After previously being hinted at by official merchandising, the first trailer for Godzilla vs. Kong confirms that King Kong will indeed wield a large ax as he battles Godzilla. Brandishing the weapon during a fiery showdown in the streets of Hong Kong, Kong swings the ax down on his kaiju opponent. More impressively, the blade appears to be able to absorb Godzilla's signature atomic breath as it bears the full brunt of a blast without visibly slowing down Kong's swing.

Closer inspection of the blade alleges that it is not forged from a naturally inanimate object, but what appears to be one of Godzilla's dorsal fins. With the fins seen glowing as Godzilla charges up his atomic breath, it stands to reason that fins are a key component for this thermonuclear reaction and, thus, organically able to handle direct contact with the raw atomic energy constantly. And while Kong may have recovered a severed fin from an earlier skirmish against Godzilla, which the giant lizard could have regenerated with his reptilian abilities, a closer look at the handle suggests the weapon could be much older.

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The handle of the ax is made from bone, which could be explained by something the trailer expands from 2019's Godzilla: King of the Monsters. The first look at Godzilla vs. Kong reveals that Godzilla and Kong's respective species have been battling one another for millions of years, with the eponymous duo as the last remaining representatives. That means that Kong's ax could very well be a tangible product from this history of mutual kaiju destruction.

The trailer goes on to show Kong in a tropical location examining what appears to be clues from the past conflict. As Kong learns more about his own genealogical history and the battles they were embroiled in, he may find that one of his ancestors created the ax from the remains of a fallen behemoth from Godzilla's species. Alternatively, Kong may discover the remains of a previous Godzilla-like beast, with the dorsal fin intact, and forges a crude ax from the skeleton before leaving the island for a rematch against the incumbent King of the Monsters.

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At first glance, Godzilla may have King Kong outmatched with his atomic breath, but the gargantuan gorilla has a secret weapon of his own in an ax that can directly absorb the devastating blasts. And more than just a makeshift weapon to help Kong hold his own against the King of the Monsters, the ax could be an artifact that epitomizes the long-running conflict between the various kaiju for dominion of the Earth.

Directed by Adam Wingard and written by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein, Godzilla vs. Kong stars Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry. The film arrives in theaters and on HBO Max March 31.

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