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SPOILER WARNING: This section may contain major plot and/or ending details. Proceed at your own discretion. |
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The Ion Dragon is a draconic Titan[1] from the MonsterVerse series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, first appearing in the episode "Departure". It serves as the final antagonist of the first season of the series.
Name[]
The Ion Dragon's name refers to the radioactive ions it discharges as it flies and its draconic appearance. Its name was revealed in an interview on Newsweek about episode 2 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which also revealed the mystery of the USS Lawton William Randa told Preston Packard in Kong: Skull Island.[2] As with all unidentified superspecies discovered by Monarch, the Ion Dragon is classified as a Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism, or M.U.T.O.
Design[]
Development[]
VFX supervisor Sean Konrad revealed in an interview with Newsweek that inspiration was taken from several real-life animals when creating the Ion Dragon. The creature's wings are based off the fins of exocoetidae, or flying fish, while the jaws are based off those of anglerfish. Elements from other animals such as birds, sharks, and hyenas were also incorporated into the Ion Dragon's design. The creature's proportions were constantly being tweaked in order for it to plausibly appear like it could fly.[2]
Appearance[]
The Ion Dragon, notable for its immense size and aerial capabilities, exhibits a melanistic coloration and possesses a pair of substantial membranous wings. Each wing features partially detached digits that morph into claw-like formations reminiscent of bat wings, while the wing membranes bear resemblance to the fins observed in flying fish. The creature's cranium is adorned with a prominent pair of bovine-like horns, imparting a distinct visual characteristic. Its mandibular structure presents a fusion of traits observed in anglerfish and avian species, featuring needle-like dentition, a bifurcated beak on the upper jaw, and gill-like structures flanking the neck on either side. The Ion Dragon possesses digitigrade hind legs that culminate in a three-digit grasping talon, accompanied by a vestigial toe. A dorsal arrangement of spikes spans along its back, with two particularly conspicuous spikes positioned in a manner reminiscent of a shark's dorsal fin. The creature's elongated saurian tail terminates with a pair of gracefully curved spikes.
In 2015, more than six decades after its first sighting, the Ion Dragon had increased substantially in size. Now dwarfing its juvenile form, the Ion Dragon could combat massive Titans like Godzilla. By this point, one of its bovine horns had been snapped at the tip and its wing membranes sport several holes and tears.
Roar[]
The Ion Dragon produces shrill roars and vocalizations.
Personality[]
The Ion Dragon is shown to be extremely territorial and will become incredibly aggressive towards anything that approaches its territory or objects that it has claimed for its own. This aggression is especially prevalent in the Ion Dragon's interactions with humans, having sunk the USS Lawton in 1943 and killing its crew, and later attacking Lee Shaw, Keiko and Bill Randa while they were investigating the remains of the ship in 1952. A decade after this, the Ion Dragon attacked a Monarch reconnaissance team that tailed it, even eating one of the operatives. By 2015, the Ion Dragon's territorial aggression extended to other Titans as well, as it attacked Godzilla completely unprovoked.
History[]
Kong: Skull Island[]
In 1973, William Randa indirectly mentions the Ion Dragon and its attack on the USS Lawton in 1943 to Preston Packard.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters[]
In ancient times, the Ion Dragon's presence in the Philippines and its ability to discharge radioactive ions in the air that form aurora-like patterns inspired myths among the local Filipino tribes about a dragon that carves a path of fire across the sky.
In 1943, the Ion Dragon attacked the USS Lawton 200 miles west of Pearl Harbor and sank it in less than 3 minutes before carrying it to the Philippines. William Randa was the sole survivor of the attack.
In 1952, Keiko and Bill Randa discovered the Lawton run aground in the middle of a Filipino jungle. While exploring the interiors of the Lawton, they came across bodies of the vessel's sailors preserved in viscous nacre before they were attacked by the Ion Dragon, who had claimed the ship for its own. The creature began to claw its way into the ship to get at the two, shredding through the decaying metal of the hull, ultimately causing the wreck to topple over. Fortunately, the two managed to escape with the help of Lee Shaw, but not before the Ion Dragon attempted once more to kill the trio before they could escape into the nearby forest. The Ion Dragon then circled back around to the wreck of the Lawton and perched on it before letting out a fearsome roar to the skies.
