Bernie Hayes

**Bernie Hayes** is a character who appears in the 2021 Legendary Pictures *Godzilla* film, *Godzilla vs. Kong*.

A former technician for Apex Cybernetics, Hayes became a conspiracy theorist and podcast host working to expose his former employer's sinister covert activities.

## Personality

Bernie Hayes considers himself a crusader, dedicated to exposing truth. Disillusioned with Apex Cybernetics, he engages in acts of corporate espionage against them and seeks to expose their practices. He has worked for the company for many years in deep cover. He maintains an underground podcast called "Titan Truth" in which he reveals his conspiracy theories and shares any information he has exposed about Apex. He believes that fluoride is placed in tap water in order to keep people docile and identifies those who share his beliefs by asking "tap or no tap?" Additionally, he showers with large amounts of bleach, believing that it is the only way to disable organic tracking technology. He lost his wife, Sara, many years ago, and carries a memento of her.

## Relationships

### Madison Russell

Hayes hits it off quickly with Madison Russell, recognizing her as being the daughter of Mark Russell. She has long been a listener of his podcasts and the two quickly bond over their shared beliefs in theories which he purports. He relies on her throughout their journey together, seeing her as a trusted companion.

### Josh Valentine

Bernie Hayes does not think much of Josh Valentine at first as, unlike Madison Russell, he is a skeptic when it comes to conspiracy theories. Nevertheless, he eventually comes to rely on him as part of the team the three have formed. He later comes to respect him when his quick thinking proves instrumental in helping to take down Mechagodzilla.

## History

### MonsterVerse

#### *Godzilla vs. Kong*

Bernie Hayes is working at Apex Cybernetic's Pensacola facility. He distracts an employee with chatter about homemade hand-sanitizer and then, when the employee leaves to go the bathroom, uses a flash drive to steal details on a shipping manifest from his computer. The facility is suddenly attacked by Godzilla. In the throes of the evacuation, Hayes tries to bluff his way into a fallout shelter for level-two personnel, only to be held at gunpoint by armed guards. Godzilla then attacks, killing the guards, and Hayes discovers a cybernetic eye amongst the debris. Following the attack, he broadcasts another episode of his Titan Truth podcast, describing how he was there during Godzilla's attack and claiming that it is not merely a coincidence that Godzilla targeted that specific facility.

Hayes's podcast attracts the attention of Madison Russell and together with Josh Valentine she pays a visit to Hayes. Although Hayes at first threatens to contact the authorities, she replies that he doesn't trust the authorities and gives her name. He recognizes her as being the daughter of Emma Russell. The two form a quick connection, agreeing to break into Apex to try to get to the bottom of the situation. They decide to investigate something called Sublevel 33, based on the information that Hayes discovered in the shipping manifest. Hayes hot-wires an elevator and takes the group to the place where he previously discovered the eye, only to find it missing. Russell then discovers a second elevator which gets the group to Sublevel 33. There, they discover what Hayes calls a "hidden colony" and hide when they hear someone coming, only to discover Skullcrawler eggs. They then get locked inside and placed upon a transport bound for Hong Kong. Though Russell and Valentine are worried by this, Hayes is delighted, thinking that this means they're finally going to get some answers.

The group arrives at Apex headquarters in Hong Kong, Hayes warning Russell and Valentine to keep quiet and follow him. They discover a massive underground facility that Hayes calls a "sacrifice pit" and discover that they have unexpectedly walked in on a demonstration of Mechagodzilla, showing off its power against a Skullcrawler. They hide inside a vehicle and ride out the attack. They then seek the exit, only to discover a Titan skull, that of Ghidorah. Hayes realizes that they have hardwired its DNA and are using it as a living supercomputer. They discover pilot hooked up by a psionic interface and Hayes, despairing, wonders just what it is that Apex has done. As the group penetrates further into the facility, Hayes raises his cell-phone camera, determined to "go viral," but the group is caught and held at gunpoint before they can sabotage anything. They are brought before Walter Simmons, the head of Apex Cybernetics, who laments, "Greenpeace again?" Hayes replies that "Greenpeace wishes." They tell him that he's provoked Godzilla to war, but he gives a big speech about how there can only be one alpha and announces the launch of Mechagodzilla as the Apex Titan by his own hand. He speaks of his dream, but before he can continue is killed by Mechagodzilla, which has gone out of control. Hayes moans that it is unfair, that he wanted to hear the rest of the speech.

The group realizes that they need to warn Monarch about Mechagodzilla, or do something to stop it, as Mechagodzilla is coming for Godzilla. Hayes tries to stop Valentine from going for the computer, but he replies that they can shut it down if they can figure out the password. The two start working together, but it quickly becomes clear that Valentine doesn't know what he's doing. Hayes shouts out him, asking if he's really inputting a password and he admits that he's just used to pirating movies online. He shouts at him that he thought he was a hacker and he replies that he took some HTML courses at a summer camp. Hayes asks if it was a 90s camp and suggests using "QWERTY," but when they do, the system locks down. Hayes then pulls out a flask, suggesting that they all have a drink, but Valentine grabs it. Hayes shouts at him for making him die sober, but he pours into the terminal. The move is enough to briefly short out Mechagodzilla, allowing Godzilla and Kong, who has joined the fight, to gain the upper hand. In the aftermath of the fight, Madison introduces Hayes to her father, Mark, who calls it "an absolute pleasure." Hayes then invites Mark onto his podcast to talk about the Monarch facility in Roswell. The group then watches in awe as Godzilla and Kong acknowledge each other, before Godzilla retreats back to the sea.