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The Mire Squid, also known as Gigantus Leviapus, is a giant cephalopod superspecies that first appeared in the 2017 MonsterVerse film, Kong: Skull Island. The Mire Squid would later briefly appear in Kingdom Kong and Kong and Me.

Name[]

Mire Squids seemingly get their name from their environment, as "mire" refers to a stretch of swampy or boggy ground, the same areas they tend to inhabit.

Design[]

Appearance[]

Mire Squids resemble a Giant Pacific octopus combined with some squid traits. Their heads heavily resemble that of an octopus, being rotund in shape and having two large eyes. Like most cephalopods, they have eight incredibly lengthy arms lined with suction cups. Their jaws resemble that of a beak, which can spin at great speeds, creating a whirlpool effect in the water. They are dark red in coloration.

Personality[]

Mire Squids are ambush predators that lurk in the waters of Skull Island for unsuspecting prey. Being massive prehistoric cephalopods, they don't seem to have much personality, as their main goals appear to be hunting prey and survival. Their numerous lengthy arms allow them to prey on low-flying and terrestrial creatures that come close to the water they inhabit. Despite pursuing a primarily carnivorous diet, Mire Squids are omnivorous. They are preyed upon by larger creatures like Kong and Sirenjaws, though older and larger Mire Squids are usually able to avoid predation.[1]

Origins[]

The Mire Squid is a giant cephalopod that exhibits a hybrid of squid/octopus physiology. Initial hypotheses suggest this lake-dwelling creature is a distant cousin of the Giant Pacific octopus, though with some notable evolutionary mutations. Again we see evidence of the superthermal gigantism unique to this environment, though a much more detailed geothermal study will be required if we are to understand the environmental factors which have led to the growth of such enormous lifeforms. Like other Octopoda, the creature exhibits deimatic behavior when threatened, expelling a thick cloud of black ink that is heated within the furnace-like temperatures of its mantal chambers. In this way, the Mire Squid conceals itself from attacking predators while boiling them alive.
Its beak-like jaws, usually hidden within the rubbery flesh of its huge, bulbous head, are mounted within a complex muscle bed that enables them to rotate like fan blades. Hunting beneath the surface, the creature will swirl these jaws into a centrifuge, stirring up a vortex-like whirlpool that sucks prey down into its gaping maw.
― Monarch Creature Profile

Monarch theorizes that the Mire Squid is a distant relative of the Giant Pacific Octopus, though with several evolutionary mutations due to the superthermal gigantism seen in most of Skull Island's creatures.

History[]

Kong: Skull Island[]

While Kong was examining his wounds and drinking from a marsh after his battle with the helicopters, he took notice of a Mire Squid waiting to ambush him before he dragged it out from the water. After a brief fight, Kong killed the Mire Squid by crushing its head with his foot. He proceeded to eat several tentacles before carrying away the rest of the carcass to be eaten later.

Kingdom Kong[]

From his helicopter, Houston Brooks observes Kong eating a Mire Squid while taking notes. By this point, Kong has grown large enough to simply pick up the creature with his hand and devour it.

Abilities[]

Aquatic nature[]

Being aquatic creatures, Mire Squids can stay underwater indefinitely, though seemingly only in freshwater. If dragged out of the water, they are still able to put up a ferocious fight.

Ink cloud[]

Mire Squids can expel a thick cloud of heated black ink from their mantal chambers to defend themself when threatened.

Stealth[]

Despite their great size, Mire Squids can stealthily move through the water to avoid being spotted by most prey and predators.

Strength and combat[]

The Mire Squids' multiple arms are strong enough to restrain massive vertebrates such as an adolescent Kong. They have high endurance and stamina, as they have to wrestle creatures that are often larger and stronger than themselves into the water.

Whirlpool[]

Mire Squids can rotate their blade-like jaws to create a whirlpool in the surrounding water to pull in and swallow their prey.

Weaknesses[]

Ink sac[]

In the official novelization, it is revealed the Mire Squids' ink is flammable and igniting it can burn the creatures to death.

Limited durability[]

Although Mire Squids possess considerable strength and endurance, they exhibit limited durability. This was evident when Kong effortlessly crushed the head of one of these creatures with his foot, causing instant death. Despite their notable physical abilities, the Mire Squids proved vulnerable to Kong's immense strength and were unable to withstand such forceful impacts.

Gallery[]

Production[]

Kong: Skull Island[]

Trivia[]

  • Kong's battle with the Mire Squid may have been a reference to his brief fight with the Giant Octopus in King Kong vs. Godzilla.
  • In the official novelization, another Mire Squid attacks and tries to eat Slivko before it has one of its arms cut off by San Lin and is finished off with a flare to its ink sac, killing it.
  • In some shots, the Mire Squid possesses more than eight limbs. This was done intentionally by director Jordan Vogt-Roberts, as he felt it would give an "extra effect" to certain scenes.
  • Although the Mire Squids are comparable to and even surpass some smaller Titans in size, their limited durability and resilience has led to Monarch only considering them a superspecies.[1]

List of appearances[]

Films[]

Comics[]

Novels[]

References[]



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