Desghidorah

**Desghidorah** is the main antagonist from the 1996 Toho film *Rebirth of Mothra*. He's an ancient space monster sealed away and serves as the archenemy of both Mothra and her son, Mothra Leo.

He was portrayed by Mizuho Yoshida.

**Desghidorah** (デスギドラ *Desugidora*?) is a Ghidorah created by Toho that first appeared in the 1996 Toho film, *Rebirth of Mothra*.

**Desghidorah** (デスギドラ *Desugidora*, lit. "Death Ghidorah") is a demonic three-headed dragon kaiju who first appeared in the 1996 Toho film *Rebirth of Mothra*.

An evil three-headed space monster, Desghidorah reduced Mars to an uninhabitable wasteland millions of years ago before turning his attention to the neighboring planet Earth. The planet's natural guardians, a race of giant moths known as Mothra which defended the Elias civilization, managed to defeat Desghidorah and seal him away. However, in the present day a company accidentally awakened Desghidorah from his tomb while clearing a forest. The space monster resumed its reign of terror, attempting to wipe out all life on the planet, but was confronted by the last remaining Mothra. The two ancient enemies battled, but the elderly Mothra was outmatched. However, her newborn son Mothra Leo hatched prematurely and joined his mother in the battle. Mothra used the last of her strength to carry Leo to safety after Desghidorah destroyed a dam, then subsequently drowned. In order to avenge his mother, Leo matured into his imago stage and confronted Desghidorah once more, finally managing to defeat him and seal him back into his tomb. While Desghidorah was stopped, Mothra Leo would be confronted by another, more powerful member of the Ghidorah species two years later: the dreaded King Ghidorah.

## Name

Desghidorah's name comes from *desu* (デス?), the Japanese transliteration of *death*, and *Ghidorah* (ギドラ *Gidora*?), the immediate name of King Ghidorah's species.

## Design

### Roar

Desghidorah's roars were adapted from stock elephant trumpeting performed by Frank Welker. The roars were later reused for the *Ultraman Tiga* Finale monster Gatanothor.

## Origins

Desghidorah is an alien creature and relative of King Ghidorah that gains power from destroying and feeding off of the life energies of the planets in ravages. It arrived in the Solar System approximately 65 million years ago, and cleansed Mars of life before moving onto Earth, which at the time was inhabited by the Elias and their guardian, Mothra. The resultant battle obliterated the Elias' civilization, but Desghidorah was defeated and locked away in a mystically sealed chamber so no one could ever release him.

## History

### *Rebirth of Mothra*

Millions of years ago, Desghidorah first appeared on the planet Mars, destroying it and turning it into a wasteland. It then flew to planet Earth with more intent to destroy it. It began attacking the planet, but it was met with a revolt. A race called the Elias, small human-like beings, sent Mothra to defeat him. The battle was fought for a very long time, and the Elias' civilization was nearly destroyed. Desghidorah was defeated and locked away in a chamber so no one could ever release him. In the year 1996, a company is clearing out a forest when a worker stumbled across a buried structure with ancient writing on it. The worker took a small pendant from the stone, and gave it to his daughter as a gift. Not long after, the Girl was visited by Belvera, one of the last surviving members of the Elias. The other survivors, Moll and Laura, came to try and take the pendant, which was called "The seal of Elias." The seal would awaken and release Desghidorah, and Belvera would try to control it. Belvera went to the Desghidorah's tomb, and caused it to rise from the ground. She managed to break it open, and Desghidorah was released. Desghidorah rose from the tomb and began to absorb energy from the surrounding forest. Moll and Laura sent Mothra to defeat him, but she was quickly overpowered. Her egg hatched prematurely, into Mothra Leo, and he came to save his mother. Even the combined efforts of Mothra and Leo, they couldn't defeat it. Mothra flew off with her child and died over the ocean. Leo wanted revenge, and he formed a cocoon and turned into his Imago form. Desghidorah harvested all the energy he could, then regrew his wings. Mothra Leo flew after the monster, and fought him with all his might. After a long battle, Leo sealed Desghidorah back in its tomb, then returned to his island.

## Biography

Desghidorah was a space monster that had descended upon the galaxy over 65 million years ago. He first landed on Mars and sucked the life energy out of the planet, leaving it a barren wasteland. Desghidorah then headed to Earth where he fought against the Elias and their guardians, a race of giant moths known as Mothra, in a brutal battle that ended with his imprisonment. However this battle had also devastated the Earth, wiping out the dinosaurs and many other animal species and leaving only three of the Elias: Moll, Lora, and Belvera, left alive. However, while Moll and Lora became avatars of the last surviving Mothra, Belvera was corrupted by the destruction of her race and sought to one day release Desghidorah onto the Earth once more. In 1997, a member of a lumber crew managed to uncover the prison of Desghidorah and accidentally took a pendant known as the "Seal of Elias" from it that could allow someone to release and control the terrible monster. Belvera quickly went to recover it, but her sisters were hot on her heels and battled for control of the pendant with Belvera emerging victorious. She immediately went to release Desghidorah and placed the man who had uncovered the monster's tomb under her control. Belvera then had him crash a bulldozer full of dynamite into the structure and Desghidorah was released. The monster began draining energy from the forest until he was confronted by his old enemy, Mothra. However, the giant moth had just given birth and was very weak, thus the three-headed demon managed to defeat her easily. Feeling the dismay of his mother, the egg hatched, though the newborn larva was undergrown. He immediately went to the battlefield to help his mother and attacked Desghidorah with his silk string. Though this confused the monster for a moment, he quickly recovered and attacked the larva. The mother Mothra quickly leaped to the defense of her child only to be struck away by Desghidorah again. The larva managed to camouflage himself and resumed his attack, but the three-headed monster quickly found him again. However, Desghidorah was distracted by the Mothra mother and drew him to a dam, which she tricked him into destroying. In the ensuing flood, she escaped with her son while Desghidorah was washed away. Mothra flew out to sea with her child and crashed into the water, sinking to a watery grave below the waves, despite her son's attempts to keep her afloat. While the Elias wept at her death, Mothra's son was eager to deliver swift and brutal vengeance on Desghidorah and began to metamorphize in a chrysalis. Meanwhile, now unopposed, the three-headed space demon cast an enormous black cloud over the island of Hokkaido and continued to absorb energy until he sprouted wings, leaving him ready to ravage the world. However, Mothra's son had evolved into the fully formed Mothra Leo, who engaged Desghidorah once again and managed to defeat him, sealing him back into his ancient prison.

