GODZILLA REDUX
or
Godzilla vs. Chimera
Written by
Matthew Edward Jennings

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FADE IN:
INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

The story’s hero, aptly named HIRO, has fallen asleep watching television on his living room couch.  The television provides the only light for the room.  The camera moves to a tight close-up of the screen.

The commercial break ends with an advertisement for Hello Kitty Power Tools.  A LITTLE GIRL helps her DADDY trim a hedge with her cute little pink logo-emblazoned chainsaw.  The commercial spot ends with the father and daughter beaming with pride in front of the entire line of Hello Kitty Power Tools and a kitty-shaped hedge.

What follows is the end of a 1970’s era documentary program that explores humanity in The Wake of Monsterkind.  The program includes a stock footage montage of Godzilla and other monster movies, providing a “who’s who” of classic monsters, complete with an extremely overwrought musical score.


Documentary images include Godzilla-driven advertisements (an opportunity for a blatant commercial plug) and a Mothra carnival ride. The image then shifts to that of a waif-like supermodel strutting down a fashion runway wearing a dress that drips with 1970’s monster-inspired style.  


Documentary images begin at a peaceful shrine to Mothra but quickly shift to violent street protests and confrontations with police.  This montage of images includes our first glimpse of a younger URINOWA, the movie’s villain, being led away from a protest in handcuffs.


The final group of documentary images includes several monster battle scenes but eventually shifts to an aerial shot of a serene tropical island.  A lazy plume of smoke can be seen drifting up from its nearly extinct volcanic center.


The tranquility of this scene belies the knowledge that nearly twenty miles below this tropical paradise lies the hibernating form of what is arguably the greatest monster to ever walk the earth, Godzilla.  No doubt, one day Godzilla will return from his slumber, and on that day humanity’s acceptance of monsterkind may truly be put to the test.

The documentary’s closing credits begin; these credits are the opening credits for the feature film.

FADE OUT:


INT. OFFICE CUBICLE – DAY

The camera shot widens out from a darkened computer monitor to reveal Hiro sitting near the center of an endless collection of office cubicles in his company’s Tokyo office.  

Everything about Hiro’s appearance screams computer nerd.  Wearing a pocket protector, an out-of-date tie, and needing a good haircut, our hero carries himself like a person that spent too much time in high school hiding from bullies.  

SLICK and PAL, a pair of coworkers, walk by Hiro’s desk. Slick stops to talk while Pal continues across the office.


The two continue to walk off across the office together.



EXT. ANGILAS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (ANWR) – NIGHT

The edge of a vast canyon is hugged by a high-tech wall that stretches toward the horizon.  Lights set up at even intervals along the wall disappear into the distance.  

A pair of GUARDS and a German Shepherd guard dog patrol along its length.  They cross in front of a sign that reads, “Angilas National Wildlife Refuge – Restricted Area.”  An impossibly fast, darkly-clad figure moves toward the wall, unnoticed by the guards.  The dog bursts into a snarl.


The guard drops the dog’s leash, freeing it to charge toward the intruder.  Both guards fumble to draw their machine guns.  

The darkly-clad figure doesn’t pause, instead he executes a series of superhuman leaps that bring him to the top of the wall, exposing him in the wall’s searchlights.  The lights illuminate a modern NINJA, armed with tools that reflect both technology and tradition.  Automatic weapon fire erupts from the two guards.  

The Ninja’s momentum carries him off the top of the wall, free-falling into the dark canyon.  Bullets whiz by him in his descent.  He pulls a ripcord, triggering the release of a black hanglider-like parachute that carries him away into the canyon.  The silhouette of the Ninja quickly disappears into the night.



EXT. ANWR, BOTTOM OF CANYON – NIGHT

We are looking at the Ninja from behind as he examines his back with his hand, finding a gaping bullet hole in the process.  This wound should be nearly fatal, but instead, the wound has already begun to heal.

Our view shifts to the Ninja’s chest as he looks for an exit wound in vain.  He pauses, then forces two sharp coughs, spitting a bloody bullet into his hand.  He makes a quick examination of the bullet then nonchalantly throws it over his shoulder.  The Ninja then quickly gathers his gear and moves off into the night.

INT. KAROAKE BAR - NIGHT

The two coworkers, Slick and Pal, are sitting at a table having a conversation as their office coworkers begin to arrive at the popular nightspot.  Their conversation pauses as they spot Hiro and his wife AKIKO entering the bar.  

Slick waves them over. Pal is so stunned that he inadvertently sets his drink down on his tie.  Akiko turns several heads as they cross the bar.  The couple makes for an astonishing visual mismatch that is accentuated by the fact that Hiro is still dressed from work, while Akiko has dressed for an evening out.


As Slick begins the introduction, Pal stands up out of politeness, launching his drink off the end of his tie.  The drink empties right into the crotch of Hiro’s khaki pants.


Hiro excuses himself from the group to go and get cleaned up in the restroom.

INT. KARAOKE BAR BATHROOM – NIGHT

Hiro is in the uncomfortable position of trying to get his crotch as close as possible to a hot air hand drier.  Someone has used a black marker to graffiti a silhouette of Godzilla’s head where the hot air exits from the machine.  

From out in the bar the familiar strains of a karaoke version of Blue Oyster Cult’s “Godzilla” drift into the bathroom.  The sound of the crowd grows considerably as they begin to cheer on the performers.  After a few seconds, Hiro is fed up with the progress of the hand drier and heads back out into the bar.  He stops just outside the bathroom door.  

A sad look crosses Hiro’s face when he sees what a great time the performers seem to be having up on stage. The karaoke stars include his wife, Slick, Pal, and two other men that appear to be from his office as well.  The strobes and lasers pulse with a green light that brings an almost ominous quality to Hiro’s face.

The green light of the karaoke bar shifts to that of a night vision scope being used by the Ninja to examine the jagged outline of a rock outcropping.


EXT. ANWR, BOTTOM OF CANYON – NIGHT

The Ninja brings his night vision goggles into focus as he scans the outcropping for any signs of Angilas.  He shifts his attention to making a few adjustments on what appears to be a large tripod mounted bazooka.

A squawk from the sleek radio headset worn in his ear causes him to pause.  The Ninja checks his watch and then cranes his neck skyward.


INT. AIRPLANE COCKPIT – NIGHT

Two stern-looking PILOTS in odd uniforms fly on oblivious to calls from the ground control. The uniforms they wear are a strange mix between what would be worn by a modern corporate pilot and a WWII era Japanese military pilot.  

The cockpit seems like that of a normal private jet, yet the co-pilot is looking through a bombsite.  The dials and controls bathe the pilots in an eerie red glow.  The voice of the AIRTRAFFIC CONTROLLER comes across the radio loudly and clearly.


The pilot responds, he feathers the radio transmit button with his finger, making the transmission intermittent.



The pilot looks over at his copilot who silently presses a small red button.


INT. AIRCRAFT CARGO BAY – NIGHT

Something that looks like a cross between an escape pod and a stealth phone booth drops through an open hatch in the plane’s belly.


