Desghidorah
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Desghidorah (デスギドラ Desugidora, lit. "Death Ghidorah") is a three-headed dragon kaiju who first appeared in the 1996 Toho film Rebirth of Mothra.
An evil space monster, Desghidorah reduced Mars to an uninhabitable wasteland millions of years ago before turning his attention to Earth. The planet's natural guardians, a race of giant moths known as Mothras which defended the Elias civilization, managed to defeat Desghidorah and seal him away. However, in the present day a company accidentally awakened Desghidorah from his tomb while clearing a forest. The space monster resumed his reign of terror, attempting to wipe out all life on the planet, but was confronted by the last remaining Mothra. The two ancient enemies battled, but the elderly Mothra was outmatched. However, her newborn son Mothra Leo hatched prematurely and joined his mother in the battle. Mothra used the last of her strength to carry Leo to safety after Desghidorah destroyed a dam, then subsequently drowned. In order to avenge his mother, Leo matured into his imago stage and confronted Desghidorah once more, finally managing to defeat him and seal him back into his tomb.
Name
Desghidorah's name comes from desu (デス), the Japanese transliteration of "death," and "Ghidorah" (ギドラ Gidora), referencing his resemblance to King Ghidorah. While the creature's name would be most predictably translated to English as Death Ghidorah or Deathghidorah, Toho opted to trademark the romanization "Desghidorah" instead. "Death Ghidorah" nonetheless crops up occasionally, such as in streaming service descriptions of Rebirth of Mothra,[refs 4] in the official English subtitles for Godziban, and on the third Movie Monster Series figure vote.[4] The Picture Book of Godzilla & All Monsters instead uses the one-word spelling "Deathghidorah",[5] while the box for a 16-inch-long Bandai figure drops the final H to form "Deathghidora".[6]
The winged form that Desghidorah takes on after his first battle in Rebirth of Mothra is known as the Final Form (最終形態 Saishū Keitai)[10] or fully-grown (成獣 seijū).[5]
Origins
Desghidorah is a space monster who drains energy from planets. He left Mars an uninhabitable wasteland 65 million years ago, then sought after a neighboring planet - Earth. He was confronted by a race of Mothras sent by the Elias, who defeated him and sealed him away within the Earth, but not without most members of the Elias race being killed and the dinosaurs going extinct.
According to the Rebirth of Mothra Super Complete Works, Desghidorah is thought by scientists to be an amorphous magma-like organism, traveling through outer space in this form and only taking on his three-headed form while on a planet. The latter form is speculated to have originated with a battle against King Ghidorah sometime before Desghidorah's arrival in the Solar System, during which he copied his enemy's appearance. After arriving on Earth, he also likely took on characteristics of ancient animals he saw, resulting in his modern-day appearance.[11] A much later book, Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works, states outright that Desghidorah is a magma-like organism, but that his three-headed form is simply a result of his absorbing of planets' energy.[8]
Despite having no true relation to King Ghidorah, several streaming services' descriptions of Rebirth of Mothra refer to Desghidorah as his "even fiercer cousin".[refs 4]
History
- Rebirth of Mothra (1996)
- Godziban (web 2019-) [episodes 40, 44-46, and 57; special episodes 11-12]
Heisei era
Rebirth of Mothra
Millions of years ago, Desghidorah first appeared on the planet Mars, destroying it and turning it into a wasteland. It then flew to the planet Earth with more intent to destroy it. It began attacking the planet, but it was met with a revolt. A race called the Elias, small human-like beings, sent Mothras to defeat him. Desghidorah was defeated and locked away in a chamber so no one could ever release him. The Elias' civilization was nearly destroyed.
In the year 1997, a company is clearing out a forest when a worker stumbled across a buried structure with ancient writing on it. The worker took a small pendant from the stone, and gave it to his daughter as a gift. Not long after, the girl was visited by Belvera, one of the last surviving members of the Elias. The other survivors, Moll and Laura, came to try and take the pendant, which was called "the seal of Elias." The seal would awaken and release Desghidorah, and Belvera would try to control it.
Belvera went to Desghidorah's tomb, and caused it to rise from the ground. She managed to break it open, and Desghidorah was released. Desghidorah rose from the tomb and began to absorb energy from the forest around him.
