Starting this one off with an apology for missing the surprise drop of episode 2. My bad. Combine that with a holiday week and fighting off a Godzilla-sized flu means this week's recap is a two-for-one special! This one's going to be a kaiju-level recap, so for the sake of clarity (and my sanity) we're gonna split them up into "Past" and "Present" sections. (Yes I know the "present" is set in 2015, but shhhhhhhhh.)
The Present (2015):
Kentaro (Ren Watabe) returns to his father's office, where he and Cate (Anna Sawai) discovered the mysterious Monarch package. While letting out some rage, he finds a locked filing cabinet containing Monarch files on Leland Shaw and a mysterious film reel marked "Philippines '52."
Cate decides to head back home to the United States with the newfound knowledge of her father's secret family when she's approached by a man named Tim (Joe Tippet), who soon reveals himself to be a Monarch employee. He confronts her about the files they tried decrypting in the first episode and she makes a run for it, only to be snatched by Monarch and thrown into a car with a bag over her head. This turn of events triggers her PTSD about G-Day, and she causes the car to crash, allowing her to escape on foot. When reporting the event to the police, Cate realizes she lost her bag containing her passport, effectively stranding her in Japan.
Kentaro returns to May's (Kiersey Clemons) apartment, where he brings her the film reel he found. Unbeknownst to him, she's been transferring the Monarch files onto her computer. He returns home, where his mother talks to him about his father, and they begin tearing up his family photos to let out their anger. In the aftermath, Kentaro notices a photo of "Uncle Lee," aka Leland Shaw.
Cate returns to May's apartment, where May pulls her aside and warns her that Monarch is searching inside. They make a run for it and try to warn Kentaro, but right as they do, Tim shows up to his apartment. Kenatro's mother slips him the photo of Uncle Lee and distracts Tim/Monarch just long enough for him to escape.
Meeting up with Cate and May, Kentaro tells them he knows where to go rather than fleeing the country. He looks to the photo of Uncle Lee for guidance. Traveling to a retirement home in the countryside, the three finally meet Uncle Lee (Kurt Russell), where we learn Kentaro and Cate's last name is Randa. This is an exciting reveal because it means they're related to John Goodman's (and Ander Holms') character of William Randa from Kong: Skull Island.
Lee soon reveals that his living quarters aren't a retirement home at all but a facility where Monarch is holding him captive. Offering the siblings the chance to find out the truth about their father, he asks them to break him out, ditching his ankle tracker and causing a high-speed chase.
The group boards a ship headed for Korea. Lee begins going through the Monarch files, and Cate lashes out at him because they've known about the existence of the "Titans" and did nothing to warn people about G-Day in San Francisco. Lee convinces the group to toss the original Monarch files into the ocean to avoid trouble at the border, but thankfully, May has digital copies of them on her laptop. When it seems like the Korean Border Patrol will detain them, it's revealed that Lee has a friend on the inside named Du-Ho (Bruce Baek) who helps them into the country. Once inside, the group learns Lee brought them to Korea to fly to Alaska, where their father was last seen.
Tim reports to his superiors at Monarch, and they're none too happy about the Randa siblings meeting up with Lee Shaw. They track their location to Korea but are frustrated to learn they escaped capture and decide to pursue.
A massive electrical storm in Alaska forces the group to make a quick landing. Continuing on foot, they discover remnants of the plane their father was on. Investigating the area further, they come across an encampment, leading them to believe their father is still alive. At the crash site, Du-Ho discovers gear suggesting the plane landed safely. Much to his horror, he finds claw marks that seem a MUTO took it down. He warns the group to head back to the plane, where his attempt to start it is cut short by a massive ice-breathing monster that freezes him to death.
The Past:
We learn that Lee Shaw (Wyatt Russell) was assigned to escort Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) as a form of punishment from the Army. Keiko is not the normal scientist he expected, but she introduces him to the then-unknown world of MUTOs that inhabit the earth. While setting up research equipment, they encounter cryptozoologist William "Billy" Randa (Anders Holm) filming in the jungle.
Billy Randa tells Keiko and Shaw that he's out in the jungle searching for a local legendary dragon MUTO, that may or may not exist. Keiko sees his knowledge as an asset and suggests he travel with her and Shaw. When Shaw objects to the idea, Keiko relieves him of his duty, and they part ways. After comparing notes and research, Billy and Keiko quickly realize they are searching for the same thing and come across The Lawton, a massive ship stranded on land. Billy and Keiko decide to explore the derelict ship. When the pair find an old footlocker of his onboard, we find out that Billy was stationed on The Lawton. He recounts the night the ship went down and his survival story.
While driving back to base, Lee notices his Geiger counter going off the charts and strange happenings in the sky that prompt him to quickly turn back to find Keiko and Billy. While still exploring the ship and discovering the corpses of the former crew, Keiko and Billy realize they're not alone, and a massive MUTO attacks them. When they seem trapped, Shaw returns with a flare to help them escape the collapsing ship. When they get out, the MUTO breaks through and flies through the air with massive wings. As it turns out, Billy's dragon was real.
Shaw, Keiko, and Billy create the Monarch organization and begin working with the United States government by showing them their findings, including a massive kaiju-sized footprint. They also report that the "Titans" could possibly be using radiation to weaponize themselves and become a global threat if left unchecked. In return, they receive some funding from The Pentagon, and just like that, a top-secret government agency is born.
In 1954, Shaw and the group arrive on an island to discover that the military is preparing atomic weapons for use in Monarch's research. As the Army prepares the weapons test, a familiar sight pops up in the water: Godzilla himself. Keiko attempts to stop the launch, but Shaw holds her back as a nuke goes off in Godzilla's face.
After the event, Keiko is disillusioned, and Billy tries to comfort her. Shaw joins them and reveals that since they provided proof of their theories, they're receiving full funding from the United States government to expand Monarch globally with outposts and researchers. The three agree to continue working together on the basis that they do it their way and only loop the government in on a need-to-know basis.
Wow, that's a lot to take in. Through the course of these first three episodes, it seems the MonsterVerse is far more connected than we realized. Their origin in the series suggests far more humble beginnings than the militant force we see them as in the Godzilla films. The main mystery around Hiroshi and how/why he disappeared is unraveling and I'm sure there's even more to uncover in the next few weeks. For now, though, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has me thoroughly hooked and waiting.
Recommended Kaiju Film of the Week: Monsters (2010)
Monsters is Gareth Edwards' theatrical directorial debut. Edwards went on to direct 2014's Godzilla, the first film in the MonsterVerse. For Monsters, he also served as cinematographer, production designer, and visual effects artist. The film follows a journalist (Scoot Mcnairy) as he's hired to escort a stranded American tourist (Whitney Able) from Mexico back into the United States. There's just one catch: six years ago, aliens landed on Earth and laid claim to the land once known as the border. Edwards plays with tension and smartly delivers an allegory on immigration in this sci-fi film, showing off his talent for delivering spectacle on scale. I personally feel this one is underseen. Highly recommended.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is now streaming on Apple TV with new episodes every Friday.
