The Mystery of Baby Kong: Suko's Role in Godzilla x Kong

The Enigmatic Child: Baby Kong and Suko

One of the highlights of the Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire trailer was the reveal of an adolescent member of Kong's species, and a toy leak has revealed the real name of 'Baby Kong'. The sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong will see the two Alpha Titans team up against a new ape foe, Skar King, who threatens the entire world. As of now, there is almost no information known about the mini-Kong that is seen briefly in the trailer, but some inferences can be made based on the child's name.

A child of Kong's species in Godzilla x Kong

The juvenile member of Kong's species actually shares more physical characteristics with Skar King than Kong, from the longer orangutan-like arms to the orange-hued fur covering its body. The child does not appear to be hostile, which likely indicates that even if it is the offspring of Skar King or an ape Titan under his control like the Monsterverse's new dragon Titan, it will somehow align with Kong and Godzilla. Regardless of its role, the child's origins will be one of the most intriguing questions to be answered in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Suko, or mini-Kong from Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

The Meaning Behind Suko's Name

A Reddit post from the r/GodzillaMemes subreddit revealed the real name of the Titan identified as 'mini-Kong' in the Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire trailer: Suko. Many of the non-scientific names for the Titans contain meanings based on local dialects, such as Ghidorah meaning 'the one who is many' or Rodan being referred to as 'the fire demon'. Suko's name also likely carries significant meaning, as when written phonetically in Japanese, it can be broken down into two characters that ultimately mean 'essential child' according to Ancestry.com.

Interestingly, Suko is typically a female name in Japanese. As no gender has been confirmed yet in the trailer or the toy leaks, it's entirely possible that this is a female member of Kong's species, or of Skar King's species, if they are in fact separate. That would make her just the second female Kong to ever appear on the big screen, after 'Lady Kong' who appeared as a mate for King Kong in the 1986 movie King Kong Lives.

Implications for the Monsterverse

Rumors about the sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong indicated that its original working title was Son of Kong, although that plan has obviously shifted since the movie's early development. However, that would indicate the seeds were planted to make this juvenile Kong a major player in the movie's action. The reveal that the small ape's name means 'essential child' further emphasizes the level of importance that he or she will have in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

The appearance of Baby Kong teases the Monsterverse's future, and what may lie ahead for Kong himself. Kong has grown significantly since the events of Kong: Skull Island, and he looks gray and grizzled in the trailer for Godzilla x Kong, so it's possible that Kong could be approaching the end of his life span. If that's the case, he may very well die in the battle against Skar King, but leave a path for Suko to follow as far as his role in the world. No matter how it plays out, it's clear that this character is no cute one-off merchandise grab; Suko will be integral to the plot of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Godzilla and Kong running in the latest Godzilla x Kong trailer