Thank you so much for taking the time to do this phone interview, Dr. Rey. I know you're a very busy woman.
Oh, that's fine. Godzilla's been sleeping for the last week, so I have some spare time.
Speaking of Godzilla, are you able to tell us some of the things you do on a daily basis as head researcher?
Well, there's lots of sample taking. Works well when he's sleeping, got some tooth scraping done earlier today. Also scale biopsies, temperature readings, heart rate and radiation monitoring, recording behavioral patterns, even sleeping habits.
On the topic of radiation, does that mean you have to wear a full hazmat suit whenever you're near him?
Yes, his radioactive signature gets exponentially stronger the closer you get to him. I have to get regular cancer screenings.
It must be worth it to you then?
It is. Even if my life is dramatically shortened from being near him, it's something 99.9 percent of people will never experience. And if it means understanding him better for his sake and ours, I'm happy to take that risk.
How does Godzilla do with all this? Clearly he doesn't mind your presence or he wouldn't come back.
I try to remain as uninvasive as possible and only do certain things when he's sleeping, like the tooth scraping. I mean, one wrong move and it's all over for me.
Especially so close to his mouth! Definitely a dangerous job.
Yes, but Godzilla deserves respect. We can't treat him like a test subject just like we can't treat him like a nuclear weapon. He is an animal on this planet just like we are.
That was going to be my next question. If you could say anything to the people against him and the Titans, what would you tell them?
I would follow in the footsteps of the late Serizawa and say that we must learn to co-exist with the Titans. They are not our enemies. Think of them as extensions of our planet, of our ecosystems. The only difference is that we cannot simply ignore them or build over them, we are forced to not only acknowledge them but realize we cannot control them. They are no different than a tornado, tsunami, or an earthquake. They are something we have to learn to live with, even if they do pose a danger to our species. We contend with Godzilla most of all, but Godzilla has one goal, and that is to protect our planet. Any foe that threatens that, he will destroy, Titan or otherwise. That is why we must take our actions into consideration. If we become a threat, he will act. We can argue that he is either a mindless animal or a god, but it doesn't matter, we know what he is capable of either way.
And on that scale, what do you think he is?
As a scientist, I believe he is a creature beyond our understanding. As a human, I think of him as an ancient being with knowledge that we cannot begin to comprehend, and that he should be treated akin to a god rather than a monster.
Thank you for your insight. It looks like my time is up. I look forward to seeing your research come to light, Dr. Rey.
I'm happy to share my knowledge with anyone willing to listen. I know it's not easy when Godzilla has killed thousands, and I'm not here to make light of that. But I promise you, he does value the lives of every living being on this planet. If he didn't, he wouldn't fight to protect it.