Kong's battle axe
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SPOILER WARNING: This article may contain major plot and/or ending details. Proceed at your own discretion. |
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Kong's battle axe (戦斧 senpu) is a Titan-sized weapon that appears in the 2021 Legendary Pictures film Godzilla vs. Kong. It is one of many such weapons created by Kong's ancestors which he rediscovers inside a huge temple in the Hollow Earth. He soon wielded the axe against both Godzilla and Mechagodzilla. The axe reappeared in Godzilla vs. Kong's 2024 sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, where it was taken from Kong and wielded by the Skar King. Suko later recovered the axe and returned it to Kong.
Name
In Godzilla vs. Kong and its collaboration with the game Roblox, the weapon is simply referred to as an axe, while merchandise for the film calls the weapon a battle axe or battle-axe. The Terra Virtua website, the art book for the movie, and the collaboration with the games Call of Duty: Vanguard and Call of Duty: Warzone identify it as a scepter. The film's novelization also initially identifies it as a scepter.
Development
Concept arts for Godzilla vs. Kong shows Kong holding a giant bone as a weapon instead of an axe.[8] An illustration used in tie-in media shows Kong with his battle axe and a torch made with a bone; it is unclear if the latter was ever considered for the film.[9]
Design
The axe is made with a Titan bone as the handle and a dorsal fin from a member of Godzilla's species as the blade. It is also wrapped in Godzilla scales.[2]
When charged by Hollow Earth energy or Godzilla's atomic breath, the blade glows blue, similar to Godzilla's dorsal fins when he charges the attack.
When Kong saw the axe glowing for the first time, he placed it in a depression in the ground in the shape of the axe alongside several other axes, causing the floor to glow and pulse with energy and form a design resembling Godzilla.
History
- Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Monsterverse
Godzilla vs. Kong
After entering the Hollow Earth as part of a joint Monarch-Apex Cybernetics expedition to find an energy source capable of powering a countermeasure against Godzilla, Kong came upon a huge stone temple. Inside, he found a gigantic axe embedded in the skull of a fallen Titan. Kong pulled out the axe and held it aloft, beating his chest and roaring triumphantly, then sat down on a giant throne. Disembarking her HEAV, Apex executive Maia Simmons asked where the energy source was, just before Kong's axe began to glow blue. Kong spotted a depression in the ground in the shape of his axe and placed it there, causing similar weapons next to it and the ground to glow and pulse with energy, revealing the sought-after energy source. Apex released a drone to analyze the energy and send its data to the company's headquarters in Hong Kong, where it was copied and used to power the artificial Titan Mechagodzilla. Dr. Ilene Andrews protested, saying Apex couldn't simply take the find of the millennium. Maia retorted that they could do as they wished and had her men aim their guns at the Monarch members, causing the angered Kong to roar at the guards in their defense.
Godzilla, having already swam to Hong Kong in response to a previous activation of Mechagodzilla, sensed Kong's discovery of the energy source and fired his atomic breath into the ground, eventually breaching the temple. The blast disturbed the Hellhawks roosting there, and they swiftly attacked the humans and Kong. After repelling them, Kong dispatched Simmons' HEAV, then grabbed his axe and began climbing through the hole left by Godzilla's atomic breath to Hong Kong. The two Titans did battle once more. Kong tried to hit Godzilla with his axe, but the King of the Monsters evaded and he lodged it in a skyscraper instead. He soon recovered it and shoved its handle down Godzilla's throat, preventing him from using his atomic breath. Godzilla fired again, but Kong used the axe's blade to absorb the blast. Next Godzilla tackled Kong, who drove his axe into Godzilla's leg. Enraged, Godzilla retaliated by throwing Kong into the water, then pulled the axe out of his leg with his jaws and tossed it into another building. Deprived of his weapon, Kong was forced to play defense until he recovered it, then leapt off the building at Godzilla who fired his atomic breath once more. Kong blocked the blast with the axe and struck Godzilla, creating an explosion that knocked both monsters back. The axe's charge faded as Dr. Nathan Lind, having traveled to Hong Kong in another HEAV with Andrews and Kong's young friend Jia, declared that Kong had won the second round.