EXT. ANWR, BOTTOM OF CANYON – NIGHT

The Ninja listens intently to the conversation on his headset.


At hearing the code word “inconvenience”, the Ninja reaches up and turns off his headset.  He then sets the controls on a small tracking device he wears on his wrist.  It seems to have picked up a homing beacon.  With that done, the Ninja sets his sights on his sleeping prey.

The bazooka goes off with a whoosh as a six-foot-long dart flies into the night, trailing wire from a metal spool attached to the side of the tripod.  The impact of the dart cannot be seen, but its effect can be felt through the ground as the entire mountain ridge seems to explode upward.  

Angilas was not hiding among the jagged rocks; Angilas made up the entire ridge.  The Ninja presses a button and the reel reverses directions, smoke rises from the cables as they strain to retrieve the dart.  The Ninja double checks the tracking device on his wrist.

The monster Angilas’ charge sounds like rolling thunder through the canyon; his roar echoes endlessly.  In the dark, it seems that an entire mountain is rising up over the Ninja’s position.  

The Ninja does not retreat.  The steel cable continues recoiling, but Angilas’ approach is imminent.  The sample dart snaps back into the Ninja’s waiting hand an instant before Angilas arrives, crushing everything in his path.

A race has begun. The Ninja’s speed and agility are obviously superhuman, but it seems no guarantee of winning this race.  Springing from beneath Angilas’ feet a split second before impact, the Ninja can’t seem to gain any ground as he desperately navigates toward the homing beacon.  

The Ninja reaches the pod with no time to spare.  He smashes the cockpit window with his fist and ignites the thrusters with one fluid motion.  The pod roars into the air with the Ninja dangling from the outside of the vehicle and into the cavernous jaws of Angilas.  

Angilas’ jaws snap shut an instant after the pod passes out of reach, ripping off a part of the vehicle’s tail fin.  The roar of Angilas mixes with the sound of the pod’s engines as the tiny craft screams off into the night.

The roar of the engines dies into the sound of an electric pencil sharpener.  


INT. BOSS’ OFFICE - DAY

We recognize the BOSS as one of the men that was dancing with Akiko at the karaoke bar. A picture on the desk shows the Boss and his wife, a woman that towers over him in every dimension.  He reorganizes his meticulous desk while he speaks.



INT. TEMPLE/LABORATORY – DAY

Little beyond the constant low hum of a ship’s mammoth engines hint that a temple/laboratory exists within the hold of the massive supertanker.  

The temple/lab enshrines a multi-story, hydra-like device that acts as both the technological focus of the room as well as an altar to the techno-monster cult that revolves around its leader, Urinowa.  Other equipment radiates outward from the center and is staffed by clusters of TECHNICIANS and WORSHIPERS.
                

The base of the altar consists of collection of specimen containers that have been integrated into the mechanics of the machinery.  The specimens vary greatly in size and appearance, yet they all seem to have been constructed and displayed with a reverence more appropriate to a shrine than a scientific sample.

The name-plates on the containers read Godzilla, Mothra, Biolante, King Gihdra, etc… Our first real view of Urinowa is through the distorted lens of one of the specimen containers.

A gong sounds and the Ninja strides into the temple/lab carrying a long, slender glass rod containing the tissue retrieved from Angilas.  The Ninja approaches with great reverence, presenting the prize to Urinowa.  Urinowa, dressed in a stylized black lab coat, comes down from the altar to receive his tribute.


The Ninja protests little as several beautiful geisha/nurse/technicians sweep him away.  They all bear a surprising resemblance to Akiko. Several of the remaining technicians in their ceremonial white lab coats surround Urinowa and reach up to touch the new relic in awe.  The chanting grows in its intensity.

The green fluids of Angilas’ tissue sample fade into the green glow of a lava lamp from Hiro’s modest apartment.


INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Hiro arrives home to suspicious giggles drifting out of his bedroom and a Japanese rendition of “Girl You’ll Be A Woman Soon” coming from the stereo.  He pauses at his bedroom door, the green glow of a lava lamp makes the moving shadows difficult to decipher.


Akiko faces away from Hiro in their bed.  She moves rhythmically to the music, mounted atop an unseen figure entangled with her in the sheets of the bed.  Hiro gathers his courage, charges in and rips aside the sheets.

We see a flash of Godzilla’s grisly visage resting on a pillow.  Godzilla’s jaws open in an angry roar of noise and atomic fire that explodes outward towards Hiro.

CUT TO:
INT. LIGHT RAIL TRAIN – NIGHT

Hiro is jolted awake from his dream as his commuter train pulls to a stop.  The exit door opens and he is facing a billboard that shows Godzilla wearing a bib and trying to conquer an all-you-can eat buffet.

Hiro rubs his face to drive away the dream and stumbles out of the train just as the automated doors close behind him.


INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Hiro arrives home to his apartment only to find it appears eerily similar to his dream, except that this time he moves through his living room to the sounds of “Secret Agent Man”.  Hiro pauses, gathers up his courage and walks into bedroom. He yanks the covers aside to reveal...pillows.

He turns to leave the bedroom and walks into a huge man in a sleek black suit, the HULKING AGENT JOHNSON.  Hiro faints.


INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Hiro comes to his senses sitting on the couch of his living room as the Hulking Agent Johnson waves smelling salts under his nose.  The lights have been turned on and the music is off.  

Sitting across a coffee table from Hiro is SHORT AGENT JOHNSON, also smartly dressed in a black suit.  Hiro makes a quick move to stand but is easily held in place by the massive hand on his shoulder, it is that of Hulking Agent Johnson.


Short Agent Johnson produces his identification while he explains the situation.  Meanwhile, Hulking Agent Johnson pours tea.


Hulking Agent Johnson hands Hiro a recent picture of Urinowa.


The agents continue to speak, but their voices are distant.  Hiro’s attention begins to wander around the room, focusing in on a picture of Hiro and Akiko playing miniature golf in front of a clownish steam-breathing fiberglass Godzilla.



Hulking Agent Johnson takes an unassuming black pen from his jacket pocket, shows it to HIRO, who hardly seems to notice, then places it into Hiro’s pocket protector.
        

Both agents exit the apartment. Hiro stares blankly into the empty apartment. Hiro’s face carries the same look of worry and confusion as sits quietly on a commercial airliner heading for California.


INT. COMMERCIAL AIRLINER – DAY

Hiro, Akiko and Hiro’s Boss are sitting three across in a commercial airline cabin.  Hiro begins to nod off at the window seat.  The shade is drawn down.  Akiko has fallen asleep with her head leaning on the boss’ shoulder.  He doesn’t seem to mind as he can now easily look down her blouse.

The plane suddenly shakes violently enough to bring screams from the passengers.  Hiro awakes to find the panic of a plane in near free fall.  The oxygen masks are down.  Passengers scream in fear.  He slams the window cover up only to find the red glow of Godzilla’s huge unblinking eye inches from the window.

