Rodan: Redemption

Bear McCreary

***Rodan: Redemption*** is an upcoming 2019 KB film based on the Godzilla series character and the sequel to *Rodan: Beginnings*.

## Plot

The film begins 30 years after the first film, in Chicago, where Megalon began attacking the city where Lisa and her parents live. Lisa's parents were killed in the attack, just before Rodan arrives to fend off the insect monster. Later during her parents' funeral, Lisa gets a phone call from Dr. Tendo Serizawa, head of MONARCH, prompting her to return to Mission City. Lisa is currently working as a wealthy fashion designer while interning in MONARCH as an assistant researcher working on Titans - the designation MONARCH gave to giant kaiju such as Rodan - who have gained a high level of intelligence and a speaking ability which enabled them to communicate easily with humans and each other.

Lisa and Tendo meet at a Japanese restaurant in Mission City. During their conversation, three Acolytes (the humanoid pterosaur race who worship Rodan as a deity) appear and attempt to assassinate Tendo before being interrupted by the arrival of the Cleric, who had changed his worldview about Rodan and humanity. Lisa introduces the Acolytes to Tendo, who is aware of their existence. At the same time, Megalon invades the city while MONARCH forces mobilize to intercept Megalon. Rodan reappears and finally destroys Megalon. Reunited, Lisa hops on Rodan to fly to MONARCH Tower.

In MONARCH Tower, the Cleric and the three Acolytes (the Collector, the Admiral and the Headhunter) are sent to MONARCH's supernatural research department. The Collector and the Headhunter knock out the MONARCH scientists despite objections from the Admiral, who is loyal to the Cleric. Lisa visits the MONARCH Archives, where she discovers how the Titans came to Earth and their role to restore balance to the world. In the process, she discovers a strange meteorite said to have been excavated from a site where Godzilla battled a group of space monsters. At the same time, several patients in a women's hospital were sapped by Megaguirus, another Titan.

In the night of Megaguirus' attack, Lisa confronts Megaguirus who chases her into the heart of the city, where the insect encounters and battles Rodan. In the scuffle, another Rodan appears to help Rodan defeat Megaguirus. Lisa realises that Megaguirus is Rodan's natural prey, and learn from Rodan that the other Rodan is female, and he is ready to mate.

Meanwhile, the four Acolytes return to their secret hideout where the last members of their kind were hiding. They hold a celebratory banquet for their return, which turns sour when the Collector kills the Admiral before revealing that the Rodan that the other Acolytes were worshipping was in fact the wrong one - the right one is resting under a volcano in Mexico. The dying Admiral convinces the other Acolytes to spread the word on the Collector's treachery. In response, the Cleric and his followers pursue the Collector to Mexico where she will awaken the "true Rodan". In the process, they meet a Native Mexican group who showed them a vision of the "true Rodan" and the legendary Acolyte Stone, which is destined to summon a superior deity who lorded over the other deities such as Rodan.

The next morning, Lisa observes Rodan and his potential mate for her research, and that the female Rodan also exhibits the high intelligence and speech capability as most of the other Titans had. Rodan begins to act strangely, which he explains that something else had already awakened which caused his unusuality. At the same time, Lisa got a report from Tendo that a Titan had been awakened in Mexico. Lisa, Rodan and his mate go to Mexico to i nvestigate, and they encounter a giant version of Rodan laying waste to a small Mexican town. They chase the giant Rodan back to Mission City.

At Mission City, the giant Rodan begins to attack the city, and is battled by Rodan and his mate. The giant Rodan suddenly reveals that he is actually Rodan's father, much to the latter's shock. Lisa discovers the Acolytes' hideout, where she meets the Hierophant who reveals their race's origins and longing desire to unite with Rodan and give him the greatest power. The Cleric arrives at the chamber and explains to Lisa that they need her help to find the Acolyte Stone, which is the strange meteorite Lisa found in the MONARCH archives. Lisa retrieves the stone from Tendo who extracted it from the MONARCH archives. As she tries to give it to the Cleric, she is attacked by the Collector. After a fight, Lisa finally rips the Collector's heart out, and drops the heart and the Acolyte's lifeless body into the mouth of the bigger Rodan. The Cleric uses the stone to reveal its hidden power: it calls Godzilla and Mothra once again. Godzilla's arrival causes the three Rodans to cease their fighting and the Acolytes to bow to their presence as superior deities to Rodan. Godzilla and Mothra stress the importance of a family to Rodan's father, who accepts Rodan's mate to be his son's lifelong friend. Rodan's father leaves the city to rest once again, and the Acolytes return to normal.

Rodan then realizes that it is also time to part with Lisa in friendship as he had already found his mate, who names herself Lisa after her. The ending scene shows a teary farewell between Rodan and the girl who loved him as a friend before the two Rodans fly off into the sunset.

## Cast

### MONARCH

* Lisa Roseanne, a fashion designer who currently works as an intern at MONARCH. She formed a relationship with Rodan in the previous film.
* Dr. Tendo Serizawa, head of MONARCH.

### Monsters

* Rodan (Titanus Rodan)
* Megaguirus (Titanus Megaguirus), a monster who combats the Rodans for territory, and is also prey for the Rodans.
* Megalon (Titanus Megalon)
* Rodan's father (Portrayed by 2019 Rodan)
* Rodan's mate (Portrayed by Fire Rodan)
* Godzilla (Titanus Gojira)
* Mothra (Titanus Mosura)

#### Other monster signatures on MONARCH screens that do not appear in the film

* Titanus Gamera
* Titanus Kong (King Kong)
* Titanus Anguirus
* Titanus Baragon
* Titanus Titanosaurus
* Titanus Gorosaurus
* Titanus Caesar (King Caesar)
* Titanus Varan
* Titanus Manda
* Titanus Kumonga
* Titanus Gabara
* Titanus Zilla
* Titanus Gojira Junior (Godzilla Jr.)

#### MONARCH assets shown on MONARCH screens that do not appear in the film

* MOGUERA (Mobile Operation Godzilla Universal Expert Robot Aero-type)
* Jet Jaguar

### Acolytes

The Acolytes are humanoid pterosaur descendants who worship Rodan as their deity.

* The Cleric, the formerly ruthless ruler of the Acolytes.
* The Collector, a cunning female Acolyte.
* The Executioner, a constantly hungry executioner who eats a lot.
* The Admiral, a quick-tempered Acolyte who is loyal to the Cleric.
* The Hierophant, previously known as the Conqueror
* The Headhunter, The most brutal warrior of the Acolytes.
* The Mad Scientist, an Acolyte scientist who makes up twisted experiments.
* The Historian, the Acolyte's historian who makes up their own history.

## Sequel

*Main article: Rodan: Swansong*

KB announces that the final film in the *Rodan* trilogy, which was given the title *Rodan: Swansong*, will have a subplot based on how the Acolytes first encountered Rodan, and will be set millions of years ago during the age of dinosaurs. The sequel will also make a reference to the original *Rodan* film with a 1956 setting for an act featuring the first Rodans to emerge. Godzilla may also appear in the sequel.

## Trivia

* This is the first KB Godzilla film to be over three hours long.