Warning: Spoilers for Godzilla Minus One

If a tease in Godzilla Minus One is any indication, a long-awaited monster rematch may finally be on the horizon. Without an official announcement on a Godzilla Minus One sequel, it’s hard to say if the new take on the King of the Monsters will make a return. However, Godzilla Minus One’s ending certainly does open the door for a comeback.

Although Godzilla Minus One’s main characters succeeded in destroying Godzilla, the final scene confirmed that part of him survived. The clear implication is that Godzilla will eventually regenerate and return to menace Japan at a later date. This gives Toho an obvious framework for a second movie. Based on Godzilla Minus One’s record-breaking box office haul, such a scenario happening hardly feels implausible. As for what the story could entail, there’s a good chance Toho won’t want another Godzilla vs. Japan standoff. Instead, it may pit him against a monster from his past.

Why Noriko Could Transform Into A Godzilla-Like Monster In Godzilla Minus One 2

Noriko Having Godzilla’s DNA Could Have Disastrous Consequences

In the midst of an emotionally satisfying conclusion to Koichi’s story, Godzilla Minus One ominously laid the groundwork for a tragic twist. When Koichi was embracing Noriko, a strange, black mark materialized on her neck. Its sudden appearance brought into question the events that transpired when Noriko got swept up in the aftershock of Godzilla’s atomic breath blast. Because she was in proximity to Godzilla’s radioactive power, it’s not impossible that Noriko was irradiated or physically affected by it in some way.

There’s also the matter of Noriko’s shocking recovery. Koichi’s belief that Noriko was dead wasn’t without good reason; the situation she was in would have been fatal to any normal human. Not only did she survive, but she walked away in one piece, with few – if any – scars or injuries to show for it. This would make sense, though, if the black mark on her neck signifies Noriko being infected with Godzilla’s DNA. As Godzilla Minus One made abundantly clear in multiple scenes, Godzilla possesses an astounding regeneration ability. If she shares Godzilla’s DNA now, she could have acquired his healing powers unknowingly.

It’s important to note that Noriko simply developing a superpower would hardly serve the sequel’s story, especially when considering that giant monsters are the true focus of the franchise. With that in mind, there’s a chance that what Godzilla Minus One is really setting up is Koichi’s love interest transforming into a monster of some kind. A human becoming a kaiju would be an unusual occurrence in Godzilla’s universe, but not one that would be wholly unprecedented.

Noriko’s Future Could Set Up A Godzilla Rematch Toho Teased 35 Years Ago

Will Godzilla Finally Get Another Shot At Biollante?

If Godzilla Minus One is indeed paving the way for Noriko to become an existing monster in Godzilla’s franchise, the most natural candidate for this role would be Biollante. Out of all the monster villains in Godzilla’s rogues’ gallery, only Biollante transformed from a human being. In Godzilla vs. Biollante, the titular opponent to Godzilla was born from an experiment that combined DNA from Godzilla, a rose, and a deceased young woman named Erika. When Biollante was created, she was perceived as Erika reborn in the body of a monster.

Interestingly, Godzilla vs. Biollante’s ending didn’t culminate in a conclusive victory for Godzilla. Rather, her poisonous sap incapacitated him before her apparent defeat, meaning that the result of the fight could be fairly labeled as a tie. And unlike other villains of the Heisei era, Biollante survived her movie. Godzilla vs. Biollante ended with the monster flying out into outer space, creating the impression that she might be back for a sequel, perhaps for a more definitive ending to her battle with Godzilla.

In spite of Biollante’s enduring popularity as a Godzilla villain, the kaiju never made a second live-action appearance. While Gigan, King Ghidorah, and even lesser-known villains like Ebirah and Hedorah were given opportunities to return, Billante remains among the scant few Godzilla enemies to never get a rematch with the King of the Monsters. The idea of it finally happening has been entertained in the past, with Godzilla: King of the Monsters director Mike Dougherty expressing an interest in bringing Biollante into the Monsterverse. However, this scenario has never come to fruition in any form.

Why Godzilla Minus One 2 Could Be An Unofficial Godzilla vs. Biollante Remake

It Could Take Heavy Inspiration From Godzilla Vs. Biollante

The prospect of Noriko becoming Biollante could lead to a surprisingly familiar story, and not just because of the matchup choice. Godzilla Minus One’s characterization of Godzilla makes it likely that if Noriko were to transform into Biollante, the kaiju’s fight with Godzilla would be under circumstances extremely similar to their first fight. Not unlike the Godzilla vs. Biollante version, Minus One’s Godzilla has a villainous reputation among the human characters. Because of that, Godzilla and Biollante’s fight may not be a black-and-white battle between good and evil; in fact, Biollante could be looked at as the “good guy” in the battle.

That wouldn’t be far off from Godzilla vs. Biollante’s depiction of the action. While Biollante was also regarded as a threat to Japan, the movie ended with the characters thanking Biollante for halting Godzilla’s rampage. It’s not hard to imagine a Biollante story in Godzilla Minus One 2 playing out in the same way, with neither being the clear-cut hero.

Why Biollante Is The Perfect Choice To Be Godzilla’s Opponent In Minus One 2

When looking at what made Godzilla Minus One work so well, a follow-up to it acting as an unofficial sequel to Godzilla vs Biollante would actually be an appropriate move. Making it a “versus” movie would be a challenge, especially since adding another monster to the equation would detract from one of its best elements, the human story. That’s why Noriko’s Biollante, a monster with a personal connection to the plot, could be the perfect way for Godzilla Minus One 2 to maintain a balance of monster fighting and powerful storytelling.

If the woman Koichi loves slowly morphs into a horrendous, Godzilla-sized creature, he’d be facing a new tragedy that would easily justify his story continuing on the big screen. What’s more, such a development could be on par emotionally with the journey that he went through in Godzilla Minus One. The characters coming to terms with Noriko’s fate, if handled well, could make the movie a fitting tribute to a classic Heisei era film and a worthy sequel to Godzilla Minus One.