Behemoth
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- For the titular behemoth from The Giant Behemoth, see Paleosaurus.
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You think we have the right to just kill a god?
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„
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— Monarch agent Mariko (Godzilla: King of the Monsters - The Official Movie Novelization) |
Behemoth (ベヒモス Behimosu) is a mammalian Titan who first appeared in the 2019 Legendary Pictures Godzilla film Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
One of many Titans awakened by King Ghidorah's call in 2019, Behemoth attacked Rio de Janeiro under the evil Titan's command before traveling to Boston with the others. With Godzilla having defeated Ghidorah, Behemoth and the other Titans proceeded to submit to Godzilla as the new alpha Titan. Behemoth established his own territory in the Amazon rainforest, where he was attacked by the Titan Amhuluk. However, Godzilla soon arrived and forced Amhuluk to leave, restoring Behemoth's claim to his territory. Behemoth was also one of the Titans transported to the DC Universe through the Toyman's usage of the Dreamstone. He, along with Scylla and Tiamat, was deployed by Lex Luthor through Mechagodzilla to fight the Justice League.
Name
Behemoth is named after a beast mentioned in the Bible (בהמות Behemot), which is interpreted often as either referring to a mythical creature or a large animal such as an elephant or rhinoceros. Godzilla: King of the Monsters - The Official Movie Novelization also gives Behemoth the alternative name Mapinguary, derived from a Brazilian cryptid believed to resemble a giant sloth. Monarch gave Behemoth the Titan classification Titanus Behemoth.
Development
Behemoth was originally conceptualized as a giant mammoth, with tusks on his lower jaw similar to a Deinotherium and wood-like protrusions on his legs. Eventually, this design was discarded in favor of making the creature more like a giant sloth, although the mammoth-like tusks were retained. According to director Michael Dougherty, "[A]t one point we considered adding massive cuffs and broken chains around his limbs to hint that he was once captured and used as a warbeast by some ancient society."[3] Footage of the Castle Bravo set shows that he was originally meant to emerge in Mexico.[4]
Behemoth was considered for a cameo in Godzilla vs. Kong. According to screenwriter Eric Pearson, "The idea was to have liquored-up, good ol' boys going out with shotguns to hunt one of the tamer Titans. They got crushed by a woolly mammoth thing."[5] Nonetheless, he was included in the Playmates Godzilla vs. Kong toyline.
Design
Behemoth is a mammalian creature resembling a giant sloth crossed with a mammoth. He knuckle-walks like an ape using his long and muscular forelimbs which are larger than his hind legs. Mammoth-like tusks jut downward from his cheeks. Behemoth is covered in light brown fur and appears to have greenish vines or algae growing on his otherwise gray tusks. Behemoth possesses a row of bumpy triangular spikes running along his back, which Monarch describes as being made of "unbreakable granite fortified with metal and ore."[1] He has sloth-like claws and elephantine feet.
In Godzilla Dominion, Behemoth's design is slightly altered, possessing more human-like thumbed hands and three-toed feet resembling those of theropod dinosaurs.
Personality
Monarch classifies Behemoth's behavior as that of a "protector,"[1] along with fellow Titans Godzilla, Mothra, Kong, and Methuselah. He is a peaceful herbivore who enjoys being groomed.[3]
Origins
Behemoth was discovered by Monarch in Brazil, and an outpost was constructed around him. In Godzilla: King of the Monsters - The Official Movie Novelization, a Monarch agent named Mariko states, "There are cave paintings of him that are twelve thousand years old."[6]
History
- Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
- Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) [stock footage]
Monsterverse
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Behemoth was among the many Titans awakened from his slumber in Brazil by King Ghidorah's call. He attacked Rio de Janeiro before making his way to Boston along with Methuselah, Scylla, the Queen MUTO, and a flock of Leafwings. There, they found the alpha they were following, Ghidorah, slain at the hands of Godzilla. Rodan approached Godzilla to challenge him, but was intimidated by his gaze and ultimately submitted. The other Titans all followed suit, each "bowing" in their own way to the new King of the Monsters. News outlets reported afterward that Behemoth's trail of destruction had begun to restore clear-cut parts of the Amazon rainforest.
Abilities
Tusks
Behemoth possesses two large tusks protruding from his face, similar to a woolly mammoth. He uses these large tusks to destroy structures in his path and bludgeon other Titans.
In Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong, Behemoth uses his tusks to ram the revived Skull Devil, knocking it down for long enough to allow Kong to attack it.
Restoration
Behemoth's radiation can restore the jungles he passes through. After Godzilla took command of the Titans in Boston, he used this ability on the Amazon rainforest, with areas of the Amazon damaged by clearcutting undergoing rapid regrowth.
