The article contains major spoilers for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

Summary

• Director Adam Wingard views this film as the culmination of Kong's story in the Monsterverse after enduring much hardship and loneliness since Kong: Skull Island.
• By the end of Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, Kong finally earned the title "King Kong."
• Kong recruits Godzilla to help fight the Skar King with an army of Titans and manages to amass an army of loyal followers along the way.

Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire director breaks down how the movie's ending is a natural conclusion to Kong's story. The fifth iteration of the Monsterverse features Kong recruiting Godzilla to him in the fight against the Skar King. With an entire army serving under the Skar King, they need to save a fellow Titan while protecting the surface world from the horrors of the Hollow Earth.

In an interview with end of Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire. The director elaborated that Godzilla vs. Kong was a phase for Kong to find a home, while The New Empire saw him become the destined leader. Wingard viewed it as the perfect narrative direction for Kong and his evolved story. Check out his comments below:

"The MonsterVerse version of Kong has very notably just been ‘Kong.’ The trajectory of him as a character throughout this series has always been to crown him as King Kong. That’s what this film is about. It’s the culmination. In Godzilla vs. Kong, Kong found his home, but he had no subjects. He was alone. This is the one where he finds his people, and he has to earn the right to be their leader. For this version of Kong, everything has all been leading to this.”

Kong's Journey In The Monsterverse Explained

Kong Has Finally Become King Kong, But His Journey Was Profound.

The Monsterverse depiction is unique, featuring the character's slow development from a relatively gentle Great Ape into a true king.

In the Monsterverse, Kong made his debut in Kong: Skull Island in 2017. The movie is set early in the Monsterverse timeline, having taken place in the early 1970s. Kong lives alone on the island, having resigned to the fact that he is the last of a group of prehistoric Great Apes who once resided within the Hollow Earth. Throughout the movie, Kong slowly claims Skull Island and begins to rule it as an undisputed commander of the territory. He also establishes an alliance with various groups of humans.

However, Godzilla vs Kong revealed that Skull Island was no longer sustainable for Kong to inhabit with even a great number of Iwi people gone. This led to efforts to relocate Kong, with the human researchers hoping that the Titan would accept his new home on Hollow Earth. Aside from hindrances along the way, Kong eventually settles into his new home, albeit still yearning and searching for those of his kind.

In Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, Kong finally becomes the leader of his subjects, but not without challenges. After discovering that the Skar King is in command of an entire society in the Hollow Earth, Kong accidentally unleashes the brutal villain on the surface world. Kong and Godzilla fought together to end the Skar King's rule, but the people remained listless. Through his gentle nature, Kong finally earns their loyalty and becomes their ruler. In claiming the land and subjects, Kong finally achieved his status as King Kong, alongside finding his new family.

In most depictions of Kong's story, his arc is contained in a single movie. The ape has already inherited his regal title and is set to destroy his various enemies. The Monsterverse depiction is unique, featuring the character's slow development from a relatively gentle Great Ape into a true king. Kong's story is unlikely to end with Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire, but his evolution into King Kong has offered new insight into an infamous monster.

Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and Godzilla vs. Kong are all available on Max, while Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters is on Apple TV+.

Source: EW