MUTO Prime

MUTO Prime Alternate names Earthquake Beetle, Dragon Beetle, Jinshin Mushi Species Titanus Jinshin-Mushi Relations MUTO (offspring) Enemies Godzilla First appearance Godzilla: Aftershock

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MUTO Prime is a monster that appears in the 2018 Legendary Comics graphic novel, Godzilla: Aftershock.

Name

MUTO Prime's name refers to it being the progenitor of the two MUTOs which fought Godzilla in 2014. Ancient mythology speaks of the creature as the Earthquake Beetle or Dragon Beetle, while Monarch grants it the official Titan classification Titanus Jinshin-Mushi, or simply Jinshin Mushi. This name is likely derived from the Japanese words jishin (地震), meaning "earthquake," and mushi (虫), meaning "insect" or "bug."

Design

MUTO Prime shares its basic body shape and appearance with its offspring. However, it is considerably larger and possesses a hardened outer shell along with razor-sharp back spines. MUTO Prime's legs are gigantic and muscular, as are its forelimbs which it uses to knuckle-walk. MUTO Prime's skin is primarily smooth and black, save for its forelimbs which are mostly covered in orange scales.

Origins

MUTO Prime is an ancient superspecies that lived alongside Godzilla and other Titans. Judging by its appearance in ancient myths and paintings, MUTO Prime seemingly survived the Permian extinction and continued to appear alongside Godzilla and was witnessed by ancient civilizations. At some point, MUTO Prime infected a member of Godzilla's species, designated Species 5146_Adam by Monarch, with its parasitic spores, eventually killing it before its body became buried in an underground cavern in the Philippines. In 1999, a mining company unwittingly excavated Adam's skeleton, allowing one of the spores to hatch into the larval male MUTO, while the other dormant spore was taken to the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository, where it finally matured into the female MUTO in 2014.

History

Godzilla: Aftershock

This official graphic novel prequel to Godzilla: King of the Monsters will chronicle both a battle between MUTO Prime and Godzilla in the ancient past as well as one in the present day following the events of Godzilla.

Abilities

Back Spines

MUTO Prime possesses razor-sharp back spines.

Shell

MUTO Prime is covered in an armored outer shell which, according to Monarch, makes it "an unstoppable mountain of a tank as it erupts from the Earth."

Physical Strength

MUTO Prime's powerful legs create thunderous steps which generate loud seismic disturbances and allow it to stand its ground in battle against other Titans.

Reproduction

MUTO Prime is genetically programmed to seek out a Titan host for its offspring. After defeating an opponent in battle, MUTO Prime's ovipositors which are guided by detecting uranium in a Titan's blood will stab its foe like a scorpion's tail, implanting parasitic eggs into the Titan's stomach lining. The eggs incubate by breaking down the hemoglobin in the host's blood to feed on the nuclear material, eventually rendering the host unable to replenish its atomic energy until it finally dies. The embryos then continue to develop within the host's carcass for centuries before finally hatching and breaking through its ribcage. The result of this parasitic infection is two subspecies of MUTO Prime, a male and a female which will subsequently mate and reproduce, creating countless offspring which could threaten to overrun the world. Monarch simply designates MUTO Prime's offspring as "MUTOs," an acronym for "Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism."

Gallery

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  An ancient painting depicting MUTO Prime locked in battle with Godzilla

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  Monarch's Superspecies Profile on MUTO Prime

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  Textless Godzilla: Aftershock cover by Christopher Shy