In a little over a month, a giant lizard monster will fight a giant monkey monster in what is sure to be a fun popcorn flick. However, harkening back to english classes of yesteryear, let’s discuss the pathos of Kong in the latest minute trailer for Godzilla vs Kong.

This world isn’t ready for their fight to begin. Check out the trailer: https://t.co/aTvARZrqPS #GodzillaVsKong in theaters and streaming exclusively on @HBOMax* March 31.

*Available on @HBOMax in the US only, for 31 days, at no extra cost to subscribers. pic.twitter.com/tay1FdshaF

— Godzilla x Kong (@GodzillaVsKong) February 14, 2021

The trailer, in addition to the other promotional material, seem to be setting Kong up as the hero of the story. The trailer starts out by saying “We need Kong. The World needs him.” Seeing as his opponent is Godzilla, it is clear that Kong, at least for now, is the heroic figure.

However, saying “we need him” isn’t enough to get us, small tiny humans, to like such a monster. What’s the easiest way to persuade audiences? Give the monster a human attachment.

In the original Kong it “was beauty that killed the beast,” but nowadays, similar to Millie Bobby Brown in Godzilla: King of Monsters, audiences want a connection with a youthful protagonist. In some ways these new monsters could represent the new age of imaginary friends.

I digress.

In this short trailer the only person that can communicate with Kong is seemingly, Jia (Kaylee Hottle), through sign language. Jia signs “please be careful” to Kong with tears in her eyes.

This is the very pathos that is needed for the audience to root for a giant monkey monster to beat the snot out of a giant lizard monster. And while this trailer is short, and this article is, in itself, a long digression, it does a nice job of setting up Kong to be the hero in this particular story.

Warner Bros has said there will be a victor by the end of this movie, but we will have to wait and see.

Godzilla vs. Kong will be available to stream on March 31, 2021 exclusively on HBO Max.