Round three began and ended quickly, with Godzilla launching a vicious physical assault on Kong and leaving him for dead. In Apex headquarters, the Hollow Earth energy fed into Mechagodzilla prompted King Ghidorah's consciousness, already part of the mecha by way of a skull converted into a supercomputer, to possess the mecha. After killing its creators, it began rampaging through the city. Godzilla engaged his metal doppelganger, but stood little chance due to the energy he had expended breaching the temple and battling Kong. Using the HEAV as a giant defibrillator, Lind managed to restart Kong's heart, and Jia convinced him that Mechagodzilla was the real threat.
Just before Mechagodzilla could fire its Proton Scream down Godzilla's throat, Kong leapt onto its back and pulled its head back, causing it to fire into the sky. Even together, however, the organic Titans couldn't match the machine's strength. Kong picked his axe back up and began swinging it at Mechagodzilla, sending it reeling and eventually toppling it, but it responded by pinning Kong against a building. Mechagodzilla began spinning the blades at the end of its tail, trying to shove them into Kong’s face. Josh Valentine, one of Godzilla's human allies who had broken into Apex headquarters, managed to momentarily stall the machine by pouring the contents of Bernie Hayes's flask onto its control panel. Using this opportunity, Godzilla fired his atomic breath at Kong's axe, charging it. Kong swung his axe and sliced off the end of Mechagodzilla's tail, freeing himself, then continued to swing it until he hacked off its arm. Kong then cut off the mecha's other arm, then its leg. Mechagodzilla fell to the ground and begins charging one last Proton Scream before Kong struck it in the neck, then leapt onto it and tore off its head. Kong held up its severed head and roared triumphantly, having ended the terror of Mechagodzilla. Drained, Kong then slumped down.
Godzilla then roared loudly, drawing everyone's attention, and advanced towards Kong. Kong grabbed his axe again and approached Godzilla, and the two Titans stared each other down. Kong hesitated and then dropped his axe. Godzilla roared at him again before turning around and returning to the sea peacefully.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
After a chasm opened up in Hollow Earth, Kong went to investigate, first retrieving his axe from its hiding place beneath a boulder in a cave. He first used his axe to slow his fall into the chasm. It began glowing moments later, the crystals around him following suit. Kong soon emerged in an unexplored, misty region of Hollow Earth. He readied his axe for battle upon seeing a massive silhouette approach him, but calmed when he discovered it was the young ape Suko. Trying to calm the nervous Titan, Kong set down the axe and reached for him, only for Suko to bite his fingers. He chased after Suko, and when the Great Ape One-Eye landed behind him, dug his axe into the ground to help reverse directions. Two other apes, Stone Fist and Catcher, then tackled him, causing him to drop the axe. As Kong fought back, One-Eye charged at him with the axe raised, but Kong felled him with a bone club. Just before he could pick the axe back up, Suko lunged at his face. Kong nonetheless prevailed against the four without his signature weapon, killing Stone Fist and Catcher, forcing One-Eye into retreat, and ordering Suko to take him to the place the apes had come from.
Suko lured Kong into another trap, this time in a lake where a Drownviper was waiting. When the serpent lunged at Kong, he intercepted its fangs with the axe's handle, then slammed it back into the water as Suko fled. When it came at him again, he pushed her head down and tried to bring down the axe, only for her to constrict his swinging arm. After killing the Drownviper, Kong stopped Suko's flight first by thowing the axe into his path, tripping him, then the serpent's head. Suko shielded himself, thinking Kong would throttle him, but he simply picked the axe back up. That evening, Kong sliced up the Drownviper's carcass and bonded with Suko by offering some of the meat to him.
As agreed, Suko brought Kong to the Living Caves, part of a volcanic region where dozens of Great Apes were toiling. Kong dropped his axe to help up one abused ape, then knocked out the guard abusing him, earning the attention of the Great Apes' tyrant, the Skar King. The red ape approached Kong and mocked him before his followers, then rounded on Suko for bringing him to the caves. When another ape, Gnarled Finger, stood between them, the Skar King kicked him into lava, enraging Kong. The Skar King unfurled his Whipslash; Kong responded by brandishing his axe. The Skar King dodged the first swing, blocked the second with the whip, dodged again, then disarmed Kong by bringing the whip around the axe and yanking. The Skar King attempted to choke Kong with the Whipslash, but Kong threw him off. At this, he used the crystal at the end of the whip to call forward the colossal ice Titan Shimo. Though she struggled against the Skar King's commands, she soon fired her frost breath at Kong. He dodged the first ray and tried blocking the second with the axe, but ice soon crept onto his right hand, forcing him to drop it. Realizing he was outmatched, Kong followed Suko's advice and fled. The Skar King ordered his Great Apes to give chase as he raised the axe in victory.
