Biollante

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Biollante (ビオランテ, Biorante^?) is a daikaiju from the Godzilla film series. She made her first appearance in the 1989 feature Godzilla vs. Biollante. She was never put into any other Godzilla movies, although she is featured as a secret character in Godzilla: Unleashed on the Nintendo Wii.

[edit] Appearance

At first, Biollante was a giant rose with teeth inside her bud and long vines (merely a heavily-mutated and exceptionally large "thinking" rose). In her second form, the Godzilla genes took over and Biollante's body became an abomination of biological science. Biollante's second form had a head like a mosasaur's and a maw with knife-like teeth, even on the interior lining of her mouth. In addition, six large tusks (three on each side of her mouth) protruded from the fulcrum-region of her mouth. Large numbers of vines and tendrils were a primary feature of Biollante. Some vines ended in sharp, spear-like ends, while others sported small, sharp-toothed mouths. In Biollante's first form, a large, fleshy sac was surrounded by her overlaying vines. In her second form, what appeared to be meaty flesh was seen underneath the tangled mess of vines and plant-tissue. The fleshy surface was pink and had many wrinkles and lines, resembling a brain-like surface.

[edit] Abilities

Biollante, in her rose form, could constrict and grapple with an enemy through the use of numerous vines, some of which ended with fanged mouths that not only were able to bite an opponent but were capable of spitting a highly corrosive acid sap that could blind an opponent. If severely injured, Biollante could dissolve into golden energy spores and ascend into space for recovery. In Biollante's rose form, her cellular division was shown to be abnormally affected by Godzilla's atomic beam, resulting in heavy bodily damage. Biollante's second form was displayed as a horrible plant abomination sporting a massive jawed head with countless teeth and enormous tusks; an arched back with plate-like plant spines; and four stubby, root-like legs that Biollante utilized as a means of locomotion. Biollante retained all former abilities as well as gaining the ability to release large quantities of radioactive corrosive sap from the mouth. Several of her vines also ended in thorny spears which were capable of penetrating even Godzilla's flesh. Despite her plant-like body and rather unwieldy appearance, Biollante was capable of moving across the ground rather quickly.

[edit] Origin

After Godzilla's return in 1984, the city of Tokyo, Japan had suffered a great deal of destruction. During the aftermath and cleanup, forensic workers collected small remains of skin from Godzilla, which were later transported to a government lab facility in the arid wasteland of Saradia. A scientist by the name of Dr. Shiragami intended to use the genetic material of the Godzilla cells in the skin to genetically enhance various species of plants to create crops resistant to harsh weather and unfavorable conditions of Saradia. Unfortunately, numerous other nations did not approve of this move in agricultural wealth-as Saradia relied on exports for its produce-and an act of terrorism was put into plan to bomb the laboratory working with the cells. Amongst the scientists who lost their lives was Erika Shiragami, Dr. Shiragami's daughter. Her loss was terrible to him, and he proceeded to collect DNA from his daughter and splice it with that of a rosebush in hopes of preserving his daughter's spiritual entity. Five years later, in 1989, an earthquake destroyed the roses' shelter, thereby killing several. Dr. Shiragami panicked, and carried out a risky and unauthorized plan to splice the Godzilla DNA with a lone rose, in hopes that the rose would remain alive and hopefully invincible. However, the seemingly successful fusion of the cells resulted in the slow but eventual growth and mutation of the rose, which eventually became capable of thinking and moving, and eventually proceeded to smash its way through the laboratory wall, making its way to Lake Ashino, where it rooted itself and took up residence.

[edit] First Battle

Biollante's first encounter with Godzilla was inevitable. Godzilla had actually sensed the presence of another living being with the same genetic makeup as himself, and felt an uncontrollable urge to travel to the originating site of this feeling. It was also mentioned by Miki Saegusa, an individual endowed with ESP, that Biollante had been "calling out to Godzilla" (whether or not this calling was intentional or not was never explained). Biollante, in her first encounter, fought defensively with wave after wave of tangling vines. Despite the great effort that the plant/monster hybrid exerted, it failed miserably and took heavy damage from Godzilla's atomic beam. Godzilla eventually managed to set Biollante aflame as Biollante seemingly burned to death. However, it was reaffirmed that Biollante was immortal as everyone watched Biollante begin dissolving into energy particles to ascend into space.

