Mothra and Battra
If you’re familiar with Godzilla, Mothra is probably going to be just as recognizable. Mothra is an enormous divine Kaiju that first appeared in 1961 with the serialized novel The Luminous Fairies and Mothra, which would then later be adapted into a film. However, she first appeared with Godzilla in the 1964 film Mothra vs. Godzilla. In this first film, the two Kaiju battled each other (mostly because of Godzilla threatening her unhatched egg), though there are times that the giant moth has helped the king of Kaiju.
There have been numerous Mothras over the years, but the prominent factor about the monster is always the fact that it’s a guardian of Japan. Unlike most Kaiju bent on destruction, Mothra is actually a benevolent being that consistently fights to protect humans and the country of Japan. This can sometimes be conflicted by her desire to protect her own kind, especially when Mothra has to battle Godzilla. As a note there is a Mothra Easter Egg that has her appearing in a cave painting during Kong: Skull Island, and the second film in Warner Bros.’ Monsterverse is planned to be Mothra. She’ll also be making some kind of appearance in the upcoming Godzilla: King of Monsters.
Battra on the other hand is practically an alter ego of Mothra, originally supposed to be an evil twin. Battra may have changed a bit since his inception, but he does resemble a giant moth more than a bat. He’s stark black with red coloring and spikes all over his body. Battra first appeared in Gozilla vs. Mothra, when the two battled in the Philippines. Battra engaged Godzilla while in his larval form, but the two were hit by a volcanic eruption on the seafloor and presumed to be dead, instead emerging years later. Like Mohtra, Battra possesses a number of powers like prism beams, energy blasts, stunning powder and more. Battra and Mothra are essentially arch-enemies, which will surely bring destruction to Tokyo when the two battle things out in City Shrouded in Shadow.
