The Monster Hunter series is filled with adventures and mysteries, but few are as interesting as the Equal Dragon Weapon. The creature itself is a grotesque war machine made to combat unknown threats. While Capcom doesn’t consider it canon, echoes of its existence can be felt throughout Monster Hunter lore. Now, with Monster Hunter Wilds introducing a new monster category, the concept of Equal Dragon Weapon may be making its long-awaited return.
Note: There are major spoilers for Monster Hunter Wilds!
The Origins of the Equal Dragon Weapon
The Equal Dragon Weapon was a bio-organic war machine, a monstrous construct built from the flesh and bones of various dragons. This creature was said designed by an Ancient Civilization to battle Elder Dragons, combining advanced technology with biological manipulation. However, its creation — refered to as The Forbidden Act — came at an unfathomable cost.
Hundreds of dragons were sacrificed to create these bio-weapons, making them a horrifying example of life being twisted for war. Records state that each Equal Dragon Weapon required the bodies of at least thirty wyverns to be built. Even more disturbing, the more blood these titans shed, the longer they would live. Eventually, the civilization that created these abominations collapsed, leaving little information on why they were made or how many existed.
Nevertheless, the existence of Equal Dragon Weapon itself was never an official part of the Monster Hunter in-game universe. The creature and its whole backstory were contained in the Monster Hunter Illustrations Vol. 1 artbook released in 2011 globally, never to be mentioned again.
At least, until Wilds seemed to repurposed the concept to expand the Monster Hunter world and lore.
How the Equal Dragon Weapon Fits Into Monster Hunter Lore
Before we get to that point though, remember that Equal Dragon Weapon never officially appeared in a game. Still, past Monster Hunter games hinted at a long-lost civilization that waged war against Elder Dragons. The Tower arena in Freedom Unite and Sunbreak, for example, suggests that an ancient civilization built massive Tower of Babel-like fortresses for reasons unknown.
Additionally, remnants of their advanced technology still exist. The randomly found Rust and Artian weapons initially appear broken and corroded but can be restored to reveal their true strength. Perhaps those tied to the Equal Dragon Weapon still linger beneath the surface of the Monster Hunter landmasses.
One of the strongest links, however, comes from Monster Hunter Frontier, a now-defunct MMORPG spin-off. This game introduced the Sky Corridor, a massive skyscraper filled with deadly traps, an evidence of an ancient society with advanced technology. It’s also used as the quest area for Duremudira, an Elder Dragon that could fire energy beams and sustain itself by consuming oil. Unlike natural monsters, this creature felt eerily artificial, reinforcing the theory that some ancient civilizations tampered with the very fabric of life itself.
The Fall of Ancient Civilization Revealed in Monster Hunter Wilds
Now Monster Hunter Wilds has introduced a new category of monster; artificial creatures known as Constructs. These beasts, identified by their glowing purple veins and blue blood, bear a striking resemblance to the Equal Dragon Weapon’s concept.
According to newly revealed lore, a mysterious Ancient Civilization played around with nature. They controlled ecosystems and created life, leading to the conception of Constructs, also known as Guardians. These monsters were vastly different from naturally occurring wildlife. They did not age, had no reproductive organs, and lacked a functioning digestive system.
Instead, they relied on a substance called Wyvern Milk or Wylk, a life-giving fluid derived from a relic known as the Dragontorch. Said relic is also what powered their ability to control weather and seasons. These Guardians were presumably made to protect the Ancient Civilization from a grave danger that lies beyond their vast empire.
However, some Guardians seem to have exhibited unpredictable behavior. One of them, an Elder Dragon imitation called Zoh Shia, became too powerful to control and ended up destroying its masters millenium ago. The few survivors was able to seal Zoh Shia away in the Dragontorch Shrine and entrusted this task to the Keepers tribe.
While most Guardians were placed into suspended animation following the Civilization’s collapse, recent events starting to awaken them. In its slumber Zoh Shia feed on the limitless energy of the Dragontorch causing inclement weather all over The Forbidden Lands. Meanwhile, smaller Guardians escaped from their cocoons and turned feral.
The Future of the Equal Dragon Weapon in Monster Hunter Wilds
With Monster Hunter Wilds introducing Constructs, fans speculate that Capcom may finally acknowledge the Equal Dragon Weapon as part of the official lore. The concept of artificial monsters created by an advanced civilization aligns perfectly with Wilds’ world-building. Although Constructs is basically clones of original monsters, while Equal Dragon Weapon are more of a Frankenstein monster, a mish-mash of living beings.
Whether it remains a legend or makes its terrifying debut, one thing is clear. The shadow of the Ancient Civilization still lingers, and its experiments may return to haunt even beyond The Forbidden Lands.