Our hero wakes in a sweat as an announcement comes over the plane’s intercom system.

        

With great trepidation Hiro raises the window shade and looks out to see the serene Mindinow Island far below.  Hiro breathes deeply and tries to regain his composure.


EXT. MINDINOW ISLAND – SUNSET

The sound of an airplane fades into the distance as a tropical sun sets over beautiful Mindinow Island.  The wisps of volcanic smoke color the sunset an impossible orange.  The cry of exotic birds fall silent.  A distant low rumble can be heard from deep within the earth.

Suddenly the top of the mountain erupts, sending a fiery volcanic plume upward.  The ash has turned the sunset to blood red. Godzilla’s familiar silhouette can be seen rising out of the flames.  A roar announces his return.


INT. YELLOW CAB – NIGHT

Hiro, Akiko and Hiro’s boss are riding in the back of a cab from the airport listening to the latest news on the radio.  The colorful CABBIE turns up the volume so that everyone can hear.



The cab cruises through a city already gripped by a new round of Godzilla mania, doomsday preachers and tee-shirt salesmen are practically fighting for space on the corners.



INT. HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT

Hiro is awoken by a quiet knock on the door.  Akiko is still sleeping by his side.  The knock persists and Hiro gets up to answer the door wearing a baggy set of pajamas.


Hiro pauses at the door, leaning forward to look out the peephole.  Through the fisheye distortion he sees Godzilla standing in the hall (the classic “man-in-a-suit” campy Godzilla imagery).

Suddenly Godzilla’s scaly fist punches through the door, sending Hiro flying across the room.  Hiro stands to fight but gets smashed through a table for his trouble.  

The room seems far larger than a normal hotel room should be. Godzilla approaches him menacingly, crushing a suitcase as he crosses the room.  Hiro can see he is no match for the eight-foot tall tower of scale and muscle standing in his hotel room.


Akiko, dressed in a revealing French maid outfit and armed with a broom steps between Godzilla and her husband.  With her hair blowing and back lit by a table lamp, Akiko appears as the sleek and sexy Ying to Godzilla’s hulking and grizzly Yang.  Hiro looks up at her in awe.  A stare down commences between the two warriors.



The two spring at each other and clash in midair.  A full-blown martial arts spectacular erupts.  Akiko gets her broom snapped in half but fights on, giving as good as she gets.  The two adversaries are obviously masters at their chosen styles.

Hiro watches in awe.  The phone on the end table next to him rings, yet he is so absorbed in the fight that he ignores the ringing.  Akiko has Godzilla in a headlock and begins to administer a “noogie”.  The phone continues to ring, getting louder with every ring.
                

Hiro obediently answers the phone.


Hiro hangs up the phone and rolls over to see Akiko sleeping soundly next to him.  He glances around the room only to see that everything is still intact.


INT. BOARDROOM – DAY

Hiro is dressed in a nice - if somewhat outdated -business suit.  While his boss drones endlessly in the background, Hiro is desperately trying to look out the corner of his eye at the man seated across from him in the darkened boardroom. Hiro has realized that Urinowa is the new client.  He glances nervously at the pens in his pocket.

As the camera pulls back from Hiro, the immaculately dressed business Ninja comes into view seated at Hiro’s side. The presentation finishes to polite applause and handshakes.  The Boss makes his way over to Hiro.


Hiro looks relieved to be leaving the room.  The Ninja follows him out a few seconds later, giving a knowing nod to Urinowa as he goes.


INT. ELEVATOR – DAY

The “business” Ninja and enters the elevator directly behind Hiro.


The Ninja presses a button for the parking level, but his finger passes over the “1” button.  The elevator door slides shut.


Hiro reaches past the Ninja to press the button only to have a handcuff slapped on his wrist.  The Ninja smoothly twists his arm behind his back, slamming Hiro face-first into the wall of the elevator.  Hiro’s other wrist has been cuffed before he even realizes what is happening.


A quick blow to the back, and Hiro crumples to the floor.  An extreme close up of Hiro shows him desperately trying to trigger the homing pen in his pocket with his nose as he lies on the floor.


The Ninja follows his words with a kick to the small of Hiro’s back.


The Ninja grabs Hiro and easily throws him over one shoulder.  Hiro uses the chance to try to activate his tracking device with his nose again.  Instead, he manages to knock all the pens out of his own pocket.  Most land on the floor, but one lands in the Ninja’s suit pocket.


INT. UNDERGROUND PARKING RAMP – DAY

A dark sedan with heavily tinted windows pulls up.  The Ninja tosses Hiro in the back seat and then climbs in behind him.  


The DRIVER guns the engine and the sedan speeds off towards the exit.


INT. DARK SEDAN – DAY

The dark sedan races across industrial Los Angeles, heading for the ocean.  Hiro finds that he has time to kill in the car ride.  He takes the opportunity to try and gets some answers from the Ninja.


Only silence from the Ninja.



EXT. NAVAL DOCK – DAY

The dark sedan approaches the end of a dock only to be cut off by another sedan and have its escape blocked by two more.  Nearly a dozen men pile out of the three unmarked cars.


The driver locks and loads the clip on an UZI machinegun while the Ninja draws out a sleek automatic pistol with one hand and a modern spring-loaded version of a kusari-gama with the other.  With the press of a button the sickle like blade of the kusari-gama snaps into place.


The gunfire erupts the moment the car doors open.  Hiro scrambles for cover inside the car as glass and bullets fly.  Suddenly the passenger door is yanked open and the Hulking Agent Johnson pulls Hiro out of the car by his collar.



EXT. STREET NEAR DOCK - DAY

The Hulking Agent Johnson hustles Hiro away from the gun battle; Hiro’s feet hardly touch the ground.  They duck behind the corner of the nearest warehouse.  Hulking Agent Johnson braces himself, strains and then snaps the chain on Hiro’s handcuffs.


The Hulking Agent Johnson draws his badge and steps out into the street in front of the first available car, a yellow and white 1960’s VW Bus complete with a lava lamp mounted on the dashboard.  The bus screeches to a halt.  Hulking Agent Johnson opens the door and grabs what might be the bus’s original owner, pulling him out with a single smooth motion.  Captain and Tenille’s Love Will Keep Us Together can be heard playing from the radio.


Hulking Agent Johnson pushes Hiro into the driver’s seat and slams the door behind him.


Hiro grinds the clutch and heads off down the road leaving a cloud of smoke and every indication that a poor choice was made in the selection of getaway vehicles.  Hulking Agent Johnson sprints back toward the gun battle that still rages.


EXT. NAVAL DOCK – DAY

Bodies are scattered across the dock.  Only two combatants remain standing, a wounded Short Agent Johnson and the Ninja.

A weighted steel cable flies from the Ninja’s high tech kusari-gama and wraps around Short Agent Johnson’s monstrous automatic pistol.  With a snap of the cable, the pistol slides across the dock, coming to rest at the Ninja’s feet.  

Now disarmed, Short Agent Johnson strikes a hand to hand combat pose.  The effort seems wasted as the  Ninja’s first kick carries Short Agent Johnson over the edge of the dock into the water far below.  

