Godzilla first stomped on the scene nearly 70 years ago and has captivated audiences ever since. Interpretations of Big G vary, from the horrific Shin Godzilla to the lighthearted Hanna-Barbera interpretation. But throughout that whole time the atomic lizard has come to blows with foes of all kinds.
Through five installments in Legendary's Monsterverse plenty of kaiju have burst through onto the screen. The Monsterverse has reimagined classic Toho kaiju and crafted creatures of their own. While many have made minor appearances, others have had a bigger shot to show their strength and challenge for the title of King of the Monsters.
Warbat
Warbat are one of the original kaiju created by Legendary Studios. A species of giant, flying serpent measuring in at 428ft long, the Warbat live deep in the Hollow Earth. They are agile and equipped with strong jaws, but their deadliest trait just might be the long venomous fangs in their mouths.
The Warbat first appear in Godzilla vs Kong during the adventure to the Hollow Earth. While these creatures posed a danger to the Apex team and briefly challenged Kong, the King of Skull Island ultimately made short work of them before taking a seat on his throne.
Skullcrawlers
Skullcrawler are a species of large reptilian creatures that reside on Skull Island. They have only two long forelimbs and long, prehensile, serpentine tails. One of the original kaiju created by Legendary Studios, the Skullcrawlers made their first appearance in Kong: Skull Island. They were the primary antagonists for Kong, with their matriarch, the Skull Devil, giving the young king a difficult fight.
Skullcrawlers are very durable, being able to withstand a barrage of gunfire as well as going toe to toe with a young Kong. They are the apex predators of Skull Island and, despite only having two legs, are extremely fast hunters. Their prehensile tail and fearsome jaws are dangerous weapons in their arsenal.
MUTO [Male]
MUTO stands for Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism. In the past the species killed members of Godzilla's species to feed off their natural radiation and lay their eggs in the corpses. They are another one of the original kaiju created by Legendary for the Monsterverse, first appearing in the 2014 Godzilla.
The male MUTO is smaller than the female of the species, but possesses the ability to fly. The male also has the ability to release an EMP-like pulse which disables all electrical devices in a five-mile radius. While he is extremely nimble and durable, ultimately the male MUTO fell to Godzilla.
MUTO [Female]
First appearing in 2014's Godzilla, the female MUTO is an ancient parasitic species that laid its eggs in the corpse of Godzilla's species. MUTO stands for Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism. The female of the species is much larger than the male and possesses different abilities. She is strong enough to toss Godzilla around and also generates an EMP field that surrounds her.
The female MUTO posed a serious threat to Godzilla during their brawl, but she had the advantage of having her male partner assist her. Once it became a one-on-one fight, Godzilla took control and delivered the kiss of death — an atomic blast down the throat.
Rodan
Rodan first appeared in the 1956 Toho classic of the same name, and was then reimagined by Legendary in 2019's King of the Monsters. He is a massive pterosaur that radiates temperatures up to 1200 °C. Rodan can use his wings to create sonic thunderclaps and can fly at supersonic speed.
Rodan first appears bursting from a volcano on Isla de Mara and soon engages in combat with King Ghidorah. After being defeated Rodan submits to Ghidorah and battles Mothra during the battle in Boston. Ultimately he succumbs to her stinger in a sneak attack and is later seen submitting to Godzilla at the end of the film.
Mothra
Mothra, often titled the Queen of the Monsters, is what it says on the box: a giant moth. She first appeared in Toho's 1961 film Mothra. She can fly, disperse energy, break up storms, has a hidden stinger, and can even reincarnate.
Mothra is more often than not an ally to Godzilla, and performs that role in the 2019 film King of the Monsters. During the final battle in Boston, she duels Rodan while Godzilla faces off with King Ghidorah. While it appears as if Rodan outmatches her, Mothra emerges victorious by stabbing him in the chest with her stinger. Then she sacrifices herself to protect Godzilla and gives him her energy, which leads to a crucial power-up for the big guy.
Kong
Legendary's interpretation of one of the most famous monsters of all time first burst on the scene in 2017's Kong: Skull Island. Set in 1973, the movie featured a Kong that was still a juvenile, measuring only 104 ft tall. But by the time 2021's Godzilla vs Kong rolled around the big ape had very literally grown up, to a whopping 337 ft tall.
The King of Skull Island is not to be overlooked. He is highly intelligent and possesses great strength, durability, and agility. Furthermore, unlike most kaiju, Kong shows skill with tools and weapons, like the ancient battle axe he discovers in the Hollow Earth. But when it comes to facing other monsters one-on-one, Kong's record keeps him from topping the list.
Mechagodzilla
Legendary's Mechagodzilla appears in 2021's Godzilla vs Kong as a common enemy between the titular warring giants. This unholy doppelgangar is an anti-kaiju weapon whose neural network is powered by the severed head of King Ghidorah. Ghidorah's mind eventually takes control of the cyborg and seeks to finish business against his old nemesis.
Mechagodzilla has a vast arsenal of weapons, great strength, thrusters to enhance its movement, buzzsaw claws, and a tail drill. But the deadliest weapon in its arsenal is the proton scream cannon, a powerful red energy beam capable of burning even Godzilla. It took the combined strength of Godzilla and Kong both to defeat the mechanical monstrosity, but both were weak from fighting each other. If fresh, it's fair to say Godzilla could handle Mechagodzilla, but Kong's lack of ranged attacks would put him at a disadvantage.
King Ghidorah
King Ghidorah is the Joker to Godzilla's Batman. In the Monsterverse, King Ghidorah is an extraterrestrial threat that Godzilla defeated in ancient times. However, a terrorist cell reawakens the giant hydra from the antarctic ice, and he resumes his mission to destroy Earth.
King Ghidorah has three heads which are each capable of emitting powerful bioelectric gravity beams. Ghidorah is also capable of flight, draining the energy from other kaiju, regenerating lost body parts, changing the weather, and bending other kaiju to carry out his will. Godzilla almost defeats him single-handedly during their first two clashes, but human intervention interferes with his victory. As Ghidorah amassed more power and allies, it took help from humans and Mothra to defeat Ghidorah.
Godzilla
Who else but the big guy himself? In the Monsterverse, Godzilla is an ancient creature from the Permian period powered by bio-nuclear energy. He is a force of nature that exists to preserve balance on Earth, protecting that balance from threats both internal and external.
Godzilla is King of the Monsters, and for good reason. He possesses immense strength, an accelerated healing factor, intelligence, and of course his famous atomic breath. Also, under certain conditions, he can assume the Fire Godzilla form and emit powerful thermonuclear pulses. Godzilla has the best record in the Monsterverse. He has defeated King Ghidorah, Kong, the MUTOs, and helped defeat Mechagodzilla. It is for that reason he rightfully bears the title King of the Monsters.