Powers and abilities of Godzilla

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

Atomic breath/Nuclear beam/Heat 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 ray, 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, his breath is neon-blue, like in Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack, although in some films, like Godzilla 2000 and Godzilla vs Megaguirus, it was reddish-orange.

In Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, Godzilla's ray was shown as having incendiary properties and was strong enough to prematurely detonate an artificial 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, Godzilla even used his ray to fly by aiming it at the ground and lifting off like a rocket. His ray can also power electrodes, melt steel and rock, and evaporate water instantly.

Another variation of the standard blue atomic breath in the Heisei series was the powerful Red Spiral Atomic Breath which he acquired as a result of absorbing Fire Rodan's life energy and only used under dire situations (in Godzilla vs. Destoroyah the spiral atomic breath completely replaced the normal atomic breath, due to the incredible amounts of power his nuclear heart was giving off). It is so powerful that only one blast of it were sufficient to completely destroy Super Mechagodzilla and SpaceGodzilla, though Destoroyah was barely able to withstand several hits. The Red Spiral Atomic Breath was used in the Heisei films Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II, Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, Godzilla vs. Destoroyah and the Millennium film Godzilla: Final Wars.

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 called the nuclear 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, and in Godzilla 2000, the attack was used to kill the mutant alien Orga. In Godzilla: Final Wars, after being surged with Ozaki's energy, Godzilla uses something similar to a nuclear pulse to prevent Kaiser Ghidorah from draining any more of his energy.

In 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.

Regeneration

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 resistant 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).

In addition, Godzilla possesses an extremely advanced and highly efficient regenerative ability. This power was a crucial plot point of Godzilla vs Biollante and Godzilla 2000. In Godzilla 2000, it is explained that Godzilla's regenerative abilities may have something to do with his radioactive properties, and Regenerator G1 is the name given to a substance in his cells that is responsible for Godzilla's swift healing. Even neural tissue can be rebuilt by Godzilla's regeneration; a remarkabililty since neural tissue does not heal in naturally occurring organisms. 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 Regenerator G1 would allow him to completely regenerate himself from just a heart and even a single amino acid, perhaps suggesting 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

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 in the original Showa 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 it has been shown in virtually all the films, even in the Heisei series, Godzilla is effective battling either at range or close combat

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. He is able to swing it both horizontally and vertically; an ability that normal reptiles, dinosaurs or otherwise, do not possess. 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 temporarily to kick down King Kong, which was seen in King Kong vs. Godzilla. 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, he used his powerful tail against Mechagodzilla delivering damage that rated level 8. In all his incarnations he has been shown to have powerful jaws and sharp teeth and claws. Rarely, Godzilla also has used his dorsal fins as weapons, 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 (the giant sea louse in The Return of Godzilla). His footprints, objects and people 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. His radiation however doesn't appear to be profusely destructive. In Godzilla an underwater scene showed Godzilla with several fish swimming in his close proximity and they were not visibly affected. Also, wilderness areas where Godzilla has appeared suffer no visible signs of fallout from his presence and cities he attacks are never abandoned permanently.

In the Showa series Godzilla was carnivorous (it is assumed, though he is never seen to eat anything throughout the series) while in the Heisei series it is insinuated that Godzilla feeds on radiation and the more he absorbs, the larger and more powerful he gets. He is seen attacking nuclear powered submarines, reactor plants and was once revived by a radioactive storm. It has been speculated that his heart is the theoretical equivalent of a power reactor. This canon was somewhat carried over to the Millennium series though it was not again pursued as a significant plot point.

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 and/or save the day. Capable of marching on the sea floor or swimming by undulating his tail like a crocodile, sometimes with his dorsal fins breaking the surface. 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 explanation or reference to this ability. Godzilla also seems to be able to control his own buoyancy, often staying on the surface of open water in an upright position and maintaining it under extreme duress, or sinking to the bottom without visible effort. Like his ability to breathe under water this has never been explained. He can also withstand the pressure of extreme depths without difficulty. 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, Mothra, Hedorah (in Godzilla: Final Wars, though not shown), and Kamoebas (in Godzilla: Tokyo SOS, and again not shown) either beneath or on the surface of the waves.

