Regarded as one of the most screwed over of monsters, meant to appear in multiple films but has had YET to appear in a single movie, today we're talking about BAGAN or as I am referring to them here by their alternative or OG name later? Bakan. Let's have some fun with this. Now for newcomers who are unaware of Bagan's history, let me give a quick breakdown. Though fluctuating, Bagan was in many unmade stories, an ancient Chinese beast or shapeshifter for whom was either described as vengeful for mankind's destruction of nature or simply just pure evil.
Among the films Bagan was considered for use? There's a lot with the very first being with the Heisei era's beginnings with Tomoyuki Tanaka's Resurrection of Godzilla in 1980 and revision in 1983. Though the studio chose for Godzilla's return to be a solo venture, that didn't stop as Bagan almost returned in 1990 in Mothra Vs. Bagan with the latter being a demonic being frozen in the Himalayas till global warming freed him. This partially became recycled into Godzilla Vs. Bagan in 1991 but box office results from Godzilla Vs. Biollante led to the studio turning to more familiar faces.
These were among the major points for Bagan as he came close in the past REPEATEDLY to coming onto the big screen but always got knocked back the second he got close, only really appearing on the small screen in Godziban. Finishing up our recap, before I begin? I'd like to note this idea is an update from an earlier version I did once before on DeviantArt a year back and for this I will be referring to the alternative name of Bagan in Bakan. That out of the way, buckle up kids cause we're diving into the origins of the god beast known as BAKAN....
Giving Bakan a COMPLETE OVERHAUL in mythology, while trying to turn to some of the earlier origins? Bakan's origins tie into the Pre-Incan god Viracocha.
A creator god, in this variation of the tale? During earliest days of creation, Viracocha created one of the first beasts in Bakan to whom he had given dominion over the world to and for a time? Bakan was content just to exist and live amongst the glory of his creator's world but as a creator? Viracocha didn't stop with Bakan and soon enough, Bakan grew resentful of his creator's new 'children', rageful even. So? Bakan lashed out.
He attempted to wipe all of his new 'brothers and sisters' and for that? Viracocha punished Bakan. With the story of Bakan seeming lost to time, or more likely OMITTED, from what can be gathered? Whether having too much of himself in his creation or just being unable to bring himself to kill that which he had created? Viracocha divided Bakan, casting his soul into the pits of the Earth and turning his flesh to stone and leaving it to be lost to the sands of time.
Taking inspiration from John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness, this pit? Was found within the Andes in a mining operation, a dark and viscous pool of fluid which flowed out and down the mountain where it infected/possessed three key animals in an Andrean Condor, a Jaguar, and a Bushmaster snake. Possessing these animals? Bakan effectively transforms them into monstrous vessels, one entity existing within multiple bodies. Divided but aware of the fact that they are the same. Their goal? Simple, reunite body and soul, once he's done that? Bakan will finish he started all those millennia ago and WIPE OUT EVERY LAST LIVING CREATURE ON THE PLANET (Not just humans).
Provided reference from the graphic novel Doug TenNapel's Monster Zoo, if you haven't read it btw you really should as it's a fun horror-comedy story, the Bakan trio upon finding the stone body of their original vessel don't just revive it but rather? Seem to MELT across it, as though their body is clay with it sliding and stretching over the stone body in an uneven mesh which gives monstrous life back to the stone body which would closely resemble the Jaguar statue from The Road El Dorado.
While I'm uncertain who would be the adversary of Bakan, either Godzilla or Mothra or both, some of the abilities it would have go against the standard we have seen or know about the character. Outside of the destructive rays, Bakan has a gnashing chest, storm generation (Though it might also be the Earth itself in complete outrage), and belches out even giant locus. It would be commented as well that with each breath Bakan takes, reunited with its body and soul, it grows MORE AND MORE POWERFUL.
Personality wise? Bakan would have more in common with Gigan in that he is a bit of a sadist. Bakan may have at one point been peaceful but appeared to have suffered from an inferiority complex within Viracocha constantly creating new forms of life which ultimately blossomed into a hatred for all life. This means that he's not just after humanity but rather every living creature on the planet. In a way you could describe him as the ORIGINAL King of the Monsters and if he were to encounter Godzilla? Bakan would seem to RELISH into torturing Godzilla, really showing his disdain for the life on our planet as he seeks to bring it back to himself as the only beast from which lives on this world.
And that is Bakan! I hope you guys like it, I put a lot of work and research into this one especially within mythology, bonus points to whoever can guess my choice of animal for this version of Bakan cause trust me? There's a reason. But what are your thoughts and how would have you done Bakan/Bagan? Drop a comment below, like, share, and remember? Stay scary everybody!
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