## Powers And Abilities

* Desghidorah can fire Lava gout energy bolts from his mouths and shoot Hell's Flames from his middle head, fly at Mach 3, generate hurricane winds after developing his wings, and deliver an electrical surge through his teeth.
* **Speed And Flight:** Desghidorah can run at speeds of up to 180 kilometers per hour. Desghidorah's wings enable flight at Mach 23 when in the atmosphere, namely that of Earth, and near-light speed in space.
* **Thermal Beams:** Desghidorah breathes fire in *Rebirth of Mothra,* Desghidorah is able to spit a concentrated 'pyro-beam' of magma energy from each of its three heads, called the **Pyroclastic Shot** (火砕流撃弾 *Kasairyū Gekidan*). This ability can be used in both Desghidorah's land and final forms; however, it becomes over five times as powerful in the latter. If all three of Desghidorah's heads fire the Pyroclastic Shot beams in unison, the attack is instead referred to as either the **Triple Vortex Attack Cannon** (三重渦撃砲 *Mie Uzu Gekihō*) or just **Triple Vortex Attack** (三重渦撃 *Mie Uzu Geki*). An even more powerful form of the Pyroclastic Shot, known as the **Flaming Dragon Whirlwind Attack Wave** (炎龍旋風撃波 *Honō Ryū Senpūgeki-ha*) can be achieved if the speed and rotation of the Triple Vortex Attack is increased. Desghidorah can also spit a powerful red hot flame from its mouth(s), known as the **Fire Dragon Heavy Attack Wave** (火龍重撃波 *Hi Ryū Jū Dan Nami*). This attack is potent enough to instantly set the environment around it ablaze, annihilating any plants or animals in the vicinity.
* **Strong Violent Advancing Thunder Quake:** In a technique dubbed the **Strong Violent Advancing Thunder Quake** (剛烈駆雷震 *Tsuyoshi Retsu Ka Kaminari Furue*), Desghidorah can create fissures in the earth which gush magma while firing the Fire Dragon Heavy Attack Wave, resulting in the pulverization of its opponents. Desghidorah has the ability to manipulate the magma which erupts from these fissures.
* **Sky Anger Bomb Thrust:** Desghidorah, after accumulating internal magma energy, can perform a powerful technique called the **Raging Sky Burst** (天怒爆突 *Tennu Bakutotsu*), which entails drawing an enemy close before blowing it back with an explosion.
* **Electrical Surge:** Desghidorah is able to send surges of electricity through its enemies upon biting them.
* **Thunder Cannon Flash:** Desghidorah can protect itself in a barrier of thermal energy, called the **Thunder Cannon Flash** (轟砲一閃 *Gōhō Issen*).

### Land State

* Desghidorah can emit Hell's Flame from the mouth of his middle head.
* Desghidorah is able to do a Fiery Prye Road by causing the ground to split open & release flames from within the earth.
* Desghidorah spits Lava Gout Energy Bolts from the mouths of all three of his heads.
* Desghidorah can unleash a Powerful Shockwave released from all over his body.
* Desghidorah can send a Red Electric Surge through his bites.
* Desghidorah is able to perform a Shock Pulse.

### Flying State

* Desghidorah can release Hurricane Winds from his wings.
* Desghidorah flies at the speed of Mach 23 (17,647.2 mph).

## Gallery

Desghidorah and Motha Leo (larva).Desghiddorah vs. Mothra Leo (imago).Desghidorah using his Hell's Flame.Desghidorah (MonsterVerse)
## Trivia

* Desghidorah's heads bear a resemblance to Dagahra.
* Desghidorah's wings bear a striking resemblance to Destoroyah's.
* Desghidorah has many resemblances to Keizer Ghidorah, as they are both four-legged, and, in their first forms, wingless.
* Desghidorah is the only villain kaiju in the *Rebirth of Mothra* trilogy to not be killed by Mothra Leo, instead only being sealed away.
* Desghidorah's roar can be briefly heard when Godzilla roars in victory after killing Baragon.

* Desghidorah's roars are altered off of stock elephant trumpets performed by Frank Welker.
* He's the only villain monster in the *Rebirth of Mothra* trilogy not to be killed by Mothra Leo.
* He is the only Ghidorah to only have one tail instead of two and one of the two Ghidorahs to have four legs instead of two, the other being Keizer Ghidorah.