A look of satisfaction comes over the Ninja’s face.  The Ninja turns only to have his smirk met with a blow from the Hulking Agent Johnson.  The blow from Agent Johnson is well landed; the Ninja staggers back attempting to regain his composure.  The two adversaries begin to circle, sizing each other up.

                
Hulking Agent Johnson removes his jacket and drops it on the ground, placing his gun, a tiny revolver, and holster on top of it.  The Ninja folds up his kusari-gama, sliding it into a holster on its legs.  Everything grows quiet as each waits for the other to make their move.

The two spring at each other, the Ninja with a scream, the agent with a grunt. Hulking Agent Johnson moves with incredible speed and skill but it quickly becomes obvious the Ninja is both stronger and faster. The agent takes two blows for every one he gives. Finally, after several brutal attacks, Agent Johnson goes down.


Agent Johnson looks at his gun for a moment, but turns back to face the Ninja instead. Agent Johnson lands the next blow but it is not enough to turn the tide. The Ninja continues giving him a savage beating.

The agent staggers backward, pausing, trying futilely to regain his strength.  The Ninja smugly gives the “come-and-get-your-ass-kicked” hand motion. The pained expression on Agent Johnson’s battered face turns briefly to shock, then hardens into a look of steely resolve through the blood and bruises.


A shadow passes over the dock an instant before the Ninja disappears under Godzilla’s armored foot.  The dock explodes into splinters.  Godzilla announces his arrival with a roar.

This is not the campy man-in-the-suit Godzilla of Hiro’s dreams.  This is Godzilla as the elemental force of nature that has come to punish mankind for his follies.  The earth shakes with the impact of each step.


EXT. BUS STOP – DAY

A brief shot of our hapless hippie staring up in disbelief at Godzilla’s landfall.  Car alarms and civil defense sirens begin to wail.



EXT. HOTEL BALCONY - DAY

Akiko is furiously taking photos of Godzilla with a gigantic telephoto lens.  She can barely contain her excitement. The sun is just starting to set. Strains of Right Said Fred’s “I’m Too Sexy” can be heard drifting out of one of the nearby hotel rooms.


A montage of Akiko’s photos flash across the screen punctuated by the sound of the camera shutter.  The images capture Godzilla in the brilliant colors of the setting sun.  Akiko is obviously not an amateur photographer.


EXT. VW BUS – SUNSET

While panic seems to grip the entire city, Hiro patiently waits for a stoplight to turn green.  The crosswalk is filled with a panicked mob. Godzilla’s roar rolls across the valley like thunder.  We see a view of Godzilla in the VW Bus’s rear view mirror.  
The mob exits the crosswalk just as the light changes to green.  Hiro grinds the gears and heads up into the hills.  The blinking of the engine warning light on the VW Bus’s dashboard goes unnoticed by Hiro.

The red engine warning light cuts to the emergency alarm light mounted on a wall in the military command center.


INT. MILITARY COMMAND CENTER, G-COMMAND – SUNSET

The General stands at the center of a high tech command center barking orders to the surrounding staff.  He is the epitome of the American cowboy warrior – a cross between Patton and John Wayne.

The giant screen at the front of the room shows a satellite image of Los Angeles.  Godzilla is clearly visible as is his path of destruction.  Surrounding monitors flash data of every type imaginable, from infrared imaging to the stock market’s reaction.


The General hangs up the phone and barks orders to the room.
            


EXT. CROSSWALK - SUNSET

The crosswalk where Hiro was stopped only minutes before is now deserted.  The traffic signal turns green and Godzilla’s foot lands, filling the entire intersection.  Godzilla is gaining on Hiro.  The foot lifts away leaving a deep crater in its wake.
    

EXT. VW BUS – SUNSET

Hiro tries to coax the VW Bus up the hill, but the engine only gasps and dies.  He climbs out of the VW in frustration and begins to scramble up the side of the mountain.  

Hiro tries not look back, but the sound of Godzilla’s approach is all but impossible to ignore. The impacts of Godzilla’s footsteps send loose dirt and small rocks cascading down the mountain, hindering Hiro’s accent. A quick glance over his shoulder is all it takes to spur him on.


EXT. HOLLYWOOD SIGN - SUNSET

Out of breath, Hiro reaches a flat spot on the mountain and realizes where he is.  


Hiro pulls out a small disposable camera, aims upward and takes a picture. The camera pulls back.  Hiro is now standing between the legs of the letter “H” of the famous “Hollywood” sign.   

The sound of Godzilla’s approach is replaced by the sound of Godzilla’s breathing.  Hiro turns around to find himself at eye level with the king of all monsters who is standing at the base of the mountain.  Hiro is shaking so badly that he seems on the verge of collapse.  The disposable camera drops from his hand.


Godzilla leans in closer, for a moment seeming to almost recognize Hiro, then rears back menacingly.


Godzilla’s roar threatens to lift Hiro off his feet.  The “Hollywood” sign shakes like card board.


This roar erupts into Godzilla’s atomic breath. We see HIRO as a x-ray image for an instant before he is lost in the flash.  The scale of the energy released is beyond imagination.

The “Hollywood” sign curls and bursts into flames in the moment before the shock wave hits and obliterates it.  The entire top of the mountain shutters and then gives way as the beam of energy cuts a canyon straight through solid rock.

Cars and trees are thrown into the air like toys as the shock wave rolls outward.  A mushroom cloud boils upward in a scene reminiscent of the early atomic tests.  

The devastation can be seen unfolding across the bank of video screens inside the command center.


INT. MILITARY COMMAND CENTER – SUNSET

The room shutters from the shock wave, the electronics are covered with static and interference but are still functioning.  The satellite image shows a line of destruction stretching eastward from Godzilla’s position.



INT. SUBMARINE MISSILE SILO – SUNSET

The camera pans across a long line of missile launching tubes.  The camera pauses on one that has been decorated with a cartoonish image of Godzilla followed by the word “BUSTER” after it.



EXT. OCEAN – SUNSET

A calming view of the sunset over the ocean is suddenly shattered as a missile explodes out of the water from an unseen submarine below.  Jets ignite as the booster falls away, propelling the missile towards its target with an unearthly howl.  The dark and jagged missile streaks towards Godzilla like a harpoon from the whaling ships of the past.


INT. MILITARY COMMAND CENTER, G-COMMAND – SUNSET

A radar screen tracks the progress of the missile towards Godzilla.
            


EXT. CITYSCAPE – SUNSET

Godzilla is following his own path of destruction back toward the ocean.  Suddenly alert, Godzilla hears the howling approach of the missile a moment before impact.

The missile disappears into Godzilla’s chest like a bullet.  The king of monsters recoils from the blow but the injury seems minor.  A few seconds pass before the missile detonates.

The explosion rips a hole straight through Godzilla.  Flames pour from his chest and back.  Godzilla collapses with a roar that sends a stream of blood spraying across the landscape.  The wound looks mortal.


