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Kong has grown to gargantuan proportions, over 160 feet tall. Other beasts have grown as well; Contact with the energy core started a gigantism epidemic. The hostile conditions became too much for the human natives, so they abandoned Skull Island. Their fate is unknown.
Alone and surrounded by enemies in an unsustainable environment, Kong is bitter and depressed, constantly wandering the island. Once a protector of humans, he now mostly ignores them.
In an uncharted area near the center of the island, scientists who've been following clues dropped in the previous film have finally discovered what they have long suspected existed: the remnants of an ancient alien city! Lots of lovecraftian implications.
They try to decipher glyphs, many of which seem to represent the the Kumonga. Ignoring the warning signs that something terrible happened there, causing the abandonment of the city, they tamper with technology they don't understand. They insert a device, the same artifact that Denham died trying to take, into an alien apparatus. This causes lots of rumbling and commotion. A giant energy pulse courses through the atmosphere. In an unseen structure underneath the city, the floor separates and something stirs underneath the Earth.
Around the island, earthquakes once again ensue. A pack of Skull Crawlers is digging at something buried in the upturned soil.
Back at the research facility, the energy pulse caused a temporary power outage. They restore power only to find an ultrasonic noise is interfering with their equipment. They struggle to understand what the noise is and where it's coming from. Kong is agitated; he hears it too.
Unrelated to these events, there is another island many miles away where a fleet of military ships is ready to perform a nuclear test detonation. The procedure is halted when they detect something massive on sonar, heading in the direction of Skull Island.
With power restored at the alien city, the scientists are given access to a giant underground chamber where they find the fossilized remains of one of Godzilla's species (it will be later theorized that this was Godzilla's mate) Yet that is not to be the most fascinating discovery. Studying the remains, they deduce this creature was killed by something even larger and stronger than itself. As they ponder what could've done this, the question is unfortunately answered. The ground underneath them rumbles. The soil shifts and rises. A dozen eyes of various sizes, all belonging to a single being, emerge. The eyes gleam in the light of the lamps, followed by glistening wet fangs...
Elsewhere on the island, two researchers witness Kong come upon the Skull Crawlers. They have unearthed what appears to be a giant egg. The hungry Crawlers break it open and what we see is an infant Kaiju that we will learn is the son of Godzilla. It cries out when the crawlers begin to bite into it. Kong, ever the protector, rushes in and beats the crap out of the Skull Crawlers. Kong can sense that the baby is no ordinary dinosaur, that it has a sentience on par with his own. As it looks to him for comfort, Kong, in his loneliness, adopts Baby Zilla. The researchers look at their test equipment and determine that it was the infant emitting the ultrasonic noise as a call for help.
But who was he calling?
In the distance, one of the beaten Skull Crawlers is slithering away. The ground underneath it erupts and out bursts Queen Spiega, the mother of all giant spiders. Resembling a cross between a tarantula and a spiny orb weaver, she seizes the Crawler in her jaws and enjoys her first meal in a millennia. The arachnid is massive, bigger than Kong. The researchers look through their binoculars and see, to their horror, the bodies of the scientists webbed to her underside. Baby Zilla emits his wail at the presence of danger. Kong quiets him and carries him away to safety.
Spiega is ravenous, and she wants to feed. And to breed. She emits an ungodly shriek, and all over the island, male Kumonga arouse to answer the call of their Queen. Each with the goal of being her mate, they begin a march of predation, capturing anything large enough to be a meal for Spiega.
Kong stays on the move, doing the best he can to feed and nurture the infant, evading or fighting any Kumonga, Kamacuras, or other threats they encounter.
The research facility is attacked. The Kumonga we're already plentiful, but Spiega's call has awakened many more that we're dormant underground.
The tension has been mounting as the object the naval ships are tracking gets ever closer island.
The grand moment finally arrives. Accompanied by a huge tidal wave that nearly wrecks the research facility, washing giant spiders everywhere, Godzilla rises from the water. The researchers are astounded. Of all the incredible beast discovered on Skull Island, nothing compares to this 170 foot behemoth. Hearing the call of his offspring has woken him from a million years slumber.
The fight is on as the Kumonga converge on Big G. He stomps and rends them with notably less effort than Kong. As he stands over their mangled bodies, one really large Kumonga, lying in wait in the manner of a trapdoor spider, bursts from the hillside and sinks it's fangs into G's back. Now G is pissed. He wrestles the spider off his back and holds it in the air at arm's length. As the hideous thing clutches and scrapes at him with it's many legs, G's dorsal fins illuminate, and a torrent of radioactive flame spews from his mouth, completely incinerating the spider's main body. Anyone who wasn't already stunned is now completely flabbergasted. Giant beasts are normal one thing, but a fire breathing dragon?
