The Epic Showdown: Godzilla vs. Kong

The Monster Showdown

The question of who wins in Godzilla vs Kong was the biggest query surrounding the 2021 MonsterVerse movie prior to its release. The two literal titans of cinema going head-to-head was one of the most highly anticipated movie showdowns of the 21st Century so far.

Godzilla vs. Kong

While Godzilla and King Kong are the MonsterVerse's two most iconic monsters, one is clearly more powerful than the other. Godzilla was viewed as humanity's friend and savior in previous films, but the 2021 movie flips the story, making him the antagonist, and King Kong the defender of humanity.

Kong and Godzilla in Godzilla vs Kong

The first fight between Godzilla and King Kong in the MonsterVerse takes place in the middle of the ocean during Monarch's journey to their facility in Antarctica. Godzilla tracked down and attacked Kong, viewing the Skull Island Titan as a threat to his alpha status. Godzilla won that battle and left once he believed Kong was no longer a threat, but that truce only remained until Kong picked up and charged his ax down in the Hollow Earth. With sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire on the way, the outcome of the battle between Godzilla and Kong has never been more important for the MonsterVerse.

Godzilla and Kong fight in the city

The Ultimate Showdown

In their second and final fight in Hong Kong, Godzilla defeated Kong, despite the fact that Dr. Nathan Lind believed Kong initially won the second round. Kong showed great skill in thwarting Godzilla's attacks, but in the end, the explosion caused by the ax only temporarily disoriented Godzilla — it didn't defeat him.

Godzilla fighting Kong

Godzilla came back and beat Kong, which makes sense given Kong's wounds and Godzilla's nigh-invincibility, as well as his ability to absorb radiation to recharge himself. But rather than kill him like he did the MUTOs and Ghidorah, Godzilla initially left Kong to succumb to his wounds. Later, he forced Kong to accept him as the Alpha Titan, but Mechagodzilla threw a wrench in that plan.

Kong underground in Godzilla V Kong

Godzilla remains the King of the Monsters on the surface, while Kong is now the King of the Hollow Earth in the subterranean world. This way, they can both coexist as Alpha Titans in separate worlds. Furthermore, the one aspect solidifying Godzilla's victory is Kong's near-death experience. If it wasn't for Dr. Lind and the HEAVs energy pulse, Kong would've died for good.

Kong looking concerned in Godzilla x Kong

The Aftermath and Future

The Godzilla vs. Kong final battle ends with Kong ruling over the Hollow Earth and Godzilla taking the surface, which sets up the next sequel in several major ways. The fight between Godzilla and King Kong effectively changed the power dynamic between the two. Their competition has seemingly been resolved, with both MonsterVerse characters being given their own domain. This uneasy truce and unlikely alliance is important for the upcoming sequel, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Godzilla and Kong running in the latest Godzilla x Kong trailer

The sequel will see the two titans squaring up against a new antagonist — the Scar King, a rival Ape titan in the Hollow Earth. From the trailers, it seems that the Scar King is more powerful than Kong, which means the new villain will also be a problem for Godzilla. While Godzilla is content with Kong holding dominion over the Hollow Earth, the same doesn't look to be true of the Scar King, and it seems that the same reasons Kong held his own against Godzilla are why the two will need to team up in the sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong.

The Scar King roars in Godzilla x Kong