EXT. HOTEL BALCONY – SUNSET

Akiko gasps at the thunderous fall of Godzilla.  


EXT. CITYSCAPE – SUNSET

Now covered in blood, Godzilla fights to stand.  Instead he collapses forward, destroying a high-rise in his fall.  His roar sounds labored and weak.  The sun sinks below the horizon.


INT. MILITARY COMMAND CENTER, G-COMMAND – NIGHT

The command center staff is ecstatic.  Some of the young staff members are jumping up and down in celebration.



EXT. MISSILE – NIGHT

The camera shot moves with the second missile as it skims over the water towards the burning city.  The scream of the engines is deafening.  Godzilla can be seen in the distant flames.


EXT. CITYSCAPE – NIGHT

Godzilla struggles to his feet.  He scans the burning cityscape in a vain attempt to find his attacker.  He roars a challenge to his unseen foes.

For a moment there is silence, then a familiar but distant howl can be heard in the air.  Godzilla rears, releasing his atomic breath not at the horizon, but at the ground directly before him.  The ground bubbles with atomic energy, seeming to build towards critical mass.  

Godzilla abruptly cuts off his breath, triggering a shock wave that rolls out in all directions.  Godzilla stands at the center of the maelstrom.


EXT. MISSILE – NIGHT

The camera moves with the missile toward the coming atomic storm.  As the blast wave hits, the smooth approach of the missile suddenly becomes an erratic roller coaster ride.  The camera follows the missile as it briefly fights to regain control, then crashes into the cityscape.


EXT. HOTEL BALCONY – NIGHT

Akiko shields her eyes from the flash of Godzilla’s breath.  She looks out to see the fiery shock wave rolling out across the city and towards her hotel.



INT. JAPANESE SCHOOLROOM – DAY

Akiko flashes back to her schoolgirl days where we see the teacher directing the students to hide under their desk in case of monster attack.  

The prim and proper school teacher points to a cartoonish illustration of Godzilla on the blackboard to start the drill. All the children slide out of their desks and take cover under them like practiced professionals.

The scene is shot in black and white.  The only sound is that of the approaching shock wave.


INT. HOTEL ROOM – NIGHT

Akiko races inside, looks around, then throws the wardrobe doors open and pulls the entire unit over on top of herself.  The lights go out as the shock wave hits.


INT. MILITARY COMMAND CENTER – NIGHT

The lights flicker at the command center as the emergency power comes on within seconds. The General stares in horror as he looks up at the satellite image of Los Angeles.  The immense destruction is displayed in countless ways across the variety of screens.




EXT. RUINS OF LOS ANGELES – DAY

The rubble still smolders as ambulances and fire trucks crisscross the city looking for survivors.  The camera pans across the scene of destruction, across Hiro’s bare butt, and back to more carnage.

Hiro stumbles down from the hills naked, confused and dirty but unhurt.  He is surprisingly buff for a mild mannered office employee.  A great deal of his hair has been burned away, in effect giving him a hip new haircut.

Hiro wanders into the rubble-filled street.  A PASSERBY notices his confused condition.



The Passerby points to a clothing store with a partially collapsed façade.


Hiro stumbles toward the entrance across the rubble strewn street.


INT. CLOTHING STORE - DAY

Hiro stands in front of a cracked mirror partially dressed.  He sees himself as he finishes pulling a rugged sweater over his head.  Hiro inspects the image staring back at him from the mirror; it is nearly a stranger.  

He reaches up to touch his face, as if to confirm his own existence.  A new look of resolve dawns across Hiro’s reflection.  A great distance separates the Hiro that turns away from the mirror from the man who entered the store.


EXT. RUINS OF LOS ANGELES – DAY

Hiro, now clothed and coherent, begins to make his way across the rubble of Los Angeles towards his hotel.  The destruction is massive but the city seems strangely quiet.  Hiro continues until he sees a group of survivors waiting in line to enter a small but mostly intact shop, Joe’s Electronics.


Hiro starts to head off down the street, pauses for a moment, and then steps into the back of the line.


INT. TEMPLE/LABORATORY – DAY

A cell phone on a work table rings.  It is picked up by the Ninja, who is wearing a neck brace and variety of casts.  He winces with pain as he hands the phone past Akiko and to Urinowa.


Akiko, wearing one of the ceremonial lab coats,  sits nearly emotionless on a stool between Urinowa and the Ninja.

The shrine itself is a flurry of activity as technicians/worshipers put the finishing touches on a large womb-like metal pod at the center of the techno-altar.  Occasional bursts of light flash from the welders working feverishly.


Akiko appears to be very attentive to the conversation but still emotionally hard to read.  A technician hands a note to the Ninja.  It reads: Trace complete, 33° 56' N 118° 24' W.  The ninja exits the temple, ripping off his neck brace and throwing it to the ground as he goes.



INT. JOE’S ELECTRONICS – DAY

Hiro hands the phone to JOE, who promptly hands it to the next person in line.


Hiro starts to leave but gets sidetracked by the walls of wires and gizmos.  A look that might be read as mischief or defiance crosses Hiro’s face.



EXT. TEMPLE/LABORATORY/SUPERTANKER – DAY

The Ninja sits next to a handcuffed Hiro in a helicopter as it approaches the massive supertanker.              



Hiro watches as one of the supertanker’s cargo hatches opens to reveal a landing platform for several helicopters.  The hatches close overhead once the helicopter has entered the ship.


INT. TEMPLE/LABORATORY – DAY

The temple/laboratory is bustling with activity as the technicians/worshipers make the final preparations.


The chanting dies away as Hiro is brought into the temple by the Ninja and two guard/worshipers.  A wave of murmurs washes across the temple floor.  Akiko, sitting on a stool, is flanked by two female geisha/guards.  Urinowa raises his hands in triumph and moves to greet Hiro.


The Ninja escorts Hiro past Akiko to an exam chair facing the central shrine. Hiro and Akiko’s eyes meet for only an instant as they pass.  The guard/worshipers remove Hiro’s handcuffs and begin strapping him into the chair, attaching a band of electrodes to his head once he is secure.


Urinowa throws a switch that sends a painful pulse through Hiro’s body.  Monitors around the room show a variety of information, including the visual representation of Hiro’s brainwaves.  The low chanting is replaced with a similar deep tone, the sound of Hiro’s brainwaves amplified a thousand times.


Akiko’s two guards restrain her without much difficulty.  A TECHNICIAN speaks up from his control station.



EXT. SPECIAL OPERATION ASSAULT BOAT – DAY

Both Short Agent Johnson and the battered Hulking Agent Johnson are dressed in black combat fatigues along with twenty other special operations agents.  Between the agents is Joe from Joe’s Electronics.  Joe is holding a tracking device and relaying information to the captain of the fast moving vessel.


EXT. OCEAN – DAY

Godzilla churns through the ocean waves toward the supertanker, drawn by the projection of Hiro’s brainwaves.  The wound from the G-Buster missile is still very prominent.


