Mothra gracefully hatching from her egg, as though her egg were silk sliding off her form. For a larva, she's quite adorable. Emma and Madison are nothing short of breathless witnessing her birth.
Mothra allowing Madison to reach out to touch her. This was a sigh of relief that Mothra would retain her Gentle Giant nature. As well as a nice echo to Kong: Skull Island, where Kong allows Mason Weaver to place a hand on him. Then, to up the cuteness, she sneezes.
Heck, Mothra even leans into Madison's hand. Almost like she WANTS to interact.
Pay attention to Mothra during her freakout as a larva. She kills no one. The guy she hurls at a wall? Lands in a web. Even as an infant, she cares about humans and refuses to hurt them.
The latest TV spot has Godzilla interacting with some humans on a submarine, bringing his face close to them in a mix of curiosity and cautiousness. And earlier on, Serizawa lays his hand on Godzilla's snout, exclaiming "Beautiful..." Seems like the mighty King of the Monsters has started to grow a soft spot for the little creatures that once tried to nuke him. Or perhaps regained a long existing soft spot for humans, given ancient humans built him a massive temple that he still returns to for rest.
Given that Rodan has an unfortunate reputation for being a Butt-Monkey / Sacrificial Lion, it's rather refreshing and relieving that he would be taken more seriously in this film, as an equal to Godzilla's power or even greater. Even the director confirmed in an interview that Rodan is his favorite monster and that he'd love to give him more importance, the poor, underappreciated lava pterosaur is finally getting his big moment!
And the reveal that he gets a solo battle against Ghidorah!
It's not confirmed yet, but people have speculated that Godzilla lighting his dorsal plates in a pattern with the Monarch submarines in front of him might be the monster trying to communicate. While he is still a Destructive Savior, it would be a nice character moment and also a nice follow-up to how Godzilla noticed Ford in the first movie. The gaze of an "unintelligent beast", that was not.
According to the recent trailer, it seems to be an intimidation display, showing how, like many real-life animals, Godzilla prefers not to fight and simply warn off intruders to his turf rather than engage in pointless destruction.
In context, he's pretty clearly alarmed that Ghidorah is about to be awoken by the ORCA. His threat display, in that context, comes across as him alerting the humans that seriously bad shit's about to go down, and they need to be ready for it.
Doubles as a tearjerker. People have speculated that, based on the family photo Madison looks at on the tablet, her forlorn expression, and the other photos seen, she had an older brother named Andrew, which might explain his absence from the trailer and, on a deeper level, may also explain why the Russell family is fractured.
One shot in the trailer has Madison smiling when she sees Godzilla. All the more so if you consider its context and implications; Madison is on a roof where she also stood during Ghidorah's attack, and it's implied she may have some connection to the monsters with Ghidorah seemingly stalking her personally. Combine that with Godzilla showing up and the implication speaks for itself, like he is coming to protect Madison.
The trailer shows Godzilla is still revered by humanity as their savior, not as the monster he is in so many continuities. If the end of the trailer implies anything, the movie will be one of those times humanity is not fighting Big G but fighting by his side.
In an Americanized incarnation of the franchise, the choir accompanying the music are all chanting in Japanese to remind the viewer where the characters came from. When the chorus picks up they all loudly chant Godzilla's original name, "Gojira" in time with the beats. And if you listen closely, you can hear the choir is actually calling for help; praying for Godzilla to be victorious in battle and save them.
In a strange way, the whole idea of humanity being "Godzilla's pet", according to Serizawa. The mighty King of the Monsters himself has come to be a caretaker and protector of these tiny lesser beings in his own way, and perhaps has even come to care for them.
When the narrator of the first third of trailer 2 asks which Titans are here to protect humanity, Mothra gets shown throughout, cementing that she is truly benevolent and, like Godzilla, on our side.
One of the US Navy ships that helps in the evacuations of the Eastern Seaboard is called the USS Brody, after either Joe or Ford's actions in the events of 2014.
This is certainly one of the softer relationships between Godzilla and Mothra. First after metamorphosing she goes right where Godzilla is and basically signals him for a pulse after he is thought dead. The second is after Godzilla loses his second wind in Boston, and she already wounded from her fight with Rodan she crawls up his back protectively and he does not seem to mind it.
For as strange as this may utterly sound, a rather Hypocritical Heartwarming moment actually happens right after King Ghidorah gets reawakened in Antartica where Ichi (the central head) basically does nothing but berate and scold Kevin purely out of nothing but aggravation towards him for being so easily side-tracked and his high lack of focus. Kevin's potential feasting for more human victims in gets interrupted by the G-Team's Argo, particularly the fired missiles striking Kevin's face, causing all 3 heads to be utterly surprised from the sudden attack. Their left wing is raised and shields Ni, Ichi, and yes, especiallyKevin, showing that it's completely natural for any older sibling to protect their younger siblings in any disastrous situation despite their differences and quarellings they have for each other. In short: Even Evil Has Loved Ones.
There are several lines (and tweets from Mike Dougherty himself) that strongly imply their relationship is straight up romantic. Mothra doesn't just signal to locate Godzilla, but flies over the ocean, gently singing. According to Dougherty, the eyespots on her wings resemble Godzilla's eyes as a form of mimicry and to indicate that she's "his flag bearer and Queen." He's also been reposting and liking Mothzilla art.