Intelligence

The extent of Godzilla's intelligence varies throughout the character's history, but Godzilla is generally depicted as a monster of some level of intelligence. In original Godzilla and its early sequels he is depicted with a simplistic animal cunning but as the Showa series progressed he is seen as being as intelligent as a human, capable of abstract thought, relating cause and effect, and having a high level of self-awareness. Godzilla was shown to be able to figure out that his atomic breath could be used to power the electrodes needed to dry out Hedorah in Godzilla vs. Hedorah and able to communicate with other monsters. Godzilla was able to communicate with Mothra and Rodan in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster. He can even be heard 'talking' to Anguirus in Godzilla vs. Gigan; (in the American release they spoke in distorted English while in the Japanese version they communicated via word balloons). Godzilla has even been depicted as having a sense of humor, as shown when the atomic titan laughs at Rodan (and apparently using rude language) during Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster.

The Heisei series Godzilla reacts on animal cunning and instinct more consecutively than his Showa counterpart, as demonstrated by his conditioned response in The Return of Godzilla, though he 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. It was insinuated in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah that he also remembers the distant past. The Heisei Godzilla was psychic on some level, possibly the most powerful in existence. 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 several times demonstrated the ability to locate potential opponents from great distances (demonstrated in the Showa and Millennium series' as well).

In the Millennium series, Godzilla's behavior was again limited to a simplistic animal cunning. He was shown to be capable of abstract, even 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 and as shown in several of the films where he is assaulted by maser cannons and King Ghidorah's electrical gravity beams; though the electrical barrier in the original Godzilla didn't appear to cause that Godzilla any great difficulty. Additionally lightning, 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 Super Mechagodzilla was able to kill him by destroying it; however, he was revived by Fire 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 alleged 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 an endurance level beyond measure, 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). In Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, the Oxygen Destroyer created the monster Destoroyah. Furthermore, in the Millenium series, the skeleton of Godzilla is retrieved to build Mechagodzilla, (even though Godzilla was completely disintegrated in the original film).

The ANEB 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.

Anti-Godzilla weapons

Due to Godzilla's size, super-strength, and regenerative abilities, he is invulnerable to most forms of conventional attack. However, over the years, there been some weapons that have been able to hurt, and even damage Godzilla.

Note: This list is for man-made weapons. Other monsters and forces of nature don't count.

• Oxygen destroyer
• Super X - (first appeared in The Return of Godzilla) The Super X was a hovercraft, designed with cadmium missiles, radiation shields and high-intensity lasers to fight Godzilla. Its cadmium missiles were able to knock out Godzilla by slowing the nuclear reactions in his body, but Godzilla was revitalized by a radiation cloud caused by a Russian missile. The Super X put up a good fight, but was ultimately destroyed when Godzilla dropped a building on it. Later, upgrades of the Super X appeared in Godzilla vs. Biollante and Godzilla vs. Destoroyah.
• Mecha-King Ghidorah - (first appeared in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah) This mecha was built over the corpse of Godzilla's archenemy, King Ghidorah, and was piloted by Futurian, Emmy Kano. Despite taking heavy damage from Godzilla, Mecha-King Ghidorah was able to hang onto him long enough, until Godzilla unleashed his atomic breath on him one more time killing him and sending them both plummeting into the ocean.
• Mechagodzilla - (first appeared Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla) The first Mechagodzilla was created as a weapon of destruction by the Simians. It was originally covered with a pseudo-flesh covering. Mechagodzilla went on a rampage through Japan and even battled Godzilla's longtime ally, Anguirus. Godzilla eventually showed up and revealed the "evil Godzilla" as a robot imposter. Mechagodzilla's body was constructed of a nearly indestructible alloy known as "Space Titanium", was equipped with a staggering amount of firepower and had rockets for flight. Godzilla defeated it by pulling its head off. Mechagodzilla would later return, along with its new ally, Titanosaurus, in Terror of Mechagodzilla.

A second version of Mechagodzilla appeared in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. This one was built by the JSDF, as a defensive weapon against Godzilla and other monsters, like Rodan. It was designed from Futurian technology from the remains of Mecha-King Ghidorah. It still had a large assortment of weapons and was able to fly. It was even able to join with a shuttlecraft called Garuda to form Super-Mechagodzilla. It was successfully able to repel Godzilla and may have even been able to beat him, if Rodan had not sacrificed his life to save Godzilla. Mechagodzilla was then destroyed by Godzilla.