It didn’t take a full-on trailer or a scene that went out of its way to reveal anything – just a title. From the moment Godzilla x Kong: Supernova‘s title dropped, though, a lot of the Monsterverse fanbase started to feel a little uneasy. And now that SpaceGodzilla is looming large over the film, the thing that’s got everyone talking isn’t even about who the main villain is going to be anymore. But what the heck is going on with Kong now? Because if Supernova is heading in the direction most people are guessing it is, the balance between these two titans might shift more than ever.
The cosmic threat that sends everything into chaos
The previous film in the Monsterverse made it pretty clear that the saga isn’t afraid to go big or go home. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire brought a villain with ambitions that threatened the whole world, and once again proved that this universe has moved up a league, where the scale of the threat is just as important as the spectacle.
But Supernova is setting its sights on the cosmic scale. The return of SpaceGodzilla – a mutated and colossus version of the King of the Monsters – isn’t just a fan favourite from the Heisei days coming back to give the series a nostalgic hit. It’s a statement of intent: the enemy isn’t coming from Earth and doesn’t play by our rules. And that’s where Kong’s problems really start.
Kong vs SpaceGodzilla: an almost impossible fight to imagine
The Monsterverse had to answer an uncomfortable question a long time ago, and its answer wasn’t a great one for fans of Kong. In Godzilla vs Kong, it became obvious that in a straight-up fight, Godzilla has the upper hand. His sheer size, resistance and that atomic breath can always give Kong a problem.
Of course, Kong has indeed evolved. He’s got his axe now, his battle experience, and the BEAST gauntlet – which has allowed him to keep on keeping on in a world dominated by creatures that should be impossible to survive against. But SpaceGodzilla isn’t just “another kaiju to join the party”. He’s an energy-based entity with psychic powers and ranged attacks, which is exactly the kind of threat that is going to make Kong look a bit like the weakest link.
In his only time on the big screen, SpaceGodzilla proved he was a handful even for Godzilla. It took more than just brawn to beat him. And that’s a big clue to where Supernova might be headed.
Now the big question in Supernova is: if he’s not fighting the main villain, then what’s Kong’s role going to be?
This is where the film can make a smart move. In Godzilla vs SpaceGodzilla (1994), the way to beat him wasn’t to smash him with brute force, but by working out his weakness. His crystals were the source of his power, and the only way to get the upper hand was to find and destroy them.
If Supernova follows that lead, Kong doesn’t have to go out there and win a showdown with the bad guy for his actions to be crucial. He can be the one who uses his brain, takes a close look at the terrain, figures out how to neutralise the enemy’s advantage, and saves the day that way.
It wouldn’t be the first time this saga has managed to avoid the same old beats. The two most recent films have already seen the final conflict wrapped up with Kong’s axe, which is to say that using the same formula again would be predictable – and would probably end up diminishing the impact of what’s supposed to be the biggest threat yet.
A Different Kong: Less Muscle, More Intellect
There’s one thing that usually gets brushed over – Kong isn’t just a hulking beast, he’s a thoughtful, resourceful and emotionally rich character – and surprisingly enough, the Monsterverse has been paying more attention to this than with any other titan
In Supernova, the signs all point to Kong being able to play a different role. Not being the one out in front leading the charge, but actually enabling Godzilla to get the win. Taking out buildings, nuking power sources, luring the bad guys into a trap… all the kinds of stuff where Kong’s agility and brains give him an edge. Which doesn’t make him a secondary character – it just means he’s indispensable, but in a different way.
A Hierarchy Shift That Could Help the Saga
Realising Kong can’t tussle with SpaceGodzilla isn’t a weakness; it’s a chance. The Monsterverse has been walking on eggshells for a bit now – making sure that both of our main beasts can still be relevant even though they have a seriously skewed power imbalance
Supernova could finally be the film that sorts that out. Godzilla as the unstoppable brute. Kong as the planner, the map-reader, the titan who makes the plan actually work. And to be honest, it’d also be a nice way to avoid having to up the ante on Kong’s firepower every single time just to keep him in the game.
What’s really on the line in Godzilla x Kong: Supernova
Beyond the Big Bad, it seems like this film is posing a far more interesting question: can two legends coexist when one is basically in a different league when it comes to sheer brute force? Everything suggests they can… but not in the way you might expect. Godzilla x Kong: Supernova doesn’t seem to be about having them go toe to toe or work as a team all over again. It wants to change the way we think about their partnership
And if SpaceGodzilla is indeed the bad guy, then Kong doesn’t need to beat Godzilla in a fight to win the movie. Just needs to be the game-changer when straightforward brawn isn’t enough.
