Methuselah
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...If you have faith... you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.
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„
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— Matthew 17:20[1] |
Methuselah (メトシェラ Metoshera) is a Titan who first appeared in the 2019 Legendary Pictures Godzilla film Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
Name
Methuselah is named after the biblical figure of the same name (מְתוּשֶׁלַח Məṯûšelaḥ or מְתוּשָׁלַח Məṯûšālaḥ), who is associated with longevity due to the Bible claiming that he lived to be 969 years old. Members of Monarch gave Methuselah the nickname Archie during his time spent as an island in a Canadian archipelago.[1] Monarch gave Methuselah the Titan classification Titanus Methuselah.
Development
Godzilla: King of the Monsters concept art posted by Xu Tianhua to ArtStation offered several different takes on Methuselah, some of them resembling rhinos or bulls.[3] Modeling artist Santosh Brand later posted images of a CG model of the Titan to the same site.[4] It is unknown if this model, which has significantly more detail in the face than the rest of the body, is what was ultimately used for the film.
Footage of the Castle Bravo set in Godzilla: King of the Monsters shows that Methuselah was originally meant to emerge in the Middle East, possibly Israel.[5] While the same screen appears in the finished film, his name is impossible to read. DNEG visual effects supervisor Brian Connor cited Methuselah's awakening as an especially difficult scene, incorporating birds, dust, trees, and debris that had to fall just right to reveal the Titan's face.[6]
Design
Very little is seen of Methuselah onscreen. The creature appears to be quadrupedal, with a reptilian face possessing horns like a bull's. His eyes lack visible pupils and are glossy and clouded-over. Methuselah's most noticeable physical trait is the gigantic mountain he carries on his back, which allows him to blend into the landscape surrounding his place of rest in Germany. He has also disguised himself as an island and an iceberg. A piece by Godzilla Dominion artist Drew Johnson depicts him with larger horns and several towns on his back.[7]
Personality
Monarch classifies Methuselah's behavior as that of a "protector,"[1] along with other Titans like Godzilla, Mothra, Kong, and Behemoth. In the past, he has shielded and even transported groups of humans from natural disasters and Titan attacks.[1]
Origins
Methuselah was discovered by Monarch near Munich, Germany, and Outpost 67 was constructed around him. Covered by a forest, he simply appeared to be a mountain in his dormant state. In Godzilla: King of the Monsters - The Official Movie Novelization, a German man relates to his girlfriend a legend from the Middle Ages just before Methuselah awakens: "My grandfather told me it wasn't always there. There was a village instead. And then one day a guy who was traveling in some other country came home. The village was gone, and that mountain was there."[8]
History
- Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
- Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) [stock footage]
Monsterverse
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Methuselah was awakened from his slumber in Germany by King Ghidorah's call, which also awakened many other Titans around the world. Methuselah erupted from underground, the mountain above him being revealed to actually be part of his body. Like the other Titans, Methuselah rampaged through populated areas, tearing through structures with his horns. Eventually, he made his way to Boston along with Scylla, Behemoth, 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.
Abilities
Horns
Methuselah demonstrates the capacity to inflict destruction using the massive horns on his head.
Durability
Though not demonstrated in the film, Monarch describes Methuselah as "able to withstand a heavy barrage of attacks."[1]
Camouflage
Monarch describes Methuselah as "bio-geological."[1] Methuselah's gigantic body means that he is able to blend into landscapes by masquerading as areas of the surrounding environment, having disguised himself as an island in a Canadian archipelago, an iceberg, and a small mountain.
Books
Godzilla: King of the Monsters - The Official Movie Novelization
Methuselah performs essentially the same role in the novelization that he does in the film itself.
Comics
Godzilla Dominion
Though absent from the story itself, Methuselah appears in a red-tinted collage of monsters at the start of the comic.
Gallery
- Main article: Methuselah/Gallery.
In other languages
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Mandarin Chinese
Roar
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Trivia
- Possibly due in part to his spiky mountainous back and quadrupedal stance, Methuselah was frequently mistaken for Anguirus by fans and media outlets after viewing the trailers for Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
- Several fans in Japan have noted similarities between the head of Methuselah and a rejected head design for Godzilla from the 2014 film, which was displayed at San Diego Comic-Con in 2013. These similarities include the shape of their lower jaws and the protruding fangs which are visible when their mouths are closed.[10]
Video
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Notes
- ↑ Correction issued by the uploader in the video's comments; the video itself states that Methuselah is 198 meters tall.
References
This is a list of references for Methuselah. 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]
Comments
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