Bio-seismic nature
Monarch describes Behemoth as "bio-seismic."[1]
Excrement
Behemoth's feces can be used as a highly effective fertilizer.[1]
Regeneration
After most of Behemoth's tusk is broken off by Amhuluk in Godzilla Dominion, a subsequent panel shows it to be longer than when it was broken. Artist Drew Edward Johnson later clarified that he intended this to be the tusk regenerating,[7] elaborating, "I figured if the tusks are his main weapon, they should grow back quickly".[8] This regeneration was finally shown explicitly in Monsterverse Declassified, with Behemoth's tusk beginning to reform shortly after he awakens from his defeat by Amhuluk. It continues growing over the course of the day until it is fully healed by the end of the comic.
Durability
In Godzilla: King of the Monsters - The Official Movie Novelization, Monarch attacked Behemoth with a jet of blue-white fire emitted from a nozzle installed in the ceiling of the outpost housing him. It angered him but left his fur unharmed. In Godzilla Dominion, he was outmatched by Amhuluk, with the other Titan breaking one of his tusks before Godzilla intervened. In Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong, an Amazonian ballista bolt penetrated his skin, though caused little harm. He also appeared unscathed by blows from Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl, and Shazam, though they were enough to oust him from the battle.
Video games
- Pinball FX (2023) - PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC [silhouette; targets]
- Kong: Survivor Instinct (2024) - PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S [Monarch Log]
One of the Behemoth targets in Pinball FX
Behemoth's Monarch Log image in Kong: Survivor Instinct
Books
- Godzilla: King of the Monsters - The Official Movie Novelization (2019)
- Godzilla vs. Kong: The Official Movie Novelization (2021) [mentioned]
- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire - The Official Movie Novelization (2024) [mentioned]
Godzilla: King of the Monsters - The Official Movie Novelization
Monarch prepared to terminate Behemoth when he responded to Ghidorah's call. However, an agent named Mariko, who sympathized with Emma Russell's mission and believed Behemoth to be "the most interesting of the Titans," cut the power to the outpost's backup kill switch. Behemoth quickly dispatched a group of soldiers and a nozzle emitting blue-white fire before breaking out of the facility, killing Mariko in the process. From there, his role in the novelization is the same as in the film.
Comics
- Godzilla: Aftershock (2019) [name on monitor]
- Godzilla Dominion (2021)
- Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #1-7 (2023-2024)
- Monsterverse Declassified (2024) ["Behemoth"]
Godzilla Dominion
Behemoth battled the Titan Amhuluk when the latter wandered into his territory in the Amazon. Amhuluk broke one of Behemoth's tusks and knocked him down before beginning to drag him away. However, Godzilla soon arrived and attacked Amhuluk, convincing the creature that he was the alpha Titan and causing it to leave the area. Behemoth then got back to his feet and wandered away.
Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong
During a battle between the Justice League and the Legion of Doom in the Fortress of Solitude, the Toyman accidentally activated the Mother Box, transporting him and the rest of the villains to Skull Island in the Monsterverse. The Legion fled from a giant Skullcrawler as it battled Kong, finding an abandoned facility. There they found four other Titans displayed on monitors: Godzilla, Behemoth, Scylla, and Camazotz. The Toyman was dismissed by the rest of the Legion when he announced a plan to unleash these creatures against the Justice League, so he angrily used the Dreamstone he had stolen from the Fortress to transport his team, Skull Island, and several Titans back to the DC Universe. The displaced Titans went on the warpath, with Behemoth attacking Themyscira. Spread thin, the Justice League sent Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl to defend the island. They arrived before the Titan had reached the city and tied their Lassos of Truth and Persuasion to a ballista bolt. They rode the bolt to Behemoth and wrapped their lassos around his neck to halt his advance. Wonder Woman tried to explain to Behemoth that her people did not want a fight, but Behemoth simply began moving elsewhere, throwing them off his back in the process, as she realized something was calling the monster. Over a week later, Lex Luthor lured Scylla, Behemoth, and Tiamat to Metropolis with Mechagodzilla, and asserted the mech as their alpha. Lex was soon confronted by the Justice League and a battle commenced, in which Wonder Woman and Wonder Girl faced Behemoth again, managing to knock him down. Later, Behemoth participated in the final battle against the revived Skull Devil, ramming it with his tusks before being subdued by Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl, and Shazam.
After the final battle, when Superman used the Dreamstone to send the Titans back to the Monsterverse, presumely it includes Behemoth.
Gallery
- Main article: Behemoth/Gallery.
In other languages
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Mandarin Chinese
Roar
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Trivia
- Behemoth is the only monster created for Godzilla: King of the Monsters who has received licensed figures: one from Y-MSF and another from Playmates.
- Michael Dougherty has stated that Behemoth is probably his favorite Titan from Godzilla: King of the Monsters due to the fact that he is mammalian, an uncommon trait for kaiju.[3]
- The reveal trailer for the video game Skydance's BEHEMOTH featured a Behemoth that strongly resembled the Monsterverse character.[9] This design was not retained for the final game.
- Though Behemoth is neither seen nor mentioned in Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, the film's opening credits show a Titan being located in Rio de Janeiro, the city where Behemoth emerged in Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Videos
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References
This is a list of references for Behemoth. 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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