Monster Discussion #47: Battra

[eabaker]

If Battra were brought back, I'd want him to occupy the same morally complex role, but I'd like it to be better explored.

[20th Century Boy]

I'm really sick of these "Should (Insert underused monster here) Return?" threads, but now that I'm posting this, I am forced to contribute.

I think Battra goes in the list of overrated monsters, along with Bagan and Spacegodzilla. He was good for his role in the movie, but I wouldn't really want to see him again.

[Smuggers]

Personally I find Battra to be pretty forgettable, namely because the only movie he was in sucked big time.

[JAGzilla]

I like Battra as a concept, though his execution and movie left something to be desired. I'd like to see him return someday, ideally as a recurring character in a series. The basic idea: He and Mothra serve as godlike guardians of Earth. They disagree on humanity, but are roughly equal in power and unable to kill one another, and so are forced to coexist and attempt to balance their different agendas.

Protecting Earth is Battra's only priority, and he will destroy anything he sees as a threat to the planet. This includes humanity, though Mothra has faith in us and forces him to allow us to live on the condition that we do whatever possible to reduce pollution and generally minimize our negative impact on the environment. He doesn't hesitate to attack us if we deviate from this agreement, which of course is unfortuantely frequent. This puts us in constant conflict with him, with Mothra caught in the middle. In an effort to limit said conflict, he uses his priestess, Belvera, to communicate his demands directly with us.

His attitude toward other kaiju is similar. He ignores them as long as they pose no threat to Earth, in which case they die. With certain exceptions, of course. For example, he can't kill Godzilla, and so settles for controlling him as much as possible. He is also willing to team up with other kaiju to deal with mutual enemies.

[Dillyziller]

Battra is overrated. Its just Heisei Mothra but... well, its just Heisei Mothra for men! That should work!

[Dust_pan]

Battra appears fairly often in IDW's Godzilla comics, so I can't say he needs more appearances.

He is one of my most favorite monsters of the whole series, though. He just needed to star in a better film.

[edgaguirus]

Battra would need the right plot for a return, but it could be done. I can see him as an antihero.

[Beef Bigshot]

if he was executed good, he would be great. but then again thats with every monster...

[Ookondru99]

I'm honestly surprised he wasn't reused for one of the ROM movies.......

[Beef Bigshot]

Me too ^^^^

[Shadow]

He is dead, let him rest. Rest mighty Guardian, your job is done.

[JGAR]

I wanna see him again, but most likely won't happen.

[Beef Bigshot]

maybe, when godzilla wakes up again, toho might run out of ideas or something and bring him back.

[three]

He is dead, let him rest. Rest mighty Guardian, your job is done.

i agree with this, his time is up and gone. but if he had to come back, make him evil, make him more spikey if possible and more able to compete with Godzilla in battle, update the look (a given), and use him differently. not some overreaching planet defending beast, make him more of a pure evil thing. make him destroy everything, level a few cities, make the people need Godzilla. show everyone dying and hurt, microlevel destruction ya know? and make the meeting of the monsters really memorable, where Battra puts up and excellent fight and Godzilla appears to be having trouble, but in the end obliterates him. and finally, wrap it up with the people having to now deal with the Godzilla problem, a la Godzilla vs King Ghidorah '91. that would be a pretty neat little installment into the series, hell you could probably include another monster in there to make it fun, like Rhodan or something for areal combat scenes and some added fun. possibly showcase the power of both monsters by making Godzilla and Battra each face a different monster en route to fighting eachother, one that's going to meet them on their own turf (again Rhodan in the sky vs Battra, someone vs Godzilla in the ocean or on land...i can't come up with anyone who wouldn't add too much so just say Rhodan again *that could lead Battra to Godzilla for a showdown in theory*). Make them duke it out, have a stalemate, fight again later and have Battra appear to "win" by out dueling G, and finally let Godzilla totally outclass him in the third showdown. With Battra and presumably Rhodan beat or obliterated, let Godzilla rampage and have his moment to end the movie, 1985 style. Have him put down for a few years by the humans, and there ya go. you've set up a new set of movies in great fasion. Personally this would work best, i don't see Battra as a stand alone enemy.

[Dust_pan]

^ I think Battra as an over reactive, grumpy earth defender is a lot more interesting than turning him into just another mindless evil monster.

[three]

^ I think Battra as an over reactive, grumpy earth defender is a lot more interesting than turning him into just another mindless evil monster.

well then give him a better purpose than i did. i'm just saying rather than making him a bad example of how to Mothra he should have a more sinister reason to attack. I'm also not saying Godzilla should be a "good guy" either, just the necessary evil in the film to stop Battra.

[eabaker]

More spikey???

We didn't get enough big-pile-of-spikes action out of the Heisei era monsters?

[Smuggers]

The notion of an even spikier Battra had me a little confused.

[three]

More spikey???

We didn't get enough big-pile-of-spikes action out of the Heisei era monsters?

yea good point....


by the by if that confused you (talking to the other guy since i can't double post) how'd you formulate a sentence? i'm kidding of course, it's a rather ridiculous thought of mine.

[three]

The notion of an even spikier Battra had me a little confused.

Or at the very least...Impossible to visualize.

i take it all the spikes impailed your eyes making it impossible for you to imagine?