Mothra was one of the three Yamato monsters that protect Japan. Two-thousand years earlier, the ancient dynasties buried Mothra, and the other two Yamato monsters, Baragon and King Ghidorah, so they could sleep and grow over a 10,000 year period. In 2004, Godzilla, driven by the souls of the dead from World War II, is aroused 50 years after his original attack. A mysterious, mystical old man then decides to awaken the Yamato monsters to stop Godzilla. Mothra attacks Godzilla as the monster rampaged through Tokyo. Fatally wounded by Godzilla, Mothra transferred her fading life-force to empower Ghidorah, allowing her fellow guardian beast to avenge her and protect Japan.