Battra (バトラ Batora?) of the IDW Publishing continuity is a dark divine moth kaiju and the coutnerpart of Mothra. Frequently under the mind control of the evil psychic twins Minette and Mallorie, Battra is both an occasional enemy and ally to Godzilla.
He is one of the primary monsters in IDW's Godzilla series, first appearing in Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters, then Godzilla: Ongoing, and Godzilla: Rulers of Earth.
Name[]
Battra's name most likely comes from the common Japanese practice of shortening two words to make one; in this case, the combination of the Japanese spelling of "Battle Mothra" (バトルモスラ Batoru Mosura?). This name comes from his conception as a dark version of Mothra for his original appearance in the film Godzilla vs. Mothra.
Design[]
Appearance[]
Battra's appearance is identical to his Heisei incarnation. In his larval form, Battra looks like a giant black caterpillar with yellow and red patterns on his body and a giant yellow horn on his head. He has red eyes, tusks flanking his mouth, yellow spike-like legs, and dual pincers on his tail.
In his imago form, Battra retains the same body color, black with red and yellow patterns and red eyes. However, he becomes a a massive lepidopteran kaiju similar to Mothra, with large jagged wings that have patterns of red, black and yellow. He also has yellow horns on his head, six legs, and red eyes which glow purple when firing his beam, as well as a red line which runs down his body's sides.
Roar[]
Personality[]
Battra is not nearly as benevolent as his light counterpart, Mothra. After hatching from his egg, Battra was mind controlled by the psychic twins Minette and Mallorie and used to terrorize France for them. Once this mind control was ended, Battra seemed to randomly wreak havoc on human cities until he was captured. However, Battra fought alongside the other Earth monsters against the space monsters to protect the planet, suggesting that he really intends to defend the planet and is aligned on the side of good. He was subsequently placed under Minette and Mallorie's control once more, and resumed serving as the instrument of their malevolent will. Under their control, Battra was extremely ruthless and violent, going so far as to kill Mothra and destroy Infant Island, and even attempting to kill her infant offspring. He actively fights against other heroic kaiju such as King Caesar, but quickly withdraws from battle once the latter kills the evil twins. However, Battra did not return to help Godzilla and the other Earth kaiju fight the Trilopods in Los Angeles, and was one of the few Earth monsters not present for this final confrontation.
Origins[]
History[]
Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters[]
Battra's egg is first discovered by the twins Minette and Mallorie in Kingdom of Monsters #3. Using telepathic powers, the girls kill the soldiers watching the egg, claiming that they can hear the being inside it "singing." The creature hatches, to whom they call Battra, and the monster becomes their bodyguard as they rob an almost entirely deserted Paris. The girls dub themselves the new queens of Paris, as Battra wraps itself in a cocoon. When he emerges in his adult form, he fights Rodan until both are controlled by the twins. They head to where Godzilla, MechaGodzilla, and King Ghidorah are brawling, as the twins want to control Godzilla next. This results with Battra and Rodan fighting Godzilla, but Godzilla defeats them both.
Godzilla: Ongoing[]
Battra appears wreaking havoc around the globe in issues 1 and 2 of Godzilla: Ongoing. In issue #3, Battra is captured in a gigantic electrical net by Boxer's "Kaiju Kill Crew" and brought to Monster Island to be contained. In issue #11, after being freed from Monster Island, Battra and Titanosaurus battle SpaceGodzilla in London. However, the two Earth monsters are defeated and SpaceGodzilla escapes to join Monster X in New York.
Godzilla: Rulers of Earth[]
Battra was seen in a flashback after the alien spaceship crashed into the Earth, sending all of Earth's monsters into hibernation, burrowing into the ground. Both larva and imago Battra were seen as part of the 'fire' monsters on the Infant Island cave mural, along with Megalon and Baragon.
Battra returns in issue #19, where the psychic twins Minette and Mallorie summon him to rescue them from a military plane. After Battra rescues the twins, they order him to attack Infant Island and kill Mothra. Battra arrives on the peaceful tropical island and devastates it with his prism beams. Mothra, still wounded from her previous battle with Destoroyah, attempts to fight Battra off but is easily beaten by her dark counterpart. Knowing her end is near, Mothra buys time for the Shobijin to escape with her twin larvae by surrounding Battra with reflective scales. After the larvae and the Shobijin escape to the ocean, Battra finishes Mothra off with his prism beams, causing all of Infant Island to erupt in a fiery explosion.
Some time later, Battra traveled to the Monster Islands in order to hunt down Mothra's surviving larvae just when the Trilopods arrived. The Trilopods took this opportunity to copy Battra's powers. Much later, Battra and King Caesar cross paths, and the same result happens again. After the Trilopods carry King Caesar away, Battra is nowhere to be seen when Godzilla roared for help.
Abilities[]
Strength and combat[]
In his larval stage, Battra's combat capabilities are limited, and he primarily fights using Prism Beams fired from his horn. Once he metamorphoses into his imago state, Battra gains a greater degree of maneuverability as well as the ability of flight. Battra may attack with his sharp claws at close range, but these come in second to his prism beams.
Prism Beams[]
Battra primarily uses his purple optical Prism Beams to attack foes from a distance. These Prism Beams are damaging to most kaiju, but a particularly powerful concentrated blast was sufficient to obliterate Mothra and destroy Infant Island.
Weaknesses[]
Psychic connection[]
Battra is vulnerable to the mind control of Minette and Mallorie, placing him completely at their disposal. While the twins were also able to control Rodan at one point, they eventually lost their command over him but retained it over Battra.
Trivia[]
- This incarnation of Battra is the first one to have priestess counterparts to Mothra's Shobijin.
- While he was copied by the Trilopods, he remained one of the few Earth kaiju to not be captured by them.
List of appearances[]
- Godzilla: Kingdom of Monsters (First appearance)
- Godzilla: Ongoing
- Godzilla: Rulers of Earth