In 1962, the Ion Dragon responded to the Gamma Radiation Simulator that Monarch activated near the Axis Mundi rift in Kansas so that Lee Shaw and his reconnaissance team could follow it from behind with their reconnaissance pod. Once the Gamma Radiation Simulator was deactivated, the Ion Dragon returned to the portal with the Monarch reconnaissance pod tailing it. The Ion Dragon then attacked the reconnaissance team after they landed in Axis Mundi and devoured Hest, one of the Monarch operatives, before flying into an adjacent portal.
In 2015, the Ion Dragon spots Lee Shaw, Cate Randa, May Olowe-Hewitt, and Keiko Randa as the group attempts to leave Axis Mundi in the Monarch reconnaissance pod. The Titan prepares to devour the group, but is distracted by the arrival of Godzilla, whom Shaw had lured to their location in hopes of tailing him out back to the surface. The Ion Dragon takes flight and positions itself behind Godzilla before going in for the attack, and a fierce melee ensues between the two Titans. During the battle, the Ion Dragon seizes Godzilla's head within its thagomizers as it begins biting into his throat, but Godzilla in turn tears off a thagomizer and sends the Ion Dragon soaring into a mountain. As the two clash again, the Ion Dragon expels its nacre from its throat in an effort to blind Godzilla, who in turn body slams the flying monster and briefly burns it with his atomic breath. Eventually, Godzilla firmly seizes the Ion Dragon and tears off its right wing before hurling it into a nearby Vile Vortex.
Abilities[]
Claws[]
The Ion Dragon's claws are powerful enough to shred through the hull of the USS Lawton. At its full matured size, the Ion dragons claws and talons are able to cut into the hide of Titans like Godzilla, inflicting deep lacerations.
Durability[]
The Ion Dragon is able to withstand Godzilla's atomic breath, though it was mildly scalded in the process. It also managed to stay alive briefly after Godzilla tore its right wing off.
Flight[]
True to its name, the Ion Dragon is capable of full-powered flight via its two giant membranous wings. It is capable of flight even while traversing through Axis Mundi rifts, using the current of the vortexes to glide at high speed. The Ion Dragon used its advantage of flight to stay out of Godzilla's reach during their fight.
Ion emission[]
As it flies, the Ion Dragon is capable of discharging radioactive ions into the air, which form aurora-like patterns in the sky.
Nacre secretion[]
The Ion Dragon possesses the ability to expel viscous nacre from its mouth, which encapsulates the bodies of its prey and is capable of perfectly preserving them for several years, thus preventing any form of decomposition from occurring. Executive producer Matt Shakman infers that there could be several reasons for the Ion Dragon doing this, ranging from facilitating a phase in its lifecycle to simply saving the bodies to eat at a later time.[2] This nacre can also be used to disorient other Titans such as Godzilla in battle.
Strength and combat[]
The Ion Dragon possesses a tremendous level of strength, for it could carry the USS Lawton, a United States Fletcher-class destroyer, all the way from Hawaii to the Philippines. It possessed enough physical strength to combat Godzilla head-on, but could not remain in an extended battle with the Alpha Titan for long without eventually being grabbed and overwhelmed.
Thagomizers[]
On the end of the Ion Dragon's tail is a three-spiked thagomizer that was capable of clenching and grasping opponents in combat. The thagomizer was strong enough to briefly restrain Godzilla's head as the Ion Dragon bit into the Titan's throat.
Trivia[]
- Given the context that William Randa explains to Keiko about his hunt of a dragon based on local folklores near the current location of the USS Lawton, the Ion Dragon is most likely based on the "Minokawa", which is a giant, dragon-like bird in Filipino mythology, specifically from the Bagobo tribe based in Western Mindanao, which is the Filipino region where Billy, Keiko, and Lee encountered the Ion Dragon in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
- A detailed description of the Minokawa is actually provided by Ilene Chen in the novelization of Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
List of appearances[]
Films[]
- Kong: Skull Island (Mentioned)
Television[]
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters
- 1. "Aftermath" (Photograph)
- 2. "Departure" (First appearance)
- 8. "Birthright" (Mentioned)
- 9. "Axis Mundi"
- 10. "Beyond Logic"
References[]
