Powers and abilities of Godzilla

Over the years Godzilla has possessed many powers and abilities to use against his foes. Godzilla is generally considered to be the most powerful kaiju.

Atomic Breath/Ray

Godzilla's signature weapon is his distinctive Atomic Breath. Godzilla's dorsal plates glow ominously, and then he lets loose with a concentrated blast of radiation from his mouth. This power is commonly mistaken for breathing fire. Godzilla has been shown apparently being able to adjust the intensity of his breath, varying from a blast of superheated vapor (such as in the 1950s and 1960s), to a beam with explosive and concussive properties, (in the 1970s and onward.) In most of the films, the Atomic Breath is neon-blue, although in some films, like Godzilla 2000 and Godzilla vs Megaguirus, it was reddish-orange.

In Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, Godzilla's atomic breath was shown as having incendiary properties and was strong enough to prematurely detonate a miniature black hole, while in Godzilla: Final Wars, it possessed incredible range, amazing power, and pin-point accuracy, able to hit a target in outer space and kill most kaiju with a single shot. In a memorable (and somewhat infamous) scene in Godzilla vs. Hedorah, a.k.a. Godzilla vs. The Smog Monster, Godzilla even used his atomic breath to fly by aiming it at the ground and lifting off like a rocket. The beam can also power electrodes (Godzailla vs Hedorah), melt steel and rock, and evaporate water instantly.

Another variation of the standard blue atomic breath in the Heisei series was the Red Spiral Atomic Breath which he acquired as a result of absorbing Rodan's life energy and only used under dire situations (as Burning Godzilla the Red Spiral Inferno Atomic Breath completely replaced the Neon-Blue Atomic Breath, due to the incredible amounts of power his nuclear heart was giving off). This breath's appearance is that of an Orange/Gold beam with a thick Red outline and faint red beams spiralling the beam. As Burning Godzilla the breath becomes the Red Spiral Inferno Atomic Breath (as this, the spirals are Pale Gold and far more prominent). It is so powerful that only one blast of it were sufficient to completely destroy Mechagodzilla and SpaceGodzilla, though Destoroyah was barely able to withstand several hits. When Burning Godzilla's meltdown starts, his Red Spiral Inferno increases in power and becomes the Red Hyper Spiral Inferno Destruction Of Death Atomic Breath, though the actual appearance differs very little apart from the fact that the beam expands as it travels and that it causes several fiery explosions on impact. This version was used on Destroyah and delivered damage that Destroyah would have died from in one shot. The Spiral Fire seemed to lack the accuracy typically associated with Godzilla's standard Atomic Ray; instead being very erratic in its momentum. It was used in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah and Godzilla: Final Wars.

In Godzilla 2000 and Godzilla vs Megaguirus, Godzilla had a reddish/orange atomic breath that seemed to be more powerful than the normal version and was more like a fire blast than an atomic breath. This is not considered to be a variation of the normal atomic breath, but instead a more powerful version of the blue atomic breath. There is also the posibility that it might be a midpoint between a normal blue atomic breath and the red spiral atomic breath, but that is unlikely as the Godzilla in the Heisei continuity and the Godzillas in the Millennium films exist in different contexts.

Nuclear pulse, Magnetic Aura and other powers

In addition to his deadly atomic breath, Godzilla can also emit atomic energy in all directions from every inch of his body in a short-range pulse. Godzilla utilises this "Nuclear Pulse" by swallowing his breath , and can be used to shove opponents in close combat, (such as in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah.) The pulse was first seen in his fight against Biollante. Godzilla used the nuclear pulse in the Heisei series, but in Godzilla 2000, it is said that the attack used to kill Orga was a Nuclear Pulse.

In the 1974 movie, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla, Godzilla found a way to generate powerful magnetic fields from his body after being struck several times by lightning, which proved devastating against his metallic foe. This is the only time Godzilla ever used this power.

In Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla demonstrated another ability that is referred to as the "nuclear reverse". After being struck with Mechagodzilla's Shock Anchor harpoons, Godzilla discharged a form of energy up the cables, severely damaging the robot's internal mechanisms. Godzilla used this power again in Final Wars, when Keizer Ghidorah was draining him, sending damaging energy that made Keizer Ghidorah drop him quickly.