Kong and Suko killed all of the Great Apes pursuing them except One-Eye, but Kong was still plagued by a frostbitten arm. The two apes traveled to the Iwi city of Malenka, site of multiple portals to the surface world. One-Eye followed and reported their location to the Skar King, who set off with a war party, riding atop Shimo with axe in hand. Meanwhile, Monarch veterinarian Trapper outfitted Kong with a device to heal his frostbite and give him some extra power for the battle to come, the B.E.A.S.T. Glove. Suko warned Kong of the Skar King's advance, prompting him to travel to the surface to seek Godzilla's help. Oblivious to his request, the King of the Monsters nearly killed Kong before Mothra and the Iwi girl Jia calmed him. Kong and Godzilla crashed back down into Hollow Earth to meet the Skar King and Shimo head-on. Just before the four Titans could collide, the Iwi negated the gravity in the area, sending them all floating into the air. Kong's new glove allowed him to block both the Skar King's whip and axe. When the tyrant let go of the axe, Kong grabbed it as the gravity returned. As he hurtled towards a portal along with the Skar King, Godzilla, and Shimo, he tried to stop his fall by driving the axe into a cliff wall, only to lose his grip.
During the ensuing brawl in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Godzilla severed the crystal from the rest of the Whipslash. Meanwhile, Suko recovered the axe and followed them through the portal. As the Skar King and Kong fought over it, Suko emerged with the axe and swung with all his force, shattering the crystal. The ensuing shock wave knocked over all five combatants. The Skar King now stood alone. Kong lifted him into the air, and at Godzilla's prompting, Shimo froze her former master. Kong shattered the Skar King against the ground.
Kong recovered his axe before Godzilla fired his atomic breath into the sky to dissipate the ice storm Shimo unleashed earlier in their fight. He and Suko returned to the Living Caves riding on Shimo's back. Kong lifted his axe and let out a mighty roar along with Shimo and Suko, declaring himself the new king of the Great Apes, and the apes quickly joined them.
Abilities
Energy absorption
The axe can absorb energy from the Hollow Earth, as well as Godzilla's atomic breath. In their final battle, the fully-charged axe is powerful enough to knock both him and Godzilla back, swung in a maneuver called the Aerial Axe Slash (空中戦斧 Kūchū Senpu, lit. "Aerial Battle Axe").[10][11] When charged, it is shown to be able to slash into Godzilla's thick hide, causing him to roar in pain. Godzilla voluntarily charges the axe again when he and Kong battle Mechagodzilla, allowing the ape Titan to quickly dismantle the machine. Kong can swing the axe at a top speed of 62 miles per hour.[7] In PUBG Mobile and in the Minecraft: Bedrock Edition Godzilla DLC, it is also able to absorb Mechagodzilla's Proton Scream, though this beam doesn't charge it up.[12]
Kong's axe absorbing Mechagodzilla's Proton Scream in PUBG Mobile
Earth Break
In the mobile game Godzilla Battle Line, Kong's special attack as a leader is Earth Break, in which he slams his axe into the ground to damage nearby enemies.
Weaknesses
The axe was unable to inflict any damage on Mechagodzilla without being charged with energy. Additionally, while it succeeded in piercing Godzilla's thigh, the blow Kong struck at his head failed to deal any external damage. The axe was unable to absorb Shimo's frost breath, which caused ice to spread across it and froze Kong's right arm.
