Zillo Beasts and Classic Monsters
Every television episode in which a Zillo Beast appears pays homage to a different classic monster movie.
A Zillo Beast first appears in "The Zillo Beast" (The Clone Wars 2.18). As its name suggests, the Zillo Beast is inspired by Godzilla; it is a giant reptilian creature that resides under the surface of Malastare until it is unwittingly awoken by the use of a new superweapon, just as most incarnations of Godzilla are summoned from under the sea by the atomic bomb.
"The Zillo Beast" is an homage to Godzilla, but the following episode, "The Zillo Beast Strikes Back" (The Clone Wars 2.19), is an homage to King Kong. Like King Kong, who is subdued and transported to America, the Zillo Beast is subdued and transported to Coruscant. On Coruscant, the Zillo Beast goes on a King Kong-esque rampage through the city, climbing skyscrapers while Republic aircraft try to stop him.
The Zillo Beast dies on Coruscant, but another Zillo Beast (cloned from the first) appears in "Metamorphosis" (The Bad Batch 2.11), which is an homage to Alien. This Zillo Beast is not fully grown, which means that, like the Xenomorph, it can stalk hapless crew members through darkened spacecraft corridors. The Bad Batch encounter the Zillo Beast because – like the doomed crew of the Nostromo in Alien – they respond to a distress signal from a wrecked ship that was carrying it.
EXPLORE FURTHER…
Shows: The Clone Wars / The Bad Batch
GO DEEPER INTO THE ARCHIVES…
READ MORE ABOUT…
Follow The Jedi Archives on…