The Return of Godzilla (1984) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Japan initially suppressed news of Godzilla's return to prevent global panic and avoid triggering a nuclear response from the Soviet Union or the United States. The government feared that if the superpowers believed Japan was under attack by a nuclear-level threat, they might take unilateral military action, including potential nuclear strikes on Japanese soil. Prime Minister Mitamura later reveals this policy when he meets with Soviet and American envoys, stating that Japan will not use nuclear weapons against Godzilla even if it attacks the mainland.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, Maki's newspaper article about Godzilla is withheld from publication, setting the stage for the government's cover-up strategy.

• government cover-up
• Tokyo
• superpowers
• nuclear threat
• suppression

A Soviet submarine was destroyed in the Pacific Ocean when Godzilla attacked it. The Soviets initially blamed the United States for the attack, believing it was a deliberate act of aggression. This misunderstanding pushed the world to the brink of nuclear war until Japan revealed that Godzilla was responsible for the attack. The creature's ability to survive underwater attacks and destroy military vessels demonstrates its immense power.

Foreshadowing: The film's opening establishes Godzilla as an unstoppable nuclear force capable of destroying military equipment.

• Soviet submarine
• Pacific
• nuclear war
• diplomatic crisis
• USS
• Godzilla attack

Godzilla was feeding on the reactor at the Mihama nuclear plant when a flock of birds flew past and distracted him. This brief distraction caused him to leave the facility without fully destroying it. Hayashida later uses this behavior as the foundation for his plan to lure Godzilla away from Tokyo using a homing signal that mimics the birds' movement patterns.

Foreshadowing: The bird distraction early in the attack on the plant becomes the key to the entire defensive strategy later in the film.

• Mihara nuclear plant
• birds
• distraction
• reactor
• luring strategy

The Super X is a specially armored flying fortress designed by Japan to defend Tokyo against Godzilla. It is equipped with laser-armed vehicles and fires cadmium shells directly into Godzilla's mouth. The cadmium shells target Godzilla's heart, which functions similarly to a nuclear reactor, and temporarily slow and knock out the monster. However, the Super X is eventually destroyed when Godzilla drops a skyscraper onto it during their battle through Tokyo.

Foreshadowing: The Japanese cabinet unveils the Super X as Japan's secret weapon during the crisis, representing the nation's best hope for stopping the creature.

• Super X
• flying fortress
• cadmium shells
• laser trucks
• Japanese military

The cadmium shells fired by the Super X work because Godzilla's heart operates like a nuclear reactor. When cadmium shells are fired into his mouth, they travel directly to his heart and slow its nuclear processes, temporarily knocking the creature unconscious. This provides a brief window for the military to attempt further attacks, though Godzilla eventually recovers and continues his rampage.

Foreshadowing: Professor Hayashida explains early on that Godzilla is a living, invincible nuclear weapon, establishing the connection between his biology and nuclear technology.

• cadmium shells
• heart
• nuclear reactor
• Super X
• unconscious

The Soviet Union had positioned a control ship disguised as a freighter in Tokyo Harbor as a contingency plan. When Godzilla attacked and damaged the ship during its rampage through Tokyo, the captain was killed while attempting to stop the launch. With no one to prevent it, the missile countdown reached zero and a nuclear missile was launched from one of the Soviet orbiting satellites, threatening to destroy Tokyo.

Foreshadowing: Before Godzilla arrives in Tokyo, the Prime Minister meets with Soviet envoys who hint at their nuclear contingency plan.

• Soviet ship
• nuclear missile
• Tokyo Harbor
• countdown
• American counter-missile

The EMP was created when an American counter-missile destroyed the Soviet nuclear missile mid-air above Tokyo. The collision of the two missiles generated a massive electrical storm, which produced an electromagnetic pulse. This EMP revived Godzilla, who had been temporarily stopped by the cadmium shells, and also disabled the Super X temporarily. This moment marks a critical turning point where humanity's attempt to save Tokyo inadvertently makes the situation worse.

Foreshadowing: The countdown sequence builds tension as Hayashida and Okumura are airlifted away from Tokyo to implement their backup plan.

• EMP
• electrical storm
• American counter-missile
• missile collision
• Godzilla revival

Professor Hayashida and geologist Minami proposed that Godzilla could be attracted using a homing signal similar to the one used by birds. The device was set up at Mount Mihara on Ōshima Island, and when activated, it emitted a signal that mimicked the birds that had distracted Godzilla at the nuclear plant. The signal successfully drew Godzilla out of Tokyo and across Tokyo Bay to the volcano, where he followed the device into the crater.

Foreshadowing: Hayashida's observation of Godzilla's distraction by birds at the Mihama plant directly inspires the homing device strategy.

• homing device
• Mount Mihara
• bird signal
• volcano
• Ōshima Island

The Super X's weapons proved ineffective against Godzilla despite being Japan's most advanced defensive weapon. While the cadmium shells could temporarily slow Godzilla's heart, they could not kill him. During the battle, Godzilla simply overpowered the Super X by lifting and dropping a skyscraper directly onto the flying fortress, destroying it completely. The creature's ability to use the urban environment as a weapon demonstrated that conventional military technology was insufficient.

Foreshadowing: The Super X's debut is presented as Japan's best hope, but early doubts about its effectiveness are raised during the cabinet meeting.

• Super X destruction
• skyscraper
• Tokyo battle
• Japanese military failure

Godzilla is trapped inside Mount Mihara but not destroyed. Okumura activates detonators at the volcano, creating a controlled eruption that drives Godzilla toward the crater. He falls into the volcanic mouth and remains sealed inside. However, the ending is deliberately ambiguous and bittersweet, the film implies that Godzilla could potentially escape in the future, as the seal is temporary and the creature has survived previous attempts to destroy it. This sets up the ongoing threat that characterizes the Godzilla franchise.

Foreshadowing: Throughout the film, Godzilla has proven nearly indestructible, making a permanent death seem unlikely even as he falls into the volcano.

• Mount Mihara
• volcano trap
• bittersweet ending
• Godzilla survival
• sealed