Injury resistance and Healing Factor

Godzilla has as well displayed an uncanny ability to resist injury. Starting in the first Godzilla film, Godzilla displayed an immunity to conventional weaponry, virtually impervious to the JSDF's attacks and he is even shown to be immune to technology from the future. He has demonstrated the ability to survive complete submersion in magma for an extended period of time. He has even survived being in ground zero of asteroid impacts and being buried under tons of ice for years at a time, seemingly cut off from any oxygen source. His hide has been breached only occasionally (and then only by other kaiju like Gigan, Biollante, King Ghidorah, Destoroyah and MechaGodzilla), and in the manga adaptation of Godzilla 1985 it is said that his scales are tougher than diamonds.

In addition, Godzilla possesses also an extremely advanced and highly efficient regenerative ability. This power was a crucial plot point of Godzilla vs Biollante and Godzilla 2000: Millennium. In Godzilla 2000, it is explained that Godzilla's regenerative abilities may have something to do with his radioactive properties, and Organiser G1 ("Regenerator G1" in the English version) is the name given to a substance in his cells that is responsible for Godzilla's swift healing. In Godzilla vs Biollante, Japanese scientists use samples of the Godzilla cells (called G-cells throughout the Heisei series of Godzilla films) to help create the ANEB. This healing factor would be inherited by all creatures spawned from Godzillas DNA, those being Biollante, SpaceGodzilla and Orga. At the very end of Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, after Godzilla has been completely obliterated, or so they all thought, his heart is seen beating on the ocean floor, suggesting Godzilla's Organizer G-1 could completely regenerate himself from just a heart, perhaps explaining how he survived the Oxygen Destroyer in 1954. His healing abilities have not been entirely consistent through the series however as in Godzilla: Tokyo SOS he was still recovering from injuries received in the previous film.

Physical Abilities/Attributes

Godzilla has displayed varied levels of physical strength. He has been depicted lifting and throwing monsters in excess of his own weight (such as King Ghidorah, Hedorah, Mechagodzilla and others), and in Godzilla: Final Wars was able to throw Kumonga clear over the horizon. He is shown using various martial arts techniques in a comical fashion during the Shōwa Series, and sprinting with astonishing velocity belying his size, such as in Zone Fighter. In the Millennium series, he has been able to leap high into the air. However, many of the films show Godzilla preferring to battle his opponents from a distance, particularly in the Heisei series. But the Heisei Godzilla is as good in close combat as long distance attack.

Godzilla's long tail is also a formidable weapon. It has been shown to be flexible and powerful, able to lash out quickly and topple over buildings and enemy monsters. In Godzilla vs. Megalon, he was able to slide on his tail to deliver a kick. As well as kick himself up with his tail temporarely to kick down King Kong, which was seen in "King Kong vs. Godzilla", it has also been used as a distraction in Godzilla Final Wars for his Neon-Blue Atomic Breath. In Godzilla vs. Biollante Godzilla further damaged the Super X-2 with a quick tail swipe after crippling it with his atomic breath. In Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II the damage of one tail hit delivered was estimated by the damage level meter on MechaGodzilla; the damage was at level 8 making it the most powerful and only recorded tail damage measure. In all his incarnations he has been shown to have powerful jaws and sharp teeth and claws, although these are more prominent in the Heisei which has three rows of teeth and later incarnations than in others. The Hensei Godzilla's triple rows of teeth make fearsome weapons able to easily bite through Battra's armor hide. Rarely, Godzilla also has used his dorsal plates as a weapon, such as in Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, when he uses their jagged tips to slice off Megaguirus' claw, and in Godzilla vs. Hedorah, where he used them to cut into Hedorah in mid-flight.

Radiation

Godzilla's body constantly emits its own radiation, similar to that of nuclear fission. The exact nature of this radiation is unclear. It has been shown to contaminate water sources, raise ocean temperatures of a limited area and even create mutations, i.e. the giant sea louse in The Return of Godzilla. His footprints and objects he has had close contact with hold traces that register on a geiger counter, while Godzilla himself will register at a distance of several hundred feet. However, in Godzilla and underwater scene showed Godzilla with several fish swimming in his close proximity and they were not visibly affected. Also, wilderness areas Godzilla has appeared in suffer no apparent signs of fallout from his presence and cities he attacks are never abandoned permanently.

In the Heisei series, it was insinuated that radiation is the force that sustains Godzilla and he requires frequent exposure to it to survive or at least remain mobile. He is seen attacking nuclear submarines, reactor plants and was once revived by a radioactive storm. It was speculated that his heart was the theoretical equivalent of a power reactor. This canon was somewhat carried over to the Millennium series though it was not pursued as a significant subplot.

