dealt with.

Alternatively, the phrase could simply be how Monarch is describing Titans who are no longer a concern. This explanation is reasonable as well, given that the King of the Monsters credits did reveal that many Titans, Rodan included, found new places to live after Ghidorah’s defeat. Rodan, for instance, found a new volcano to roost in. If he returned to hibernation, Monarch may not regard him as a problem anymore. If this is the case, then the door would be open for Rodan to fight side-by-side with Godzilla in a future MonsterVerse movie.

About The Author