One of the most interesting aspects of the Monsterverse is its consistency. Before Legendary took the reigns, Godzilla and his entourage had countless new and weird backstories. Kaiju came from the ground, the sea, the sky, outer space, alternate timelines, and everywhere in between. Now, pretty much every aspect of the Monsterverse comes from the Hollow Earth. Playing with very old ideas, the Monsterverse introduced a race of humans to occupy this Hollow Earth. They came up with the Iwi people and established their deep connection to Kong.
The human elements of giant monster movies have several jobs. Their usual gig is explaining the scientific details behind the kaiju battles. The old Toho films create scientists, time travelers, and aliens to get into the details and react to terrible things. While the Monsterverse also introduces a pile of scientists and conspiracy theorists, its ancient tribe of Titan experts might be the most useful and entertaining batch of humans in the franchise.
Where are the Iwi from?
The Iwi people developed in the Hollow Earth. They call their home the Long Ago Below. Through some unknown means, the Iwi evolved among the giant monsters of the Hollow Earth. That underground ecosystem is known for its unique gravitational anomalies, allowing anyone inside to walk on the solid surfaces that pass for floors and ceilings. An electrostatic membrane surrounds the Hollow Earth on all sides, making it almost impossible for anyone to enter or exit the region from the outside. The Iwi lived among Titans like Godzilla and Kong, worshiping their gargantuan neighbors as deities. They lived in peace, developing unique levels of technology to keep hostile creatures at bay. Though they primarily fought with bows and spears, they used liquid metal to construct massive pyramids and weaponize gravitational phenomena. They communicated through sign language and telepathy. The Iwi enjoyed their communal existence in the Long Ago Below, but no peace lasts forever.
Generations ago, a Great Ape Titan learned of the surface world above and grew obsessed with conquering it. He became known as the Skar King. With the power of a mysterious glowing dagger, Skar King enslaved a powerful Titan called Shimo. With her powers at his disposal, he forced all of his fellow apes under his heel. Skar King pushes Shimo to cause the last great Ice Age on the surface, attempting to wipe out everything above the Hollow Earth. This sparked a war between Godzilla’s species and the Kongs. The Iwi people also splintered, fighting a civil war to support the Titans they worshiped. Godzilla and his people won the battle, trapping Skar King, Shimo, and his Kongs in the deepest volcanic caverns of the Hollow Earth. The Iwi tribe that supported Godzilla maintained their home in the Long Ago Below, but some Kongs escaped to the surface world. Some Iwi renegades followed the remaining Kongs to a remote surface dwelling called Skull Island.
When did the Iwi meet outsiders?
The small Iwi contingent that followed Kong’s brethren to the surface lived quietly for generations. In 1944, American fighter pilot Hank Marlow and Japanese fighter pilot Gunpei Ikari engaged in a dogfight over the South Pacific. Each soldier shot the other down, forcing them both to evacuate and parachute down to an unidentified land mass. Once there, Marlow and Ikari attempt to kill each other. Ikari very nearly killed Marlow, but the mighty Kong interrupted the brawl. Over the following three decades, Marlow and Ikari became the only outsiders to ever meet the Iwi people. Though the two men began their journey as enemies, they became friends and lived together for years. Ikari later dies in an attack by a hostile monster, but Marlow survives for 30 years. In 1973, a Monarch expedition finally finds Skull Island and encounters the Iwi people, making them known to a small portion of the intelligence community.
Where did the Iwi end up?
The Iwi of Skull Island suffered a tragic fate. Humanity left them alone, but the Titans continued to cause problems. The massive bat Titan, Camazotz, waged war against Kong on Skull Island. Camazotz’s attack caused the first seismic activity on Skull Island in generations. Kong eventually wins the fight, but not before Camazotz disturbs the meteorological circumstances around the island. A permanent storm tore Skull Island apart, killing or driving out every living thing. Young Jia was the only survivor after she became the adopted daughter of Ilene Andrews. Godzilla x Kong reveals that the only remaining Iwi are safe in their home in the Hollow Earth. After Godzilla and Kong join forces to defeat the Skar King, the Iwi tribe can live on in peace. Jia even becomes the new mouthpiece of Mothra.
The Iwi people are a fascinating narrative element of the Monsterverse. Their history is deeply tied to that of the Titans, which makes the franchise interesting. While humans struggle to understand the actions of Godzilla and Kong, they often have to turn to experts. Now that they’re safe, the Iwi can remain an important part of this series’ ecosystem.
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