[edit] Final Battle

Later on, Biollante confronted Godzilla again, this time at her own will. Their second battle had clearly turned the offensive/defensive tables. Biollante was clearly pursuing and fighting Godzilla offensively, to eliminate his threat to the inhabitants of Earth. Whereas, Godzilla was now fighting with all his might to defend against such a colossus who fought more mercilessly than the King of the Monsters himself. The outcome of the battle resulted in Godzilla retreating as Anti-Nuclear Energy Bacteria began to take effect, slowly weakening him. He clumsily lumbered to the coast, collapsing into the sea face first, laying apparently unconscious. Biollante, on the other hand, had also suffered a devastating blow when Godzilla fired a blast of thermonuclear energy directly into Biollante's throat, blowing out her back. She was forced to retreat as well, and dissolved into spores again and ascended into space, likely never to be seen again. Shortly after, Godzilla regained strength from the cooling waters of the ocean (which stopped the breeding of the bacteria) and headed out to sea to recuperate.

[edit] Aftermath

Through the years up until 1994, stray particles of Biollante's DNA might have become lost in space, and eventually gone through a complex process of galactic mutation, resulting in the creation of one of Godzilla's toughest foes, SpaceGodzilla. There has been controversy among moviergoers over who the true carrier of the DNA was, with Mothra being the other possible candidate. Some of SpaceGodzilla's physical appearance points to Biollante being the creature more likely to be involved in its origin. The heads on both monsters are clearly similar when compared but because Toho has not taken a clear stance on the issue, it is left to conjecture. The possibility of Biollante's DNA creating SpaceGodzilla is further supported by the similarity in their vocals, since Space Godzilla's vocal is quite akin to the wailing cry emitted by Biollante.

[edit] Trivia

• Biollante is a boss in Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash.

• Biollante was slated to appear in Godzilla: Save the Earth but she was cut in the final stages. At the time, the design team had trouble conceptualizing how Biollante's sheer mass and slow movement would translate to such a fast-paced game. A character model, sound set and attack list was created but sadly omitted from the final product. Some early screen shots exist of Biollante from Save the Earth, and it has been suggested by members of the design team primarily through the www.Godzilla.com user forums that the Biollante data programmed for StE was saved and then later translated for use in the Wii version of Godzilla: Unleashed. Due to the massive engine overhaul, Biollante fits in perfectly with the roster and is stated both the game's largest and second most physically powerful character, next to King Ghidorah. She is a mutant.

• Biollante's wailing cry was used for a myriad of other Toho movies, including the J-Horror movie Ring 2 and the Science Fiction film Sayonara Jupiter.

• In Marc Cerasini's Godzilla: At World's End, Biollante is a genetically engineered monster created by a nearly-extinct race of crystalline beings known as the Old Ones. Biollante remained stationary (possibly in a state of hibernation) within the Old Ones' lost city until the arrival of a group of human explorers and (soon after) Godzilla. After nearly killing Godzilla, Biollante is set on fire by Godzilla, and although the flames were put out when the city was flooded, it can be assumed that Biollante was killed when cavern containing the Old Ones' Necropolis collapses. This version of Biollante has no connection to Godzilla.

• Biollante's exact relationship to Godzilla is difficult to place. Although the two have been referred to as brother and sister, it is more scientifically accurate that Biollante should be considered Godzilla's biological daughter, due to the fact that she was created by injecting cells from Godzilla into a rose, creating a being who has only half Godzilla's genetic information, in the way that two parents share genetic material to create offspring. In the same regard, her relationship to Space Godzilla, whose own origins are convoluted and difficult to pin down, is just as difficult to quantify. One possible origin for Space Godzilla that was given is that some of the cells of Biollante may have found themselves in deep space, sucked through a black hole and ejected from a white hole. The other origin given in Toho canon is that Godzilla cells were carried into space by Mothra, and were subjected to the black hole/white hole dynamic, while Trendmasters Godzilla Wars toyline claimed Godzilla cells were carried into space by Mothra and merged with a crystalline entity which then resulted in Space Godzilla's creation. As a result, Space Godzilla can be said to be either Biollante's half-brother, her son, or very possibly a second 'father', as his cells and appearance more closely resemble Godzilla than Biollante.

[edit] Movie Appearances

• Godzilla vs. Biollante (1989)
• Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994), (stock footage)

[edit] Video Game Appearances

• Godzilla, King of the Monsters! (1993 - Game Boy)
• Super Godzilla (1993 - Super Nintendo)
• Godzilla: Battle Legends (1993 - Turbo Duo)
• Godzilla Trading Battle (1998 - PlayStation)
• Godzilla Generations: Maximum Impact (1999 - Dreamcast, boss)
• Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash (2007 - Nintendo DS, boss)
• Godzilla: Unleashed (2007 - Playable for the Wii, cut from the PlayStation 2 version.)