Is Godzilla Good or Bad? A Quick Analysis
What is the meaning of Godzilla?
This question puts Godzilla himself in an existential crisis: what do you represent? What does your existence or non-existence represent? This question can put anyone in depression. Within the context of Godzilla himself, one can almost understand it. Is Godzilla good or bad? This ongoing debate adds to the complexity of his character.
Japan was suffering from the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. At that point, he created Godzilla, and people said he was exploiting the people of the country. Who knew that this biggest criticism would become his biggest strength? This context adds layers to the question of whether Godzilla is good or bad, as his creation was deeply rooted in the nation’s trauma.
Godzilla as a Symbol of Nuclear Disaster
Originally, ‘Gojira’ became the symbol of nuclear disaster and the helplessness of humankind. When a monster starts raining fire from the sky, that feeling of being unable to do anything, that feeling of being like a worm—no matter how powerful you are, no matter how big you become, there will always be someone who will bring you to your knees and ask, “What’s your status?” It’s not a masala thing with a mass moment; it’s a horror that represents powerlessness. This raises the question: is Godzilla good or bad when he embodies such despair?
Godzilla as a Titan and a Force of Nature
Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla (2014) movie accurately captured that Godzilla is not some massy hero. 
He is a fear; he is some kind of God who is worshiped and respected. But when he fights, he is a titan; the earth shakes when they collide. On a serious note, Godzilla becoming a hero or an anti-hero never works because when an onion is half rotten, it’s considered a rotten onion. But now, if you look at Godzilla’s radioactive nuclear power metaphor by linking it to man-made disasters, why is Godzilla always constantly represented as an unstoppable force of nature? This leads us back to the debate on whether Godzilla is good or bad.
The true example is found in 2019’s Godzilla movie, when humans tampered with nature. The massive monster came out as an unidentified terrestrial organism trying to destroy everything. What Godzilla was showing was the unintended consequences humans had to face due to climate change. In the movie, there is literally an eco-terrorist group that wants to do good by doing bad, but it becomes worse because it’s a terrorist group. On top of that, this portrayal complicates the understanding of whether Godzilla is good or bad.
Godzilla: Symbol of Dominance and Destruction
Godzilla represents himself as a horror as well as a balancing force, and he says, “I will continue to destroy everything until order is restored,” which is not only important for people’s survival but also for the life of that titan.
Godzilla is a symbol of dominance and destruction. Just like the king of the jungle is a lion, he will not fight alone with an elephant, but no animal tries to become dominant in front of him. When he starts becoming territorial, he also shows his status that he is on top. Again, the same thing comes up: Godzilla’s victory is like, “I won now, I am going to sleep. It was not my fault; it was he who provoked me, so I killed him. Now I am gone.” This is Godzilla’s way of ruling. He is the king of monsters, but he doesn’t care about the responsibility and accountability of being a king. This behavior feeds into the ongoing question of whether Godzilla is good or bad.
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— Action Vista (@ActionVista) March 19, 2024
