Warning: Spoilers for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Although Godzilla’s pink form was a surprise addition to the Monsterverse in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, the key to it was actually set up five years ago. Adam Wingard’s sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong saw the King of the Monsters undergo a powerful transformation, one that changed Godzilla’s atomic power from blue to pink. The change to one of his trademark features helped distinguish Godzilla x Kong’s take on the iconic kaiju from all other versions of Godzilla.
This wasn’t the first time that a movie has experimented with the color of Godzilla’s atomic breath. 2016’s Shin Godzilla, for instance, gave him purple energy. He boasted red and orange versions of his atomic breath in a few of his Heisei and Millennium era movies, sometimes for reasons that were directly related to the story. That was the case yet again in Godzilla x Kong, where Godzilla apparently felt it necessary to upgrade himself, this time with a pink-colored power-up. The decision paved the way for Legendary’s Monsterverse to introduce what is now being called the Evolved Form into Godzilla lore.
The Monsterverse Confirmed Tiamat’s Existence In Godzilla: King Of The Monsters
While it took until Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire for Godzilla to develop his pink form, the secret to accessing it has been a part of the Monsterverse since Godzilla: King of the Monsters. After the roar from Ghidorah that woke up the Titans of the Monsterverse, Stone Mountain was listed as one of the locations where a Titan escaped from a Monarch outpost. A map seen onscreen in the 2019 movie confirmed that the facility in question was Outpost 53 in Stone Mountain, Georgia. According to the map, the Titan being monitored there was Tiamat, the monster whose death paved the way for “Evolved Godzilla.”
At the time, all information about Tiamat was open to speculation, just as it was for the other 10 unseen Godzilla: King of the Monsters Titans. The name’s mythological connections allowed for some clues, however, and even prompted theories that the mysterious creature could be a dragon or a sea serpent of some sort. Of course, Tiamat turning out to be the basis of a future Godzilla transformation was a development that couldn’t have been predicted at this time, especially since she was just one of many mystery Titans.
Godzilla Fought Tiamat Before Godzilla x Kong, Setting Up His Pink Form
The second – and the biggest – step toward Godzilla’s Evolved Form took shape in Godzilla: Dominion, a graphic novel prequel to Godzilla vs. Kong. Released in 2021, Godzilla: Dominion saw the King of the Monsters patrol the globe in the wake of Ghidorah’s defeat. During this time, Godzilla had to go up against three Titans, one of which being Tiamat. It was in this story that the Monsterverse first unveiled Tiamat’s design. Revealed as a powerful sea serpent living in an underwater cave, Tiamat was depicted as both blue and pink, a detail that held greater significance than it seemed.
Not only did Godzilla vs. Dominion introduce the pink energy source that would later define Godzilla’s new look in Godzilla x Kong, but it also established an animosity between the two creatures. In Godzilla x Kong, Godzilla appears to ruthlessly seek out Tiamat, kill her, and steal her power. But in the context of Godzilla: Dominion, their fight gives off a different impression. The events of Dominion prove that they already knew each other, as the book showed the two fighting after Godzilla entered its lair, unaware of Tiamat’s presence.
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Godzilla struggled mightily against Tiamat, who showcased the power that eventually became Godzilla’s in Godzilla x Kong. In the fight, the bioelectric serpent Titan blinded Godzilla with a spray attack that likely stems from the energy that powers her. This made things more difficult for Godzilla, but didn’t stop him from winning and forcing Tiamat to back down. Though this looked to be the end of it, it’s now understood that Godzilla didn’t forget about his underwater rival. In fact, there’s a strong possibility that this fight was the very reason Godzilla knew exactly what to look for when he realized that he needed an upgrade in Godzilla x Kong.
Will Godzilla Get To Keep Tiamat’s Power?
Godzilla’s new power-up is likely temporary
For now, it’s unclear if “Evolved Godzilla” will return after Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’s ending. The Monsterverse could bring it back if Godzilla vs Kong 3 happens since he still had it at the end of the movie, but since Tiamat’s power isn’t naturally his, it’s likely that it’s not a permanent power-up. Similar to how the burning form he received from Mothra wore off quickly, the pink energy may dissipate once Godzilla has used it all up. If and when that occurs, Godzilla may soon find himself looking for a new power source, especially if a new threat emerges in the next Monsterverse movie.