EXT. TEMPLE/LABORATORY/SUPERTANKER – DAY

The supertanker’s central cargo hatch slides open to make way for what appears to be an eight-story tall radar dish.  The dish rises out of the ship, unfolding like a flower.  It opens to a position facing directly towards the oncoming Godzilla.


EXT. SPECIAL OPERATION ASSAULT BOAT – DAY

The relatively tiny assault boat pulls alongside the metal hull of the supertanker that towers above.  The deep rumble of the supertanker’s engines nearly drowns out the agents’ attempt to communicate.


The agents take up their positions along the side of the boat.  They aim small compressed air grappling hook launchers skyward.  Hulking Agent Johnson makes a hand signal and fires his launcher.  The silent retrieval mechanism kicks-in a moment later and he quickly ascends the wall of the ship alone.

Hulking Agent Johnson peers over the bottom edge of the supertanker’s main deck, scanning for targets with his small but deadly looking machine gun.  He sees that the guards are all gathered at the other side of the ship, watching the approach of Godzilla.  Hulking Agent Johnson motions for the team to follow.


INT. TEMPLE/LABORATORY – DAY

The temple hums with power and activity.  Dozens of worshipers have begun a chant that matches the tone of Hiro’s amplified brainwaves.  The Ninja has taken his position behind a series of control panels.  Hiro struggles with both his restraints and the pain caused by the brainwave projector.  Akiko still sits quietly, flanked by the two guards/worshipers.  

Urinowa is strapped into the metal womb-like structure at the center of techno-altar.  He is now its focus.


The Ninja presses a sequence into a keypad.  A series of threatening needles, tubes, and blades extend themselves menacingly towards Urinowa from the inside of the womb’s walls.  They pause for a moment, hovering above his flesh.  A mask filled with tubes and sensors floats over Urinowa’s head.
                

The Ninja presses a single button.  The probes and needles lunge forward into Urinowa’s flesh.  His screams are quickly muffled as the mask slides over his face.  The apparatus seems to be sucking the blood from his body and replacing them with a hideous assortment of unnatural fluids.

The Ninja and technicians monitor the progress.  Satisfied, the Ninja touches the controls that bring the metal womb closed around Urinowa.  Now even the muffled screams are gone. The entire techno-altar comes to life in preparation for the birth.

Suddenly an explosion rumbles through the temple.  Gunfire echoes through the metal halls of the supertanker.  An alarm sounds.  The Ninja scrolls through views on a monitor until he finds a gun battle between temple worshipers and the government assault forces.  

The image on the monitor shows a well-trained combat unit shooting and fighting their way across a cargo hold.  The temple’s security seems incapable of stopping the government forces.


The worshipers, technicians and guards draw a variety of weapons from within their uniforms and rush out of the shrine towards the sound of gunfire.

Akiko is left with only one guard.  She takes advantage of the situation, grabs a piece of equipment and smashes it over her guard’s head.


Akiko rushes to Hiro and begins frantically unbuckling his restraints.  When Hiro reaches up and rips the band of sensors from his head, the low pulse of the brainwave amplifier shuts off.


EXT. OCEAN – DAY

Godzilla has come within half a mile of the supertanker.  As the brainwave projector shuts off, Godzilla pauses in his approach.



INT. TEMPLE/LABORATORY – DAY

Godzilla’s roar mixes with the sound of gunfire that seems to be just outside the shrine’s main door.  The Ninja sees Akiko freeing Hiro and starts to move to stop her but pauses.  Instead he turns, breaks the glass cover over a large red button and presses it.


Hiro finally struggles free from the chair.  He and Akiko run for the exit as giant doors begin to slide shut.


Just as the doors are about to close, the familiar figure of Hulking Agent Johnson steps between them.  Both he and the giant metal doors groan as the door’s progress comes to a complete stop.  Akiko squeezes between Hulking Agent Johnson’s legs and into the hall beyond.

Akiko looks back in horror to see that Hiro hasn’t made it.  Hiro is laying on the floor, his legs tangled in the steel cable from the Ninja’s kusari-gama.  The Ninja lets a throwing star fly, it strikes the Hulking Agent Johnson at the base of his neck.  The agent groans, the doors slide six inches closer together.


The Ninja and Hulking Agent Johnson make eye contact.  The Ninja rolls another throwing star over his fingers like a coin and then lets it fly.

Hulking Agent Johnson steps back. The massive doors slam shut catching the back half of the throwing star on its way through the closing door, stopping it only inches from Hulking Agent Johnson’s face.

Hiro tries to untangle his leg to no avail.  The Ninja yanks Hiro across the room with the cord from his kusari-gama.  The Ninja’s strength is so great that Hiro is lifted off the ground only to be kicked back down by the Ninja.  The battered Hiro slides to a stop next to the chair he was confined in moments earlier.

The Ninja is on top of him before Hiro can scramble to his feet, picking Hiro up and slamming him back into the chair.  The restraints are slapped back on his wrists, as is the band of sensors on his head.  Hiro winces in pain; the sound of the brainwave projector is restored.


EXT. OCEAN – DAY

Godzilla is now very close.  The resumption of the projector elicits a massive roar.



INT. TEMPLE/LABORATORY – DAY

The Ninja barks orders to one of the few remaining technicians in the shrine.


Hiro screams as he fights the pain of the machine and his own restraints.  



EXT. OCEAN – DAY
 
Godzilla shakes his head violently, trying to drive away the piercing sounds being delivered directly into his brain.  Godzilla sizes up the ship, now sensing that it is the enemy.  He rears back and unleashes his atomic breath.

Godzilla’s breath streaks across the horizon bends towards the massive collector dish, striking it with full force.  The metal dish glows from the heat, but there is no explosion.  The atomic breath continues to stream from Godzilla’s mouth, now obviously against his will.  

The real function of the supertanker has become clear; it is a massive collector capable of sucking away both Godzilla’s power and his life.

INT. TEMPLE/LABORATORY – DAY

The shrine is crackling with energy.  The metal womb glows like the sun, the outline of a monstrous fetus can be seen within.  Waves of force drive the technicians and loose equipment away from the shrine.  The Ninja must yell to be heard over the screech of energy coursing through the shrine.  


The Ninja drives the blade of his kusari-gama into Hiro’s stomach.  Hiro’s face contorts.  He opens his mouth, strains forward as if to speak, but instead unleashes his own atomic breath.  The Ninja’s surprised face is seen as an x-ray a moment before the entire shrine disappears into a flash of light.


EXT. OCEAN – DAY

Godzilla’s breath still streams toward the ship, but the energy is thin and wispy.  Godzilla teeters on the edge of collapse.  Suddenly, a bolt of energy erupts from within the ship, roughly cutting the supertanker in half as it arcs skyward.  

The entire ship quickly disappears in the massive explosion of energy and flames that follows.  With the ship no longer drawing his energy, Godzilla collapses into the sea.  

The sea surrounding the area of the destroyed supertanker is crackling with energy.  The boiling water pulses to the beat of a monstrous new heart.  Finally, a massive beast explodes upwards from the sea.  The Chimera is born.


