The Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire ending is pretty action-packed, meaning you might leave the theater with more questions than answers about what goes down between the battling kaiju.
The new movie sees Kong and Godzilla go up against a dangerous new enemy named the Skar King. Rebecca Hall, Dan Stevens, and Brian Tyree Henry star, while Adam Wingard returns to direct.
We've got everything you need to know about the Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire ending right here, with all your biggest questions answered on the film. It goes without saying, but there will be major spoilers ahead. Turn back now if you haven't seen the movie yet! If you are up to date on the latest MonsterVerse movie, then head right on to the below.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire ending explained
The Godzilla x Kong ending sees Ilene, Bernie, Jia, and Trapper in the Hollow Earth with the Iwi. The Iwi believe that Jia is the one who can awaken Mothra, a kaiju who is an ally of Godzilla's – and Jia manages to pull it off.
Kong, meanwhile, has recruited Godzilla to his cause – after a brief brawl at the pyramids, interrupted by Mothra – and the kaijus arrive in style to battle the Skar King in Hollow Earth. Trapper is able to lead some Vertazines to join the fray, and eventually the Skar King, Kong, Godzilla, Shimo, and Baby Kong end up back in our world in Rio de Janeiro.
Naturally, chaos ensues. Poor Rio gets fairly destroyed by the rampaging kaiju as Godzilla and Kong struggle to subdue the Skar King and Shimo. The Skar King has a crystal that controls Shimo, meaning she's forced to fight on his side. But, between the combined forces of Godzilla, Kong, and Baby Kong, the whip with the crystal attached is broken and Shimo is freed.
Shimo then helps the others take down the Skar King by using her freeze powers on him, and Kong smashes the frozen kaiju, defeating him for good.
Godzilla and Kong go their separate ways once again, with Kong, Baby Kong, and Shimo returning to the Hollow Earth. As for the humans, they all survive, and Jia tells her adoptive mother Ilene "you are my home". Aww.
Kong, Baby Kong, and Shimo return to the Skar King's lair, while Godzilla goes back to snoozing in the Colosseum in Rome.
What is Mothra?
Mothra is a kaiju who has been slumbering in the Hollow Earth, and she's an ally of Godzilla's (she previously appeared in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, and seemed to die after saving Godzilla from King Ghidorah). Jia is able to awaken her and the kaiju helps Godzilla and Kong in their battle against the Skar King. As the name suggests, Mothra looks like a giant moth, and she's described as "queen of the monsters" in the movie.
Who is the Skar King? What does he want?
The Skar King is a kaiju who looks a lot like an orangutan. He's hellbent on getting to the surface world, and we learn in the movie that Godzilla has previously battled this enemy before – and he managed to subdue the Skar King and imprison the other kaiju in the Hollow Earth.
How is the Skar King defeated?
It takes Godzilla, Kong, Baby Kong, and a freed Shimo to defeat the Skar King together. The Skar King has Shimo under control thanks to a crystal, but after the other kaiju manage to break the whip and the crystal, Shimo is free and begins fighting back. She freezes the Skar King with her powers, and Kong smashes him on the ground.
What happens to Baby Kong?
Baby Kong goes through quite a lot in the movie, but ends up helping big Kong – after trying to fight him a few times. After the Skar King is defeated, Baby Kong goes back to the Hollow Earth with Kong and Shimo, presumably to live a happier and more peaceful life.
What happens to Godzilla and Kong? Are they friends now?
Unfortunately, it looks like Godzilla and Kong are still more frenemies than pals. They go their separate ways at the end of the movie, with Kong returning to the Hollow Earth with Shimo and Baby Kong, and Godzilla going back to napping in the Colosseum in Rome.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is in theaters now. For more on the film, check out our pieces on:
- Is there a Godzilla x Kong post-credits scene?
- When will Godzilla x Kong be on streaming?
- The Godzilla x Kong kaiju, listed and explained
- Director Adam Wingard on letting the monsters tell their stories
- Director Adam Wingard names his favorite Godzilla movie
You can also fill out your watchlist with our guide to all of 2024's major movie release dates.
