Netflix's Skull Island: A Godzilla Comic Could Explain Episode 1's Monster

Kong may be king in the Netflix animated series "Skull Island," but he certainly isn't alone. While there are plenty of fresh-faced titans inhabiting the newest installment of Legendary's MonsterVerse, sharp-eyed fans are bound to notice something familiar about the first beast on the scene. 

In the episode "Maritime Pilot," the crew is suddenly attacked by a massive tentacled creature. It makes quick work of the ship and much of its crew, including Mike's (voiced by Darren Barnet) father. At first glance, it may simply seem like a giant octopus or even a sea-bound Mire Squid from "Kong: Skull Island." However, its multi-colored tentacles indicate none other than the monster Na Kika. 

Its first appearance in the MonsterVerse was in 2019's "Godzilla: King of the Monsters Novelization." In this adaptation of the 2019 film, Na Kika was discovered by Monarch while hibernating in the Indian Ocean before King Ghidorah's call awakens it. It manages to make itself seem dead to cross the containment field protecting Monarch's hidden base, which it proceeds to destroy. Na Kika is later discovered by Titan traffickers, who try to capture it with an electric net in the 2021 graphic novel "Godzilla Dominion." Godzilla joins the action and helps to free Na Kika. By the end, the creature obeys Godzilla's orders when the monster king calls for the Titans to go into hibernation. 

With its wicked intelligence and powerful abilities, Na Kika makes a formidable threat no matter who it is up against. But could it stretch its tentacles beyond to other corners of the MonsterVerse?

Na Kika proved to be a more than worthy opponent in "Skull Island" and its two prior book appearances. But how would the multi-armed Leviathan fare against Godzilla and his kaiju counterparts in a potential live-action MonsterVerse appearance? 

March 2024 is set to be a big day for monster movie buffs, as the next cinematic entry of the MonsterVerse, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," will be unleashed on theatergoers in all its destructive glory. The official plot synopsis for the upcoming blockbuster, while not revealing any particular monster co-stars to the titular Titans, hints that we will continue diving deeper into the franchise's mythology. "The epic new film will delve further into the histories of these Titans, their origins and the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond, while uncovering the mythic battle that helped forge these extraordinary beings and tied them to humankind forever," the synopsis reads.

With each new MonsterVerse film so far, the franchise has continued to introduce its own original Titans alongside fan-favorite monsters. As "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire" seeks to explore the still-untouched corners of this vast universe, it could be a great opportunity to bring in monsters like Na Kika who have yet to shine on the big screen. It may be a long shot, but giving the aquatic adversary a chance to do its thing and possibly engage in a monster fight with either kaiju king would be nothing short of spectacular.