Moll and Laura sent Mothra to defeat him, but she was quickly overpowered. Her egg hatched prematurely, into Mothra Leo, and he came to save his mother. Even the combined efforts of Mothra and Leo, they couldn't defeat it. Mothra flew off with her child and died over the ocean.
Leo wanted revenge, and he formed a cocoon and turned into his Imago form. Desghidorah harvested all the energy he could, then regrew his wings. Mothra Leo flew after the monster, and fought him with all his might. After a long battle, Leo sealed Desghidorah back in its tomb, then returned to his island.
Reiwa era
Godziban
Prior to the main events of the series, Mothra battled Desghidorah and was able to seal him away. However, the battle would prove to be Mothra's last and with what energy she had left, she returned to her temple and laid an egg, ensuring the cycle would continue with her children Moshu-Moshu and Moshuu-Moshuu.
Shown visions of Desghidorah having escaped Mothra's seal and rampaging through the ancient Bio Forest, Godzilla-kun, Minilla and Little were sent by the magic of Mata and Tango to try and assist the Bio Tree Sakuya in saving it. After the Three Godzilla Brothers were attacked by Giant Flytraps and Giant Pitcher Plants, the mushroom people disguised them as plants, only for their new appearance to earn the attention of Desghidorah. The trio tried charging at him, but he headbutted them away, and they fled. After a lengthy chase, the three-headed dragon was suddenly strangled by Sakuya's vines. After getting tossed to the ground, the space dragon bit through his bindings and squared off against the floral monster. The two monsters roared at each other, with Sakuya making the first move, entangling the dragon in her vines again, before Mata and Tango brought the Godzilla Brothers back home, where they resolved to return on the next full moon.
Abilities
Speed and flight
Desghidorah can run at speeds of up to 180 kilometers per hour.[9][8] His Final Form's wings enable flight at Mach 23 when on a planet,[10][7][note 1] and at near-light speed in space.[10][8]
Energy absorption
Desghidorah is able to drain the life energy from organisms, empowering him. On Earth he preferred to target plants, especially trees, as their yield was more efficient compared to humans.[11] When absorbing the plants' energy, he releases a mist from his body which kills the plants, thereby reducing the planet's oxygen supply in the process.[12] In Godziban, he also drained energy from Matangos.
Shapeshifting
After Desghidorah absorbed a sufficient amount of energy he shifted into his Final Form, gaining wings.[13]
Though not established onscreen, Desghidorah is in fact an amorphous magma-like creature by nature, having taken on his three-headed dragon form sometime before the Elias sealed him on Earth.[8] Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works argues that this form was another evolution caused by absorbing energy,[8] while the Rebirth of Mothra Super Complete Works speculates that he can instead shapeshift willingly, traveling through space in his amorphous form and taking on a terrestrial form when arriving on a planet. The latter also presents a theory that Desghidorah copied features from King Ghidorah and ancient Earth organisms to incorporate into his terrestrial form.[11]
Physical abilities
Desghidorah used his sharp teeth to pierce the larval Mothra Leo's exoskeleton, drawing blood.
Thermal beams
Desghidorah is able to spit a concentrated beam of magma energy from each of his three heads, called the Pyroclastic Shot (火砕流撃弾 Kasairyū Gekidan).[14] The beams can hit a target from around 2 kilometers away.[15] Once Desghidorah attains his Final Form, the beams become five-or-more times as powerful.[10] Though never demonstrated in the film, Desghidorah could also achieve this same increase in power by firing Pyroclastic Shots from all three of his heads at once, known as the Triple Vortex Attack Cannon (三重渦撃砲 Mie Uzu Gekihō)[15] or simply Triple Vortex Attack (三重渦撃 Mie Uzu Geki).[8] An even more powerful version of the Triple Vortex Attack, called the Flaming Dragon Whirlwind Attack Wave (炎龍旋風撃波 Honō Ryū Senpū Gekiha), involves the Pyroclastic Shots rotating and generating a tornado of fire, but this was also not demonstrated.[15]
Moreover, Desghidorah can breathe streams of pure flame, which is referred to as the Fire Dragon Heavy Attack Wave (火龍重撃波 Hi Ryū Jū Dan Nami). These are potent enough to instantly set the environment ablaze and kill any plants or animals in the vicinity.[16]
Strong Violent Advancing Thunder Quake
In a technique dubbed the Strong Violent Advancing Thunder Quake (剛烈駆雷震 Tsuyoshi Retsu Ka Kaminari Furue), Desghidorah can create fissures in the earth which gush magma while firing the Fire Dragon Heavy Attack Wave, resulting in the pulverization of its opponents. Desghidorah has the ability to manipulate the magma which erupts from these fissures.[16]
Raging Sky Burst
Desghidorah, after accumulating internal magma energy, can perform a powerful technique called the Raging Sky Burst (天怒爆突 Tennu Bakutotsu), which entails drawing an enemy close before blowing it back with an explosion.[16]
Electrical surge
Desghidorah is able to send surges of electricity through its enemies upon biting them.
