Mire Squid
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The Mire Squid (リバー・デビル Ribā Debiru, lit. "River Devil") is a giant cephalopod superspecies that appears in the 2017 Legendary Pictures film, Kong: Skull Island, as well as the Godzilla vs. Kong graphic novel prequel Kingdom Kong and the picture book Kong and Me.
Name
One of the Mire Squid's alternate names, the Red Devil, is likely to be a reference to a commonly-used nickname given to the real life Humboldt squid, one of the largest species of cephalopods alive today. The Mire Squid's cryptozoological classification, Gigantus Leviapus, comes from the English word "gigantic" and a combination of the English words "leviathan" and "octopus."
Design
The Mire Squid has a rounded bulbous mantle that is similar in appearance to that of an octopus. It also possesses eight long and thin arms.[4][note 1] The Mire Squid's entire body is red in color.
Behavior
Mire Squids are omnivores.[1] Residing in freshwater areas of Skull Island, as well as some estuaries, their reach is sufficient to target low-flying and terrestrial creatures, as well as those in the water.[4] Kong is their most dangerous predator; Sirenjaws will also hunt them, but older and larger Mire Squids sometimes prevail in these confrontations.[4]
Origin
According to Monarch's superspecies profile of the Mire Squid, it is classified as a "megalopod" under the sub-division of "Architeuthis [the Giant Squid] Hybrid." The report states that the initial hypothesis was that the Mire Squid was a distant cousin of the Great Pacific Octopus with some notable evolutionary mutations. However, the Monarch report implies that it might be a result of geothermal gigantism that is seen in Skull Island's creatures, though the report also states that a more detailed geothermal study must be conducted to understand the environmental factors that lead to this gigantism.[1]
History
Monsterverse
Kong: Skull Island
While drinking from a lake and cleaning his wounded hand, Kong realized that a Mire Squid was lurking near him. As Major Jack Chapman watched in awe, Kong grabbed one of the beast's arms, causing the rest to erupt from the water and wrap around him. After briefly struggling with the Mire Squid's arms, Kong was able to stomp on its head and crush it. Kong tore off some of the Mire Squid's arms and ate them, then dragged the creature's carcass away.
Abilities
Physical abilities
The Mire Squid's most prominent trait is its eight tentacle-like arms, which one used in an attempt to bind and strangle Kong. They also attack by biting and will throw smaller opponents wrapped in their arms.[4]
Ink
The Mire Squid can expel superheated black ink that is stored within its mantal chambers. In this way, the Mire Squid can hide itself from predators while boiling them alive at the same time.[1] In Kong: Skull Island - The Official Movie Novelization, the ink is not heated, but clings to Major Jack Chapman's uniform "as thick as tar."[6]
Whirlpool
To hunt prey, the Mire Squid rotates its jaw like a centrifuge, forming a whirlpool in the surrounding water that allows the creature to swallow its prey.[1]
Video games
- Evony: The King's Return (2016; added in 2022) - Android, iOS
Books
Kong: Skull Island - The Official Movie Novelization
The Mire Squid released ink earlier in its fight against Kong, some of which splattered on Major Jack Chapman. A stray swing of one of its arms also struck the soldier's legs hard enough to make him shout. Kong killed the Mire Squid by biting its head instead of stomping it.
Kong and Me
As Jia watched the sunset from atop Kong's head, a Mire Squid poked its arms out of the sea.
Comics
- Kingdom Kong (2021)
Kingdom Kong
In 2021, Monarch seismologist Houston Brooks watched from a helicopter as Kong, now an adult, feasted on a Mire Squid.
Gallery
- Main article: Mire Squid/Gallery.
Roar
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Trivia
- Kong's battle with a Mire Squid in Kong: Skull Island was inspired by his battle with the Giant Octopus in King Kong vs. Godzilla.[7]
- Kong eating Mire Squid arms is a reference to a scene in the film Oldboy where Oh Dae-su eats a live octopus.[8]
- While the Mire Squids are comparable in size to smaller Titans, they are much less resilient and therefore only considered a superspecies by Monarch.[4]
Notes
- ↑ The Mire Squid in Kong: Skull Island has more than eight arms in shots where director Jordan Vogt-Roberts felt they would have "extra effect."[5]
See also
References
This is a list of references for Mire Squid. 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
- Trent, Sigfried; Bramnik, Michael; Flanagan, Ivis (2023). Kong: Skull Island Cinematic Adventure. Evil Genius Games. ISBN 979-8-9865552-8-7.
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