Video games
- Roblox (2021) - Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Xbox One
- PUBG Mobile (2021) - Android and iOS
- LifeAfter/Day After Tomorrow (2021) - iOS, Google Play, Android
- Magic Domain (2021) - iOS, Google Play, Android
- Funko Pop! Blitz (2019; added in 2021) - Android
- Godzilla Battle Line (2021) - Android, iOS, and PC
- Go Big! (2021) - iOS, Google Play, Android
- Call of Duty: Warzone (2022) - Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Call of Duty: Vanguard (2022) - Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
- Pinball FX (2023) - PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Steam, Epic Games
- Godzilla x Kong: Titan Chasers (2024) - Android, iOS, and PC
- Minecraft: Bedrock Edition (2011; added in 2024) - Windows 10, Windows 11, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Fire OS/TV, Android, iOS, Windows Mobile, Samsung Gear VR
- Lords Mobile (2016; added in 2024) - Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, iPadOS, Fire OS [photo; artwork]
Battle axe in Roblox during the Godzilla vs. Kong event
Battle axe in Roblox during the Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire event
Battle axe item in Call of Duty: Vanguard
Battle axe in Call of Duty: Warzone
"Tactical Observation" photo in Lords Mobile
Books
- Godzilla vs. Kong: The Official Movie Novelization (2021)
- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - The Official Movie Novelization (2024)
Comics
- Godzilla x Kong: The Hunted (2024)
- Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #7 (2024)
Godzilla x Kong: The Hunted
Kong wielded his battle axe while exploring a cave in Hollow Earth. Its glow allowed him to view cave paintings of other monsters on the walls, including Godzilla and Shimo.
Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong
After Gorilla Grodd killed Guy Gardner, the hero's Green Lantern ring chose Kong as its new owner. It flew to him as the Skullspawn strangled him with its tail, growing before slipping around his finger. Kong immediately formed a hard-light construct in the shape of his axe, using it to slice off the Skullspawn's tail. He later used it to deliver the finishing blow to the Skullspawn, driving the blade into its head after Godzilla and Superman weakened it. The ring then flew off Kong's finger, causing the axe construct to dissipate.
Gallery
Concept art
Godzilla vs. Kong
- Unidentified artists
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
- Richard Bennet
- Ben Wootten
Production
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Screenshots
Godzilla vs. Kong
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Comics
Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong
Merchandise
Toys
Playmates 6" Kong with Battle-Axe
Playmates 13" Mega Punching Kong
Playmates 6" Hong Kong Battle Kong
Funko Pop! 4.25" Kong
Funko Pop! flocked 4.25" Kong (exclusive to Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and Walgreens)
Funko Pop! Kong keychain
Bandai Movie Monster Series Kong with Battle Axe
Monogram International Godzilla vs. Kong 3D foam figural bag clips
Bandai HG D+ Godzilla 06 Kong 2021
Megahouse UA Monsters Kong
Art Spirits Gekizo Kong
Youtooz Kong on Throne
Sega Kong prize figure
Chinese cup toppers
Panlos Brick Kong
Panlos Brick Kong
Panlos Brick City Battle set
Art Spirits Gekizo Kong
Playmates City Battle Figures & Diorama Set
Hiya Toys Stylist Series Kong
Hiya Toys Exquisite Basic Kong
(Godzilla vs. Kong)Playmates Titan Tech Kong
S.H. MonsterArts Kong Exclusive Edition
X-Plus 30cm Kong
X-Plus Deforeal Kong
Playmates Hollow Earth Figures & Diorama Set
Mega Construx Kong
S.H. MonsterArts Kong (2024)
Funko Pop! 4.25" Battle Pose Kong (Target Con exclusive)
Mondo Kong Soft Vinyl
Mondo Kong - Retro Titan Variant
Megahouse UA Monsters Kong with Suko
Playmates 6" Kong with Battle Axe
Playmates Titan Size Kong
Hiya Toys Exquisite Basic Kong
(Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire)
Miscellaneous
Ichiban Kuji mugs
Prime 1 Studio Kong's Battle Axe
Prime 1 Studio Godzilla vs. Kong
Lineage Studio Kong enamel pins
Clothing
Ghost X Ghost Kong Metalcropolis T-Shirt
Magazines
Total Film
Miscellaneous
Giphy
Giphy
Giphy
NFT model by Terra Virtua
Trivia
- On the Chinese poster for Godzilla vs. Kong, the axe handle appears to be made of wood and the blade has a different shape than in the movie.[13]
- Another weapon using part of a kaiju as its blade, the Spear of Anguirus, was also introduced in 2021, in the anime series Godzilla Singular Point. It was wielded by another humanoid character, Jet Jaguar.
- A third such weapon, the Whipslash, was composed of a crystal-tipped Titan spine and wielded by the Skar King in the sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024).
See also
References
This is a list of references for Kong's battle axe. These citations are used to identify the reliable sources on which this article is based. These references appear inside articles in the form of superscript numbers, which look like this: [1]
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