Thunder Cannon Flash
Desghidorah can protect itself in a barrier of thermal energy, called the Thunder Cannon Flash (轟砲一閃 Gōhō Issen).[16]
Weaknesses
In Godziban, Desghidorah is vulnerable to the water from a lake in the Bio Forest. Though it ultimately defeated him, he remained alive.
Video games
- Godzilla: Trading Battle (1998) - Sony PlayStation
- Godzilla Generations (1998) - Sega Dreamcast
- Godzilla Kaiju Collection (2015) - Android and iOS
- Godzilla Defense Force (2019) - Android and iOS
- Godzilla Battle Line (2021; added in 2022) - Android, iOS, and PC
Desghidorah's card in Godzilla: Trading Battle
Desghidorah's sprite in Collect Godzilla: Giant Monster Assembly
Godzilla Battle Line
- As Unit
- Stars: ★★★★
- Energy cost: 7
- Attack speed: 2.8 seconds
- Target: Leader/Ground/Aerial/Facility
- Movement speed: 10
- Search range: 90
- Reach: 85
- Stun effect time: 0.60 seconds
“
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On Deployment |
„
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- As Leader
- Reach: 70
- Search range: 70
- Attack speed: 2.8 seconds
- Special move: Strong Violent Advancing Thunder Quake
- Energy cost: 1
- Cooldown: 100 seconds
“
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Deals burn and [...] damage in a fan shape and doubles own cost recovery rate for 5 seconds. |
„
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Gallery
- Main article: Desghidorah/Gallery.
Roar
Desghidorah's roars were adapted from stock elephant trumpeting. The roars were later reused for the Ultraman Tiga monster Gatanothor. Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack also briefly sampled Desghidorah's roar for Godzilla after he obliterated Baragon.
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Trivia
- Desghidorah is the first "Ghidorah" to be a quadruped, followed by Keizer Ghidorah in Godzilla Final Wars. Both kaiju are also wingless in their first form.
- He is also one of only two Ghidorahs to appear in a film without Godzilla, the other being the King Ghidorah from Rebirth of Mothra 3.
- Desghidorah is the only villain kaiju in the Rebirth of Mothra trilogy to not be killed. Instead, he is sealed away.
- Desghidorah is one of two Toho film kaiju to breathe real fire on set as opposed to a spray or optical ray, along with Yamata no Orochi in Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon.
- One piece of concept art for Desghidorah's heads heavily resembles Bagan's head.
- With a top flight speed of Mach 23, Desghidorah can fly at hypervelocity speeds (Mach 8.8+), well above supersonic speeds (Mach 1+) and hypersonic speed (Mach 5+). Other monsters that can fly at hypervelocity speeds within Earth's atmosphere include Iris, Mothra Leo, and Dagahra.
- Coincidentally, Desghidorah's backstory of having wiped out all life on Mars is shared with King Ghidorah in the English dub of Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster, which changed the original planet, Venus, to Mars.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works erroneously lists Desghidorah's in-atmosphere flying speed as merely Mach 3.[8]
- Grouped references
References
This is a list of references for Desghidorah. 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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Bibliography
- Iwahata, Toshiaki (15 December 2021). Picture Book of Godzilla & All Monsters (5th ed.). Kodansha. ISBN 978-4-06-523491-4.
- Matsui, Satoshi, ed. (28 July 2014). Toho Special Effects All Monster Encyclopedia. Shogakukan. ISBN 978-4-09-682090-2.
- Ishikawa, Eugene; Hirai, Yutaro, eds. (28 September 2012). Toho Special Effects Movie Complete Works. villagebooks. ISBN 978-4-86491-013-2.
- Takashima, Tadashi, ed. (20 December 1996). Rebirth of Mothra Super Complete Works. Shogakukan. ISBN 978-4-09-101456-6.
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