Battra

Battra (バトラ, 'Batora') is a fictional giant black moth appearing in Godzilla vs. Mothra. Like Mothra, Battra has both larva and imago (adult) forms. Battra's name most likely comes from the common Japanese practice of shortening two words to make one; in this case the combination of the Japanese spelling of Battle Mothra (Batoru Mosura), as described in the Super Godzilla video game manual. It was also said to be "Black Mothra" (as described in Godzilla vs. Mothra). Battra appeared in Godzilla vs. Mothra A.K.A. Godzilla and Mothra: The Battle for Earth which was presented in the Heisei series.

Biography
Twelve thousand years ago, the spirit of Earth created Battra (A.K.A the Black Mothra). Battra was created to destroy a device built by an ancient civilization to control Earth's climate. Battra began to do his job well beyond it's purpose and Mothra was forced to intervene. There was a huge battle between Mothra and Battra. When Mothra finally won, Battra was laid to rest in the North Sea while Mothra survived in the mountains with the the Cosmos. Unlike his goodly twin Mothra, Battra sees humanity as a blight on earth and won't stop until the earth is freed of their presence. It's because of this that Battra come into conflict with Mothra, who seems intent on protecting humanity.

Thousands of years later, Battra was awoken by a meteorite in Siberia. Battra swam to the coast of Japan and burrowed, then reappearing and attacking Nagoya. The JSDF fought Battra but were no match, and Battra left a wrecked city behind as he burrowed again. Battra appeared in the waters off the archipelago of the Philippines where Godzilla and Mothra were battling, and engaged Godzilla, who was the bigger threat. The two monsters' battle went to the sea floor in the Philippine Trench, where a volcanic eruption supposedly killed the two monsters, but Battra and Godzilla lived on, appearing near Mount Fuji, with Godzilla exiting an erupting volcano and Battra emerging from the ocean's depths. Upon metamorphosing from his larval form, he flew to Tokyo to exact his revenge on Mothra. The sinister moth seemed to have an upper hand against his less violent counterpart, but soon, in the heat of the battle, Godzilla appeared. Mothra and Battra teamed up to combat Godzilla together in defense of both Earth and humankind. Once Godzilla was defeated, Battra and Mothra carried him out to sea. However, Godzilla, still conscious, killed Battra by attacking him with an atomic ray at point-blank range while he was being transported. Godzilla and Battra dropped into the ocean below. For giving Battra a final farewell, Mothra flew around in a circle, creating a glyph of friendship to her beloved companion.

Battle statistics
In its larval form, Battra was a horribly brutal opponent who was relentless and remorseless in its attack. In this form, he wielded a massive yellow horn which could be put to use as a battering ram or bludgeoning weapon. From the horn, he was also capable of firing off furious electrical blasts of an orange-yellow color. He could fire similar electrical blasts of a purple color from his crimson eyes. However, these beams would often fly wildly about, Battra not appearing to have precise control over their direction. The titanic larva could also create energy pulses from his massive horn as another form of attack.

In its imago form, Battra had lost the ability to burrow or swim, but attained flight with its new wings, allowing for easier and more efficient travel for further destruction. The once prominent horn had disappeared and had been replaced with three smaller horns. These horns were incapable of releasing energy anymore, but Battra had developed more powerful optic beams, known as "Prism" beams. Unlike the beams used in his larval form, adult Battra had complete control over the Prism Beams, which also are far more powerful in this form. He also had developed three pairs of legs and would utilize them for grasping objects. The imago form of Battra could also release an "energy shock" from its feet in order to subdue foes while in close combat. However, in the manga adaptation of Godzilla vs. Mothra, the dark insect can unleash damaging energy spheres from his horn, discharge energy through the stinger-like attachment on his tail, and instantly form his cocoon which also acts as a defensive shield.

Video game appearances
Battra has appeared in Super Godzilla for the SNES, as well as Godzilla: Battle Legends. Battra also appeared in Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters in one of Mothra's attacks. In Godzilla: Save the Earth, Battra could be summoned via a particular power up, similar to what Mothra did in the Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee and has a playable appearance of the Nintendo DS game Godzilla Unleashed: Double Smash and for the PS2 version only Godzilla: Unleashed.

Trivia

 * Battra is also the name of a bird-like charabom in Bomberman Jetters.
 * Battra's roar is actually an edited version of Rodan's roar.
 * Within Godzilla vs. Mothra, there is a continuity discrepancy involving Battra that deserves mention. In the film, the Cosmos explain Battra's origins and it's defeat at the hands of Mothra. They state that Battra's body (either lifeless or still barely alive) was deposited in the Northern Sea. Thousands of years later, in 1993, Battra emerges, in his larval form, from his Siberian ice prison and departs the Northern Sea, heading for Japan.  However, the cave painting on Infant Island clearly depicts an adult Battra in combat with Mothra. This raises several questions about the nature of Battra itself, including a possibility of the Battra from 12,000 years ago being a different Battra altogether, and the 1993 Battra being a second creature created by Earth's life force (probably from the remains of the original Battra).  If they are, in fact, the same creature, then the fact that it emerges 12,000 years after it's defeat, once again in it's larval form is a contradiction that can only be reconciled by the viewer's personal opinion on the matter. Of course, if Battra is able to reincarnate and become a larva again, like Mothra, then the contradiction can be explained. This reincarnation ability would also indicate that Battra is not permately dead, only resting until he is needed again.
 * Battra was originally meant to be an evil twin of Mothra named "Gigamoth" whose abilities resemble Hedorah in an unmade film, but this project was scrapped and replaced with Godzilla vs. Mothra. Conceptual art for Gigamoth would eventually find its way into the designs for Battra. However in Godzilla Island, Battra was now an evil twin of Mothra, he was one of the monsters controlled by the Xilliens, but still called "Battra" at the same time, In Godzilla Island episode 166 "Baby Mothra Awakes" Battra can also emit poisonous powder from his wings just like Mothra except that it's red instead of yellow like Mothra's.