Monster battles in the Godzilla franchise can have surprising outcomes, even when Godzilla himself is not directly involved.
Over the years, the various heroes and villains in Godzilla's universe have engaged in a number of heated kaiju battles. While several of these fights included other monsters, others were battles where Godzilla himself was not involved.
With Godzilla's formidable presence at its side, fan-favorites like Rodan, Mothra, and Anguirus have managed to score victories against kaiju as powerful as King Ghidorah. However, in several of these situations, such as the one that played out in Godzilla vs. Gigan, it was Godzilla who did most of the heavy lifting. While Godzilla's presence undoubtedly enhances their capabilities, it is not the sole determinant of the outcome of monster fights.
Though originally built as the humans' best defense against Godzilla, Moguera wound up being a weapon against the mighty SpaceGodzilla. Though it ultimately played a role in Godzilla's defeat at the end of Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla, it was shown to be severely outmatched in a fair fight. A space battle between the two resulted in a decisive victory for SpaceGodzilla, as it demonstrated its overwhelming power and agility. When Mogeura squared off against it on the ground, it was once again unable to defend against SpaceGodzilla's monstrous strength. It was only through Godzilla's intervention that the fight managed to become contested in any way.
In some ways, Jet Jaguar was a significant player in the epic showdown between Mothra and Battra. Created by two human scientists, the heroic robot faced off with Mothra before the monstrous dragon turned it into a two-on-one showdown. Showcasing Mothra's aerial agility and destructive power, the fight challenged Jet Jaguar's capabilities, but despite Mothra's overwhelming size and strength, the robot displayed remarkable skill and courage, holding his ground effectively. However, the battle ended in a stalemate when Godzilla intervened, turning the tide of the clash in his favor.Prior to the scene where they put aside their ancient rivalry to focus on Godzilla, Mothra and her evil counterpart were battling it out in Japan. History dictated that Mothra would win, as it had been established earlier on that Mothra won their original fight thousands of years ago. But in the modern-day rematch, it was Battra who was shaping up to be the victor. The fight was proving to be an epic battle between ancient rivals, but the sudden arrival of Godzilla cut it short and forced a reluctant team-up between the two.Mechagodzilla's movie debut came in the form of a battle with Anguirus in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla in 1974. Disguised as the real Godzilla, Mechagodzilla came across Anguirus, who recognized that something was different about the King of the Monsters. The ensuing battle was one of the most brutal scenes ever to occur in the history of the franchise, with Anguirus enduring a torturous amount of injuries throughout the fight. His loveable kaiju ally sustained severe injuries from the fight, serving as a testament to Mechagodzilla's power level and capacity for evil.
King Ghidorah's first win in a Godzilla movie occurred at Rodan's expense in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. As Rodan emerged from his hiding spot and clashed with the humans, he confronted Ghidorah in an air battle. Despite Rodan's superior mobility and agility, Ghidorah's larger size and greater strength proved to be an insurmountable challenge. Though Rodan put up a valiant fight, his efforts were ultimately futile against the relentless King of the Skies.
Though Mothra has proven herself a formidable fighter, she is often overshadowed by her formidable adversaries due to her frail frame. However, Mothra Leo, the Godzilla variant of the Mothra series, achieved a significant victory against one of Godzilla's strongest rivals. Throughout the Rebirth of Mothra trilogy, Ghidorah held the edge, but the final showdown saw Mothra's transformation into "Armor Mothra" granting her immense power. This climactic battle showcased Mothra's remarkable strength and courage, ultimately resulting in her decisive victory over Ghidorah.
King Kong Escapes featured a battle between two kaiju who would eventually become allies of Godzilla. Before his appearance in Destroy All Monsters, where he helped Godzilla and the others take down Ghidorah, Gorosaurus was introduced as an antagonist to King Kong. While Gorosaurus was not Kong's opponent in the finale, his inclusion helped deliver a fun action sequence. Gorosaurus' signature kangaroo kick move made beating him a tough challenge for the King of Skull Island.
Two Godzilla icons - Rodan and Mechagodzilla - had their first and only meeting in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. Fueled by the humans' theft of the Godzilla egg Rodan had falsely identified as his brother, the monster went up against Mechagodzilla in the hopes of getting it back. Sporting new fire powers and aided by the advantage of flight, Rodan made for a unique adversary for Mechagodzilla but ultimately wasn't strong enough to prevail. But even though Mechagodzilla's victory was never really in doubt, the emotional element of the fight - Rodan's instinctive desire to save his brother - added something special both to the scene and his sacrifice at the end of the film.Rather than ending in a dramatic clash between Godzilla and his main villain, Godzilla: Final Wars gave both the King of the Monsters and Mothra rivals to overcome. While Godzilla was pitted against Keizer Ghidorah, Mothra had to contend with an upgraded Gigan, whom Godzilla had killed earlier in the movie. The odds being against her, the underdog's victory made it all the more thrilling when Mothra, after seemingly dying, decapitated Gigan in a shocking display of her prowess.
Godzilla may have emerged victorious in the film's central conflict with Godzilla, but it was Kong who ultimately emerged as the victor in the film's final battle. After being revived by an electric shock from APEX's aircraft, Kong displayed his incredible agility and strength, effortlessly outperforming Godzilla in their battle. His combined skills and the help of the human characters helped him secure his most impressive victory to date.