Godzilla's radiation was never so prominent a theme as in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah in which the radiation of Godzilla's body was spiraling out of control towards massive destructive potential. The JSDF was ultimately able to minimize the damage with massive amounts of cadmium. Readings of Godzilla's meltdown display Godzilla emitting impossibly high levels of alpha, beta and gamma radiation.

Amphibiousness

Godzilla is described in the original film by Doctor Yamane as a transitional form between aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates. He spends most of his life at sea, coming ashore to wreak havoc or save the day. Capable of marching on the sea floor or swimming by undulating his tail like a crocodile, Godzilla is almost certainly able to somehow extract oxygen from water (occasionally remaining in the ocean depths for periods of months or years) though there has been no official reference to this ability. Godzilla also seems to be able to control his own buoyancy, often staying on the surface of open water in the upright position and maintaining it under extreme duress, or sinking to the bottom and remaining there for long periods of time. Like his ability to "breathe" under water this has never been explained. Being submerged apparently does not impede his atomic breath. He is as excellent a fighter underwater as he is on land and engages opponents in the sea on multiple occasions, fighting King Kong, King Ghidorah, Ebirah, Battra, Biollante and Mothra either beneath or on the surface of the waves.

Intelligence/Mentality

The extent of Godzilla's intelligence varies throughout the character's history, but Godzilla is generally depicted as an intelligent creature. The Showa incarnation in particular is depicted as being as intelligent as a human, capable of abstract thought, relating cause and effect, and able to communicate with other monsters. He can even be heard 'talking' to Anguirus in Godzilla vs. Gigan, (the Japanese version showed the monsters communticating via words balloons but in the American version they spoke in distorted English). Godzilla has even been depicted as having a sense of humor, as shown when the creature laughs at Rodan (and apparently uses rude language) during Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. Other versions of Godzilla, like the one seen in Godzilla, display a simple animal cunning. The Heisei Godzilla is actually a psychic, possibly the most powerful ever. His evasion of the JSDF in Godzilla vs. Biollante seemed to carry implications of precognition, he had some sort of psychic link with Godzilla Junior and he instinctively knew where to find SpaceGodzilla at Fukuoka. While the Heisei Godzilla was heavily instinctive in his actions, as shown by his "conditioned response" in The Return of Godzilla, but was still capable of independent thought and according to Miki Saegusa of human-like sentiments as well. This was corroborated by his mourning the death of Godzilla Junior in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. The Millennium Godzilla reverted back to a simplistic animal cunning. He was shown to be capable of strategical thinking but displayed little to no anthropomorphism.

Weaknesses

Despite his incredible power, Godzilla has displayed a few weaknesses over the years. In King Kong vs. Godzilla and Mothra vs. Godzilla, he is shown to be vulnerable to electricity, shying away from even the smallest source; however, this is inconsistent with the resilience to electricity he displayed in the original Godzilla. Additionally lightning (e.g., electricity found in nature) has been shown to have the opposite effect, at times serving to revitalize him. In The Return of Godzilla, Godzilla was shown to be vulnerable to cadmium, though Godzilla's immune system was able to overcome it. Later on, Godzilla is revealed to have a second brain in his spine, and Mechagodzilla was able to kill him by destroying it; however, he was revived by Rodan and further films seem to ignore this Achilles heel. It was also suggested in Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla that Godzilla has a soft spot under each armpit. However, the validity of this claim was highly dubious and this weak point was never successfully exploited. Godzilla's sheer bulk has also been depicted as a disadvantage, making it difficult for him to keep up with the more agile Megaguirus, who was able to outmaneuver him as well as forcing Godzilla to have to rely heavily on his endurance. Also, while he has a high endurance level, his enemies usually counter by trying to crush and batter him.

To date, the only weapons ever shown to be close to effective against Godzilla were Dr. Serizawa's Oxygen Destroyer and Dr. Shiragami's ANEB (Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria). The Oxygen Destroyer was a weapon of pure destruction. Many believe that the Oxygen Destroyer didn't kill Godzilla because his advanced healing was probably far beyond the power of the Oxygen Destroyer. But in Godzilla vs. Destroyah, the Oxygen Destroyer was thought to be brought back and this material created Destroyah. The anti-nuclear energy bacteria was a chemical compound developed from Godzilla's cells and designed to consume radioactivity. The bacteria managed to lower the radioactivity within Godzilla's body to the point of causing him to hibernate in the sea for three years. Godzilla would be resurrected however in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah when travelers from the future tampered with the timeline, creating a larger, more powerful Godzilla. There were apparently no further attempts to use the ANEB against Godzilla.