Mothra's first two appearances as an adult, while also awesome, are this. The first, as she hatches from her cocoon and spreads her glowing wings, the Monarch scientists can only look on in awe and wonder. They've just realized they've been cut off from the rest of Monarch, the Titans are all waking up, and Ghidorah is responsible (and likely doesn't have good intentions). But as Mothra bathes them in her light and the classic Mothra song reaches a crescendo, they know there's still hope.
When Mothra appears at Castle Bravo, signaling to Godzilla. A few rays of golden light pierce Ghidorah's stormclouds, but it's not the sun, it's Mothra. . . who, with a flap of her wings, banishes the clouds and brings forth the real sun, again shedding light and hope on a desperate and beleaguered humanity. And as the Monarch sub leaves on its mission to revive Godzilla, they travel in a shaft of Mothra's light piercing the water. As if Mothra is saying "I've done all I can. . . go forth and finish the job."
That some good does come from the Titans is this. The devastated cities grow plant life at astonishing speed and great profusion, with many of them offering possibilities for new super foods and such that can help humans. Godzilla's swimming paths have restorative effects on coral reefs. The mere presence of a Titan in the Sahara is noted to be causing part of the desert to erupt with life. Even Titan waste products may serve beneficial purposes when harnessed for fuel and such.
Dr. Serizawa offering some of his philosophy on why he holds the views he does, and to give Mark some encouragement to move on.
Serizawa: Sometimes, the only way to heal our wounds is to make peace with the demons that created them.
Doubly so when Serizawa does this after checking his father's Hiroshima pocketwatch. In Godzilla: Awakening we find Serizawa's father actually helped found Monarch and forgave the United States for the bombing.
Though it's also a Tear Jerker moment, Serizawa's sacrifice is also this. He gave his own life venturing into the heart of the highly radioactive underwater ruins to detonate a nuke in order to kickstart Godzilla's recovery. After he finished setting up the bomb, a gust of wind blows from Godzilla's breath reveals himself to the dying Serizawa, who then proceeds to walk calmly toward him and finally getting to touch the creature he spent his whole life protecting, and Godzilla looks upon him with a gentle gaze as if to say "thank you" as Serizawa said his last goodbye before the bomb exploded.
Serizawa: さらば... 友よ. note "Goodbye... old friend."
To quote countless fans: "Dr. Serizawa: In 1954 he died to kill Godzilla. In 2019, he died to save Godzilla."
A blink-and-you-miss-it case, doubling as a Tear Jerker — Anguirus' skeleton can be seen in the Godzilla's temple, implying that the two species used to live together there. A reminder of Anguirus' Undying Loyalty to Godzilla.
There's something about Mark looking Godzilla in the eye that feels cathartic, as though he is indeed coming to terms with his son's death and forgiving Godzilla. In turn, there's a flicker of understanding in Godzilla's eyes.
While Rick Stanton is afraid of Godzilla during the intimidation display we're never sure if he disliked Godzilla or admired Godzilla and was afraid of him or if he softened due to getting saved twice. However the case when he's listening to Godzilla's weakening pulse he quietly supports him, telling to 'fight it, big guy.'
A subtle thing, but when Godzilla unleashes his first nuclear pulse we faintly hear Mothra's roar and an outline resembling her wings in the pulse, hinting that her essence now flows through Godzilla and she is, in a way, still fighting alongside him in spirit.
Mothra and Godzilla's symbiotic relationship is made of this in hindsight. In the older movies the two Titans were often at odds and usually ended up fighting each other more than once. This time, Mothra openly cares for Godzilla, saving him multiple times and aiding him in the fight against Ghidorah at the cost of her own life.
During the ending, one of the news articles speaks of Godzilla actively stopping other Titans from attacking human cities. Perhaps simply as part of his role as balance keeper, perhaps as thanks to Serizawa for his sacrifice and assistance, perhaps out of respect to humanity as a fellow alpha species, or perhaps some mix of all three. Heartwarming regardless.
Emma redeeming herself and performing a heroic sacrifice to save her daughter and Mark from Ghidorah. Also doubles as Tear Jerker.
It's mentioned that many of the Titans are both helping the environment with their presence and implicitly living much more peacefully among humanity this time around. This includes...
Rodan building a nest in a volcano north of Fiji, with spectators flocking to see him, implying that he's no longer an active threat to them.
An unnamed Titan causing a massive rainforest to sprout in the Sahara desert.
Godzilla restoring fish populations in the Pacific.
Behemoth bringing back the deforested parts of the Amazon Rainforest.
Scylla slowing the melting of the polar ice caps.
With the restoration of the environment, 14 species are noted to have been taken off the endangered species list in a record amount of time, and it's implied that this number is growing.
The Titans' presence is noted to be having a positive effect on humanity at large, with prehistoric plants growing in their wake being studied as a possible superfood and their waste potentially being a vital energy source.
One of the more lighthearted news posts in the credits is a Twitter post excitedly noting that the cruise ship Carnival Breeze got a "surprise visit" from Godzilla, written as if they had been visited by a bona fide celebrity. The fact that the tweet isn't immediately followed up with a response of panic suggests that Godzilla didn't attack or try to harm any of the tourists on the ship.
A newspaper headline reveals the discovery of another Mothra egg. The protector of humanity may have sacrificed her life, but she will come back, eventually. She always does, when the world needs her the most.
And who is the first Titan to bow to Godzilla? Rodan. Historically the two have worked together and are famous for being allies and friends in the Showa movies. Here, Rodan never opposes Godzilla directly, his rivalry instead is with Mothra, and he is the first monster to accept Godzilla as the new king. Hopefully the two will work together as friends in the future!