EXT. OCEAN SKY – DAY

Urinowa has been reborn as the Chimera, the genetic offspring of the monsters whose DNA he went to such great lengths to obtain. Like the beast of legend, the Chimera resembles a kit of ghastly parts combined to form a horrific monster.

The Chimera rises.  Its forearms are the sickle bladed arms of Gigan hanging below the dreadful wings of Destroya.  At its front, the heads of Gammera, Angilas and Battra.  Its tail, one of the mighty heads of King Gihdra.  Chimera’s back has Angilas’ spiny armor while its underside gleams with reflective metallic scales.  Chimera’s roar sings out like a monstrous choir.

Chimera swoops down on the nearly lifeless form of Godzilla, tearing into him with bladed talons, lifting Godzilla into the sky and flying away toward the coast.


EXT. SPECIAL OPERATION ASSAULT BOAT – DAY

The assault boat cruises slowly through the burning debris-filled waters left behind by the destruction of the supertanker.


Akiko and the two Agent Johnsons rush to the side of the boat to help pull the naked Hiro from the water.  Other than a thin red mark on his stomach, Hiro appears to be fine.


Akiko is practically smothering Hiro with her bosoms as the two embrace.


Hiro pries himself apart from Akiko to address agents Johnson and Johnson.


The two agents look at each other.



INT. MILITARY COMMAND CENTER, G-COMMAND – DAY

The high tech command center now tracks the progress of the monstrous titans into the San Francisco Bay area.  The camera shifts from monitor to monitor as the General speaks.


The General hands the phone to one of his aides.  
                    


EXT. CLOUDS ABOVE SAN FRANCISCO – DAY

Chimera has carried the helpless Godzilla up to a tremendous altitude.  San Francisco can be seen through the occasional hole in the clouds far below.  Chimera roars its mighty chorus and then drops the King of Monsters like a rag doll.

Godzilla falls in silence. The camera follows his descent.  The silence disappears in the roar of the wind as Godzilla accelerates through the clouds.  The city and the Golden Gate Bridge can be made out far below.  The view is centered on the bridge, Godzilla’s shadow grows ominously over the landmark.

Godzilla strikes the bridge with an unimaginable impact.  The suspension bridge rolls with the force like a giant sign wave.  Water and earth explode upward, the earth shakes.  

The dust settles, Godzilla lays half on land, half in the ocean.  The only remnants of the bridge are the great steel piers that still stretch skyward with the tangled remains of the suspension cables.

Godzilla does not move.


EXT. SMOKE-FILLED SKY ABOVE SAN FRANCISCO – DAY

Chimera swoops down across San Francisco.  The breath weapons from its many heads slice across the city as it goes.  Waves of fighter jets chase after the monster, firing volley after volley of missiles to little effect.  Tank fire from the ground doesn’t even seem to raise Chimera’s interest.

Finally, a salvo from the big guns of a battleship in the harbor shows that the Chimera might not be impervious to attack.  Angered, the Chimera turns its attention to the battleship, diving down upon it and splitting it in half with its great metal talons.  

From the harbor, Chimera moves out into the city, continuing its path of destruction.  The flames and smoke have all but turned day into night.


EXT. SPECIAL OPERATION ASSAULT BOAT – DAY

As the battle with Chimera rages in San Francisco, the assault boat runs ashore only a few hundred yards down the beach from where the fallen Godzilla’s head lays.


Akiko pushes past one of the agents.  Hiro, now wearing military fatigues, moves to hold her back, but he finds himself embraced in a deep kiss instead.


Hiro turns to Hulking Agent Johnson.


The huge hand of Hulking Agent Johnson takes Akiko’s shoulder gently as she begins to cry.  Hiro climbs over the side of the boat and heads down the beach towards Godzilla.  The boat backs away from the shore and heads back into the churning ocean.


EXT. HEAD OF FALLEN GODZILLA – DAY

Hiro approaches the fallen Godzilla with caution and reverence.  Godzilla’s head rests on shore at the edge of the crater created by his fall.  The King of Monsters shows no signs of life, his mouth hangs slightly open - a vast cavern.  His body stretchees away into the bay like a newly formed mountain range.

Hiro’s hand shakes as he reaches out to touch the face of Godzilla.  Hiro pauses, nearly unable to breathe.   He gathers his courage and touches Godzilla’s monstrous jaw.  Nothing happens.  Hiro exhales and places his hand fully against the lifeless Godzilla.


Hiro’s voice echoes back from Godzilla’s lifeless jaws.


His body begins to crackle with energy.  Hiro’s aura builds for a moment and then ignites.  Energy explodes from his mouth and rushes into Godzilla’s gaping jaws.

The energy illuminates Godzilla from the inside before it leaps outwards in all directions, raising a massive explosion.  The flames and smoke obscure the rise of the form within, but the ear-shattering roar makes Godzilla’s return unmistakable.


EXT. FIGHTER COCKPIT – DAY

A high tech fighter aircraft zigs and zags through the smoke-filled sky.  A fighter pilot tries in vain to raise contact with the rest of his squadron.


The pilot’s expression changes from concern to determination.  


Delta Leader swings his fighter around for one final pass at Chimera.  His guns and missiles blaze on target but he is met with a wall of flames from the Gammera-like head.

The fighter plane goes wildly out of control as the inside of the cockpit fills with smoke and flames.  Unable to regain control, Delta Leader ejects from the plane.


EXT. PARCHUTE – DAY

Delta Leader drifts over the devastated city, he looks down upon hearing the chorus-like roar of Chimera.  Below, Chimera’s tail, one of the heads of King Gihdra, yawns wide to meet the tasty morsel as it descends.

As Delta Leader descends into the gaping maw, he draws his service pistol and begins shooting into the waiting darkness as a final act of defiance.


MATCH CUT:

From the camera travelling into the toothy mouth of Gihdra, to a camera travelling out of the cavernous jaws of Godzilla as he roars a challenge to the mighty Chimera.


EXT. SAN FRANCISCO RUINS – DAY

The ground shakes as Godzilla strides across the burning remains of San Francisco toward Chimera.  A calm settles across the ruins as the two titans size each other up.


EXT. SPECIAL OPERATIONS ASSAULT BOAT – DAY

Akiko and the agents watch in awe as the two monsters prepare for battle.  All are silent in anticipation of the coming clash.


EXT. CRATER OF FALLEN GODZILLA – DAY

Hiro stands naked and smoldering next to the empty crater that marked Godzilla’s fall to earth.  He appears weak; staring past the horrific sight that is about to unfold before him.

Miles away on the horizon, Godzilla and Chimera are approaching each other for combat, Hiro appears to stands between them.  A trick of foreshortening makes all three appear to be the same size.  Hiro raises his arms.  For a moment the three look like they have come together to embrace as a family.


EXT. SAN FRANCISCO RUINS – DAY

Godzilla rears back, making the first move, unleashing a burst of his atomic breath.  The arc of breath streaks toward Chimera, striking the metallic scales that cover much of his body.  The energy reflects erratically, doing more damage to the surrounding area than to Chimera.

