Why does King Kong have a Winter Soldier arm in ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire?’

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. 

As expected, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire delivers breathtaking giant monster brawls, top-notch special effects, and a welcome disregard for making sense. It also gives King Kong a sweet Winter Soldier-style metallic arm.

A few years after the last mighty duel between Godzilla and King Kong, each Titan now rules one realm of the planet. Godzilla remains the protector of the surface, where he slays any creature threatening his kingdom. In his turn, Kong roams the Hollow Earth unchallenged, facing the loneliness of being the last member of his species. Or so he thinks.

The plot of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire revolves around a tribe of giant apes who live in the subterranean kingdom of Hollow Earth. Many centuries ago, Hollow Earth and the surfaced lived in peace as a single biome, with Titans defending nature and apes protecting humans. One day, a villainous ape rose to power and tried to conquer the surface. Godzilla fought off the invaders but almost died in the process. Godzilla sealed the army of apes in the subterranean kingdom with a last atomic breath. Since then, the Skar King has been trying to find his way back to the surface.

When facing the Skar King, Kong almost loses his right arm. That’s what leads the primate to receive a powerful metallic arm.

How does King Kong hurt his arm?

Kong’s quest for kinship in Hollow Earth eventually leads him to the subterranean kingdom. At first, Kong is happy to have found other apes. Soon, though, he realizes the Skar King treats his subjects violently and disrespectfully. Kong cannot stand injustice, so he challenges the Skar King. 

The battle is fierce, as the Skar King is one of the mightiest enemies Kong has ever encountered. Still, he comes on top, proving that the Skar King is vulnerable. Unfortunately for Kong, the evil primate has a trump card hidden in his sleeve. Since he has been banished to the undergrounds of Hollow Earth, Skar King has enslaved Shimo, a mighty Titan with ice-based powers. Skar King unleashes Shimo, who freezes Kong’s right arm. Kong has to run away for his life, looking for the members of Monarch to help him. It’s Monarch who gifts Kong with his Winter Soldier arm after realizing Shimo’s frosty breath has caused severe nerve damage to the Titan. But where does Kong’s metallic arm come from?

Where does King Kong’s Winter Soldier arm come from?

When Godzilla defeats Kong in Godzilla vs. Kong, Monarch realizes the protector of humanity is not powerful enough to fight some Titans. Fearing what future menaces might threaten humanity with extinction, Monarch begins to invest billions of dollars in the secret “Project Powerhouse.” As it turns out, Project Powerhouse was developing an exoskeleton for Kong to enhance his strength and allow him to withstand the attacks of other Titans. The project became too expensive and controversial to move forward, but a prototype had already been sent to Hollow Earth. Luckily for the heroes, the prototype is coincidentally an exoskeleton for Kong’s right arm, which he almost loses to Shimo.

Kong’s Winter Soldier arm comes with healing injections that immediately cure the damage to his nerves. The metallic arm’s material can shield Kong from Godzilla’s atomic breath and Shimo’s frosty rays. Finally, the metallic arm increases Kong’s raw strength and has electric effects. In short, Kong’s arm is way better than the Winter Soldier’s, and thanks to this tool, the heroes win the final battle against the Skar King.