It is dusk. The sparkling ashes flutter around G. Writhing spider legs lay around him. Then another calamity happens. G gets shelled by artillery from one of the military ships. The folks in the facility try to radio them to stop, trying to tell them what they're up against. But it is for naught. G runs to the beach and lets loose another beam of fire. The ship is destroyed in a great explosion that lights up the horizon.
On a hilltop miles away, Kong can see the explosion. He knows this is not a good sign.
G tends to his wounds. He is not as invulnerable as in other films, but we discover he has a new ability to make up for it. At low levels, his radiation has a regenerative effect. G's fins glow and pulsate, accelerating the healing of his injuries.
The next morning, the researchers send a out a helicopter for reconnaissance. They find Queen Spiega feasting on two of her suitors. The pilots realize she has mated and will soon produce eggs. They radio the info to the research station, but they're message is cut short when Spiega flicks her legs and launches spiny hairs from her underside into the air. They spear through the copter's rotors and frame, sending it plummeting to the ground.
Thus, the humans' subplot for this movie will be their efforts to find and destroy Spiega's nursery before the spiderlings hatch and take over everything. However, Spiega isn't done with breeding. Her suitors continue to hunt.
G finds the hatched egg and takes in the scent he needs to track his offspring. He smells Kong too and is not pleased.
Still in search of safe haven, Kong and Baby Zilla wander through the streets of the desolate alien city. It is night, and a full moon easily illuminates the strange architecture. The two have had many moments bonding and learning from each other. Despite the peril of their situation, Kong is more content than he's been in years. But there is a problem. The child is growing weaker. Kong has done a good job providing for him: food, water, comfort, safety. But there is a biological requirement that Kong can't meet. The very life force is draining from the youngster and he doesn't know why.
Contemplating his next move, Kong walks into a trap. The ground crumbles beneath him and he falls into the giant web of a waiting Kumonga. He struggles to free himself while holding off his assailant. Watching helplessly from the ledge, Baby Zilla is grabbed by another Kumonga. He wails and tries to fight, but the spider's sting sedates him. The wound oozes blood.
G hears the cry of his son and picks up the pace.
The child is dragged away to be fed to the Queen. Enraged, Kong pulls apart the fangs of his attacker, then rams his fist deep down it's throat and pulls it's guts out.
Later, Kong has extricated himself from the web and is standing by the pit pulling the strands from his arms when a tremor rumbles through the earth. He feels it through his body. It happens again, stronger this time.
Something is coming, and he has a good idea what it is.
From G's pov we slowly turn a corner. Screen splits to show the eyes of each monster as they see each other for the first time.
Kong casts down the last of the webbing. G looks at the signs of struggle. He sees the blood on the ground. He smells the scent of his son all over Kong, the ape who's glaring defiantly at him.
G lets loose his trademark roar. Kong beats his chest and does the same. The two iconic titans clash. G is bigger and stronger, but nothing the experienced Kong isn't used to dealing with. The two grapple and wrestle, crashing into the huge towers of the alien city. G tries many times too sink his teeth into his opponent. Kong wrenches at G's jaws and lands many blows. An unkowing observer would think Kong was winning, but the King knows he's not dealing much damage to his nearly impervious foe. He gets G in a headlock and bites at his head, but G's claws slash at his face and he has to let go. G rams with his head, shoving Kong back. Kong tries to rush back at him, but gets smacked rolling by the large tail. He gets up quickly to see G powering up his atomic breath. Kong dashes through the streets using the city structures to shield himself. G intercepts him by crashing through a building and tackling him. Kong counters with his classic rolling flip. G's body and tail are flung to the ground with a huge smack. The impact sends a shock wave through the city. G is slow getting up. Kong lifts a huge block from the rubble and smashes it over the back of his head. The block crumbles from the impact.
G is stunned. Kong now goes for his trademark finish. He grabs G's jaws and begins to pull them apart. The outcome now seems determined, but a literal fire lights in Godzilla's eyes. G's fins ignite. With a strength that Kong didn't think possible, G pushes from the ground and, with the ape on his back, throws himself backwards. He slams Kong into a huge tower. His burning fins stab into Kong's body. Kong roars in pain and shock. G bites hard into his arm and throws him over.
Now it's a rout. G latches on like a pit bull and violently shakes and throws Kong around, finally throwing him throwing him through a wall to the ground. In another unprecedented display of raw power, Godzilla leaps high into the air, the morning sun at his back, and lands both feet on the mighty Kong. The ape brings his arms up at the last second, and this saves his chest from being crushed in. Nevertheless, it is now Kong who is the recipient of a shockwave inducing impact.
Breathing heavily, G remains standing on Kong. The ape is unable to push him off. One by one G's fins ignite to power his fire beam. Kong sees end is coming and roars defiantly.
Meanwhile, Baby Zilla awakens to find most of his body wrapped in a silk cocoon, being carried by his captor into an enormous canyon filled with many webs of the Kumonga. He instinctively knows he's being carried to the Queen's lair. Once again, he emits his cry for help.