Chimera returns the attack with three separate breath weapons at once.  Godzilla is driven backwards by the onslaught.  Chimera charges across the ground, leaping airborne at the last possible moment to deliver a savage blow to Godzilla’s head with his sickle-like forearms.

Godzilla goes down with a spray of blood.  Chimera, now airborne, circles back and strafes the prone Godzilla with the flames and energy from its heads.  Godzilla struggles to his feet.  Chimera circles around for another pass.

Chimera approaches again from the air, this time Godzilla and Chimera unleash their breath weapons at the same time.  Godzilla is again knocked off his feet, but his atomic breath streaks upwards finding its target.

The beam of energy from Godzilla’s breath punches a hole in Chimera’s wing, bringing the beast down to earth with a tremendous crash.  Both titans return to their feet and approach each other to melee.  Neither shows any sign of hesitation or fear.

Chimera attacks with a flurry of savage biting and claw attacks.  Godzilla returns the attacks, but it is obvious he is at a disadvantage.  Chimera’s attacks are simply too numerous and begin to overwhelm Godzilla.  Godzilla’s breath seems to do little real damage to Chimera.

Godzilla goes down, bleeding from the numerous wounds inflicted by his foe.  Chimera pushes his advantage with another round of breath attacks.  Despite his injuries, Godzilla rises again to continue his battle claw to claw.  


EXT. SPECIAL OPERATION ASSAULT BOAT – DAY

Akiko, the agents, and the crew of the assault boat watch the combat in stunned silence… all except for Hulking Agent Johnson.  Hulking Agent Johnson picks up a communication headset.



INT. MILITARY COMMAND CENTER, G-COMMAND – DAY

The General hangs up the phone and stares up at the images of destruction arrayed before him.


The General stares up at the monitors with the look of someone who doesn’t know the meaning of the word “surrender”.  He reaches for a radio headset.


EXT. SAN FRANCISCO RUINS – DAY

Godzilla’s wounds have grown much more serious, his attacks weaker.  Chimera advances relentlessly, and Godzilla teeters on the edge of defeat.  For an instant, a strangely familiar mechanical scream can be heard on the wind.  Even with his injuries, the sound seems to register to Godzilla.

Godzilla lunges at Chimera, grabbing his opponent and twisting his enemy into the path of the approaching G-Buster missile.  The missile slams home deep into Chimera’s chest.

Chimera looks surprised by the wound, the King Ghidra-like head draws in close to inspect the wound. The missile explodes with the Ghidra-like head at point blank range, sending it reeling in a spray of blood and flames.  Chimera’s tails falls to the ground stunned and limp.

Chimera threatens to collapse from the wound but finds itself supported by Godzilla instead. Godzilla holds his foe upright with one arm while pummeling him with a series of savage blows with the other.  The tables have turned.  Godzilla drives forward, gaining ground and momentum with each attack.

The battle-ending blow comes as Godzilla drives his fist deep into the wound left by the G-Buster.  The Chimera roars a mighty death knell and collapses.  Godzilla roars in victory.


EXT. SPECIAL OPERATION ASSAULT BOAT – DAY

Akiko is ecstatic, jumping on top of Short Agent Johnson as the crew cheers in victory.

INT. MILITARY COMMAND CENTER, G-COMMAND – DAY

The General is smiling and the staff is celebrating.  They have totally lost their military composure.


The General draws his pistol and shoots into the ceiling in celebration.


EXT. CRATER OF FALLEN GODZILLA – DAY

Hiro shows no sign of jubilation.  He shakes his head slowly as if in a trance.  His voice is hoarse and distant.


Hiro collapses onto the sand.


EXT. SAN FRANCISCO RUINS – DAY

Chimera’s wound begins to bubble and pulse with energy and blood.  Suddenly a Biolante-like tentacle emerges from the wound, swaying threateningly, snapping out at Godzilla.

Godzilla answers by blanketing Chimera’s body with his atomic breath.  The attack has the opposite of the desired effect.  The tentacles multiply as the body bloats with the newly-found energy.  Some of the appendages begin to form entirely new monstrous heads.

Godzilla pauses before unleashing a mighty roar, a final challenge.  Again he unleashes his atomic breath, but this time he begins to superheat the ground between himself and Chimera.  His breath does not let up, there is no explosion, the energy only continues to build with the unimaginable power.


EXT. SPECIAL OPERATION ASSAULT BOAT – DAY

Akiko and Agents Johnson and Johnson have fallen silent.  They watch in awe as Godzilla’s atomic energy begins to accumulate in the ground at his feet.  The light is so bright that all must shield their eyes.  The roar of energy is deafening.


Akiko’s voice is lost in the ever-increasing roar of energy.


EXT. SAN FRANCISCO RUINS – DAY

The superheated center of the atomic storm begins to sink into the earth.  Godzilla has in effect brought about a China Syndrome on a massive scale.  The surrounding area quickly begins to vaporize as the earth itself becomes a molten whirlpool.  The ground beneath the Chimera begins to slide toward the center of the storm.

Chimera’s tentacles thrash wildly as they search for something heavy enough to stop its descent, several lash onto Godzilla’s leg.  Godzilla is pulled off his feet and into molten earth as the area reaches critical mass.  

The two titans continue to fight as they begin to fall through the superheated rock toward the earth’s molten core.  Godzilla is last to disappear below the surface; he does so with one final roar.  

All that remains is a lake of molten rock that quickly begins to cool into an expanse of black glass.  The sun finally manages to break through the thick clouds of smoke that had all but turned day into night.  Angelic rays of light cast down to illuminate the spot of earth that shall forever mark Godzilla’s battle with Chimera.


INT. HOSPITAL PATIENT ROOM – DAY

Hiro opens his eyes to see a smiling Akiko, a doctor and both agents Johnson and Johnson watching over his bed.  Upon seeing Hiro’s eyes flicker open, Akiko nearly smothers him with kisses.



CUT TO:
CLOSING CREDITS

The closing credits are accompanied by the overwrought musical score from the movie’s opening documentary as well as a series of family photos:

The first image shows a very pregnant Akiko with Hiro flashing peace signs to the camera in front of Mount Fuji.  

The second image shows Hiro with a toddler.  The toddler’s pajamas are designed to make him look like a cute little version of Godzilla, complete with a soft tail and fluffy paws on his feet.

The third image shows Akiko holding a birthday cake decorated with little cake skyscrapers surrounding a lit Godzilla candle with the number “3” on its chest.

The final image shows a child, covered in cake and frosting, using the Godzilla candle to smash and rampage through the cake buildings.

FADE OUT.

THE END

A classic love story of a man and a woman swept up in the cataclysmic battle between Godzilla and a cult’s genetic monstrosity.  The real hook for Godzilla fans is that the opposing monster is a Chimera, a horrific combination of all their favorite monsters.

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Story © 2003 Matthew Edward Jennings/Visagraph Films International.

KAIJU FAN ONLINE