Warning: Spoilers for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

After Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Angurius’ long-awaited Monsterverse debut is needed more than ever. Despite being introduced as an enemy to the King of the Monsters, Anguirus has a reputation as one of Godzilla’s most popular allies. However, he’s still yet to make an official appearance in any of Godzilla or Kong’s Monsterverse movies.

With Mothra, King Ghidorah, Rodan, and Mechagodzilla all existing alongside the Monsterverse’s Godzilla, it’s worth wondering when its movies will get around to featuring Anguirus in a TV show or movie. After all, Anguirus is easily among the most high-profile Toho monsters Legendary hasn’t used yet, with some of the other noteworthy options being Destoroyah and Gigan. There’s a sense that the longer the Monsterverse goes on, the higher the chances are that Anguirus will eventually appear. And with Godzilla x Kong now in the rearview mirror, the need for him to join forces with Godzilla on the big screen again is at its greatest.

Godzilla x Kong’s Ending Gave Kong A Sidekick (But Not Godzilla)

Kong now has something Godzilla doesn’t

Although there’s a long list of differences that set Godzilla and Kong apart in the Monsterverse, one thing they have in common is that both are regarded as loners, due largely to the perception that each was the last of their kind. For Kong, Godzilla x Kong’s ending changed this in two huge ways. In addition to getting a whole society of Great Apes to lead, Kong appears to have a sidekick now: the Monsterverse’s Shimo. The shot of Kong riding her is indicative of a new relationship that’ll be relevant to future movies. It would seem that by freeing Shimo from Skar King’s control, Kong earned her loyalty.

By taking this route, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire set up an exciting future where Kong rides into battle atop Shimo, who is now on track to be his faithful ally going forward. Consequently, though, creating this exciting path for Kong in the Monsterverse only draws more attention to the fact that Godzilla is still very much on his own. Admittedly, he shares a symbiotic relationship with Mothra, a benovalent Titan who seems to show up when the world is in danger. That said, there’s no comparison between that and the fun partnerships he had with Rodan and Anguirus in the Showa era.

During some of Godzilla’s 1960s and 1970s films, he was often seen in the company of other monsters. In Invasion of Astro Monster, Godzilla and Rodan were basically treated as friends who fought together throughout the movie. He had the same dynamic with Anguirus in Godzilla vs. Gigan, with the ankylosaurus-like kaiju actually taking commands from Godzilla and helping set up some exciting tag-team moves. In the wake of Shimo switching sides in Godzilla x Kong, the Monsterverse has the tools it needs to create its own take on this sort of relationship, but it’ll only be to the benefit of Kong – not Godzilla.

Why Anguirus Is The Perfect Partner For Godzilla In The Monsterverse

Anguirus is a better choice than Mothra or Rodan

To maintain an even playing field, the Monsterverse can balance things out between Godzilla and Kong if it finds a way to give the former a Titan sidekick or permanent ally of his own. Mothra is hardly a great fit for this role, as she has the aura of a higher being, a mystical creature who will appear when Godzilla needs her but not accompany him on his adventures or acting as a loyal sidekick. It also wouldn’t be consistent with his past alliances with Mothra. It’s much easier to see Rodan in such a role, given his past history with Godzilla, but the notion that he only bowed down to Godzilla because Ghidorah lost would raise questions about why he’s really on Godzilla’s side.

Anguirus, on the other hand, wouldn’t come with any baggage. Rather, the Monsterverse could lean heavily on his portrayal in Godzilla vs. Gigan and Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla and depict Anguirus as a true friend to the alpha Titan. To do so would allow the Monsterverse to present Anguirus the way he’s remembered in Toho’s movies. In Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, Anguirus shared such a close bond with Godzilla that he was quick to recognize that Mechagodzilla (perfectly disguised as Godzilla) was an impostor. He was also adept at teamwork, as working with Godzilla allowed him to make the most of his abilities, including his rolling attack.

The Monsterverse Already Has A Great Backstory In Place For Anguirus

The 2019 Easter egg could define Anguirus’ place in the Monsterverse

As for how Anguirus could be brought into the Monsterverse, the framework for his introduction is already in place. Godzilla: King of the Monsters notably included a massive Toho Easter egg when it briefly showed off a Titan skeleton identical to Anguirus. The Titan skeleton was visible in Godzilla’s underwater city just before Dr. Serizawa destroyed it with a nuke. Nothing was established about the city, but its presense in the area lends to the imagination of the audience, who can make their guesses on what Anguirus was doing there. The most obvious assumption to make is that Anguirus lived in Godzilla’s city peacefully.

This idea conjures images of the Showa era, back when kaiju like Godzilla, Rodan, and Anguirus all shared a quiet existence on Monster Island. Though Godzilla can be territorial and aggressive toward other monsters, he appeared to get along with most of them quite well, which gave Monster Island a special feel in Godzilla’s movies. It’s possible that in ancient times, Godzilla’s ancient Hollow Earth city occupied a similar role in the Monsterverse. The idea that it – as well as Anguirus and any other monster Godzilla may have shared it with – is now gone makes its fate all the more sad.

Were this to become the official backstory for Godzilla’s ancient city and the Anguirus skeleton in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, it would add greater meaning to the Titan’s eventual debut and subsequent team-up with Godzilla. The rise of a new member of Anguirus’ species could give Godzilla a reminder of a fallen ally from a bygone era, and perhaps someone he’d be willing to trust in combat. With an Anguirus at Godzilla’s side in a potential Godzilla vs. Kong 3, the two could be a perfect counter to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’s Kong-Shimo duo. And all together, they could create a powerful quartet of Titans for the movie’s final battle.