Hearing the call, G powers down and looks to the direction it came from. Kong hears it too. With a glance back at his opponent, G leaves. Kong rises to follow. He wants to help, but is too badly beaten and falls back to the ground.
Running, Godzilla enters the canyon, tearing the webs, slashing and burning the Kumonga who try to stop him. It isn't long before he gets mired in a cluster of sticky strands, grabbing legs, and biting fangs. Still he pushes through, reaching forward with his hands as if there were something to grasp. The Kumonga swarm over him. He hears his son wail. He knows he'll never make it in time.
Close-up on his face as he prepares to roar in desperation, only a different roar is heard. He looks over his shoulder to see Kong leaping in from the canyon ledge.
Brandishing the trunk of an enormous tree, Kong starts batting spiders out of the park. He swats them off G, not really concerned if he strikes the green behemoth process, then leads the way through the canyon. G smartly recognizes he has an ally. He doesn't know why and doesn't care. He stays focused on his objective and quickly retakes the lead. What follows is a montage of hideous giant spiders crawling out of the woodwork and dying gruesomely deserved deaths. One spider's face is slashed to shreds by G's claws. Another is punched by Kong and it's many eyeballs pop out.
One leaping spider is blown back by white-hot flame. Half charred with legs curled, it falls rolling backwards, gets trampled by G, drug by his tail, and finally stomped by Kong into a gory splatter in the dirt.
A procession of giant jumping spiders pursue Kong, shadowing his movements as he leaps from one canyon wall to another.
The spider carrying Baby Zilla is trucking it. Kong gains ground on it and swings his club. The spider leaps away at the last second as the club smashes thunderously on the ground.
They've nearly reached the nest of Queen Spiega, who is mostly undisturbed by the drama, casually snacking on a Kamacura.
A calculated blast from Godzilla makes the abductor loose it's footing and it tumbles to the ground, losing its package of baby Kaiju. Kong kills the spider and then frees Baby Zilla from the cocoon. The child is still weak from the spider's venom, blood still oozing from the gangrenous wound.
Godzilla swats Kong aside to tend to the child. He bathes him with his healing energy. Kong has no time to address the insult to his person. He dipatches the few remaining Kumonga that have any fight left in them. The rest have backed off out of self-preservation.
His wound visibly healed and his energy restored, the child awakens, looks into G's eyes and knows his father has found him at last.
It's a short lived moment. A flurry of Spiega's spiny quills shower Godzilla. Kong, also under fire, uses the body of a live Kumonga to shield himself. The spider shrieks and twitches from the multiple impalements. G roars and returns fire, but Spiega's thick exoskeleton protects her from the flame. G plows through another volley of quills to fight her. Spiega rises to her full height, surprising G with her enormity. She aborbs his charge. Her strength easily matches his, and her swift legs immediately set to wrapping his limbs with her webs. She forces him onto his back. It's all G can do to hold her fangs at bay.
Kong's pulls a cluster of quills from the now dead spider he used as a shield. He rushes over and jams them into Spiega's many eyes.
The rest of the fight is nothing fancy. The two Titans wrestle in a death struggle with the mother of all spiders. Their strength wanes and it seems that Spiega might win, but Baby Zilla latches onto one of her hind legs. This allows Kong and G to hold her down. Together, they pry open her chest plate to reveal the beating heart inside. A final burst of radioactive fire from Godzilla incinerates her from the inside out.
With their Queen dead, the remaining Kumonga quietly slip away.
Baby Zilla runs to his father's protective embrace. This cuts Kong deeper than the fangs of any spider. Heartbroken and succumbing to his injuries, Kong collapses, ready to welcome the death that is soon to take him.
He lays for a moment, then a shadow falls over him. G's tail slowly waves over his body, his fins glowing warmly, providing life saving energy. There's an open wound on Kong's chest, inflicted earlier by Godzilla himself. G applies his fin directly to it, cauterizing the wound. Kong awakens with a gasp and looks up at Godzilla. It's short and subtle, but the two iconic monsters exchange a look of mutual respect before Godzilla turns and walks away.
Kong sits up and takes stock of himself, amazed at how well he feels after all he has endured. He feels a lick on his cheek and looks to see Baby Zilla regarding him fondly.
Later, the human protagonists have succeeded in blowing up Spiega's brood, but are trapped under a ton of debris. They figure they're doomed, but the debris is lifted. They step out to see that Kong is their rescuer. The King, over his gloom, is once again an ally of humankind.
Like a mother whale and her calf, Godzilla and son swim away from Skull Island on a new journey. Kong can see them from his mountaintop home. He howls and beats his chest, not from despair, but from a feeling of reinvigoration. Baby Zilla hears him and answers his goodbye before following his father to the depths.
Once again, Kong is a lone beast, but no longer a lonely one. He can sense that a change is coming, not just to his home, but to the entire world. Further adventures are soon to come. He resumes his patrol with a new sense of purpose.
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