Episode 7 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters was filled to the brim with revelations. We learned May's true backstory that closely tied her to APEX, the cybernetics company from Godzilla vs. Kong. We also saw how Monarch went from the mysterious corporation they are in Godzilla to the publicly known entity they are in later MonsterVerse films. Long story short, the series has been an eye-opening look into this universe. If the MonsterVerse films are the big pieces, Monarch is the glue that holds them all together coherently.
But we're not through just yet. With three episodes left and the central mystery looming overhead, there's still plenty more of Monarch to uncover. Let's dive right in and see what this episode reveals.
The Present:
We open up with Shaw traveling with his "Anti-Monarch" back to the Kazakhstan site we haven't seen since the opening episode with a grand, mysterious plan they hope to execute. If the finale of the previous episode is any indicator, I think it's safe to assume some sort of Godzilla murdering will be attempted.
Tim brings Cate, Kentaro, and May into Monarch headquarters, where he mentions that their grandmother had wild theories later in her career involving wormholes and teleportation. While there, they see Monarch has global monitoring bases and can track any form of gamma radiation. Deputy Director Verdugo informs them that when Shaw set off that detonation in the previous episode, it wiped out all forms of gamma radiation there but caused twelve other locations to spike. If the group doesn't stop Shaw, there's a potential chance he could cause another G-Day-level disaster.
As the group investigates Monarch files hoping to recreate their father's map, Cate finds a file confirming Keiko Randa's fate. She died in the Kazakhstan expedition depicted in the first episode, and Lt. Shaw had requested her death benefits be directed to her spouse, William Randa. Making a guess that Shaw is the sentimental type and remembering it as one of the locations on her father's map, Cate and the rest of the group decide to travel to Kazakhstan, hoping to find Shaw and Hiroshi.
Arriving at the Kazakhstan site, the group discovers evidence that Shaw and his group are already there. Using Monarch's equipment they also find traces of gamma radiation. Tim brings up that despite a nuclear meltdown happening on the site that should have made it uninhabitable for a thousand years, something there is absorbing the radiation. They find numerous monster skins and a seemingly bottomless hole as they make their way down. Tim brings up that this hole is similar to one of Keiko's theories about portals, and Kentaro theorizes that Shaw is looking to close the portals to stop Titans from coming through. They discover one of Shaw's bombs, and the rival groups finally come face to face with weapons in hand.
Cate and Shaw break off from the rest of the group to discuss matters privately. Shaw tells her that Godzilla is a sentient being, not a destructive force of nature. He also reveals that there's an entire world hidden beneath the surface of ours, where the Titans live. Godzilla is just the force that keeps the worlds separate and prevents chaos. With this knowledge, Shaw reveals he plans to close off our world from the "Hollow Earth" permanently. He's doing so to atone for being unable to save Keiko all those years ago.
Right when Shaw signals to activate the bomb, the site begins to rumble. In the ensuing chaos, a Titan emerges but causes May, Cate, and Shaw to fall into the Hollow Earth. When the bomb detonates, it seals the portal, trapping them inside and leaving Kentaro in our world.
The Past:
The episode opens up with Billy and Keiko traveling together, talking about their child and what features he'll inherit from each of them. Keiko then turns to Shaw and asks if they'll be home in time for Hiroshi's birthday, revealing that Keiko is, in fact, Cate and Kentaro's grandmother. This scene also confirms that Keiko and Shaw's relationship never really recovered after he let the government take over Monarch.
Flashing back to a scene in the United States, the group reports their Godzilla findings to their superior, Lt. Hatch. They're met with hesitation about the existence of the Titans and where exactly they disappear to when not rampaging (let's remember that the "hollow earth" theory hasn't come into play yet). Doubting their work as a whole, Lt. Hatch makes a racist remark about Keiko, which prompts Billy to attack him. Realizing the fate of Monarch is in question, Shaw suggests that the group create a map that tracks and monitors the Titan's movements. It is a way to prove that Titans exist and aren't just pockets of fantasy that many in the government tend not to believe.
As Billy and Keiko work on the map, their relationship develops from a budding friendship into something more romantic in nature. Shaw sees signs of this but doesn't make his presence known. Billy becomes frustrated with the map not making sense when he notices an ant crawl through a hole in it. This hints at the origin of the "Hollow Earth" theory from the MonsterVerse films.
Rushing to Keiko's place to inform her of his discovery, he learns that Keiko is actually a mother to a little boy named Hiroshi. She tells Billy that with the money she made from Monarch, she was able to bring her son over to the United States but kept the fact she was a widow a secret. Billy offers her comfort and tells her that he has her back.
Lt. Shaw offers a copy of Monarch's Titan map directly to his General. The map promises to have projections of every Titan threat monitored by Monarch. Shaw reveals to the General that the bomb they set off on Godzilla didn't kill him and that he still lives. He also mentions that the information is his, Keiko's, and Billy's work and not that of Lt. Hatch. With this meeting, Shaw saves Monarch from being dissolved.
I'm gonna be honest, this is one of my favorite episodes of the season. The Hollow Earth was one of my favorite elements of the excellent Godzilla vs. Kong, and seeing its origins explained is a real treat. It adds a layer of fantastical elements to Godzilla that had nearly endless potential. Positioning Godzilla as the main vanguard between their world and ours is something so true to the mythos of the beast that I can't help but be a fan of what Monarch is doing. This episode also balanced past and present storylines in more meaningful ways than other episodes this season as we finally got to see Keiko and Billy's romance start to blossom and learn how important they are to Monarch as a whole. Meanwhile, their legacy lives on in Cate as she quickly adapts to her new environment and becomes a force all her own. With this massive cliffhanger in place, I can't wait to see how the season ends.
Recommended Kaiju Film of the Week: King Kong (2005)
Call me nostalgic, but I remember when the most popular King Kong movie was a three-hour epic involving Jack Black. King Kong was director Peter Jackson's first film after his colossal Lord of the Rings trilogy. With the well-earned reputation, he made a killer 1930s period piece that combines the best parts of films like Jurassic Park and King Kong (1933). The story follows a film crew as they set out to the previously uncharted Skull Island in hopes of making an exciting movie, but they get more than they bargained for when they encounter prehistoric monsters and Kong himself. An absolute blast from start to finish, Peter Jackson's King Kong is by far and away my favorite Kong-focused film.
