Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Review: The Monsterverse’s Family Drama Unleashes Everything It’s Got

If there’s one thing that Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 does to the Monsterverse, it continues proving why it’s one of the best human-centric stories in this franchise. 

Films like Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and (soon) Godzilla x Kong: Supernova satiated fans’ desire to see these Titans going at it. However, it also left fans wondering when we’d get to see the human side of this world explored again.

Fortunately, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 not only answers that call, but also delivers a moving story about self-reflection, action versus inaction, and the “what-ifs” of the past and the future.

Although there’s so many narrative gaps that Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 has to fill, it still remains focused on the present-day Randas. The emotional connection of this family dynamic continuously develops in a way that’s not just refreshing but also uniquely apart from Season 1.

Cate’s arc here, as compared to Season 1, is much more rooted in this post-traumatic state she gains right from the get-go. Having dealt with so many different kaijus face-to-face, from the ice beast to Godzilla himself, she wants to free herself from the burden of her actions as well as Monarch.

What Cate specifically does in the first episode serves as the catalyst for her process of letting go, which is exemplified by Anna Sawai’s emotional performance. Yet, as Season 2 goes on, the way that Cate finds herself intertwined into the grand scheme of things is naturally and carefully developed.

There are certain moments involving Cate around the latter half of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 that really show how integral she is, not just to the narrative, but the cast as a whole.

Furthermore, the interactions that we get between her and Keiko, who’s come back in Season 1’s finale, help to fortify that parent-child dynamic that was briefly touched upon with Cate and her dad, Hiroshi.

Of course, we still do get Hiroshi teaching and aiding Cate, but there’s a much more sympathetic perspective that he shows. Unlike where Hiroshi was more intense, his understanding of Cate’s actions and motivations will definitely make some appreciate him more.

Although he is also relegated to being somewhat of a stakes-builder, Hiroshi is still a likable character. The flashbacks that explore how he handled caring for Cate and Kentaro, respectively, also do a good job of enhancing what was only explained back in Season 1. 

Speaking of Kentaro, it may seem like Season 2 doesn’t necessarily know where he goes as our characters get acquainted with the new Monarch. It feels like he’s in the background, but there’s a reason that Kentaro is more reserved until halfway through.

When he does eventually get more involved, it may feel a bit messy given how Apex, the bad guys from the films, fit into the picture. The motivation and reasoning for Kentaro’s moves is made up of several little factors. However, it’s the insertion of one specific character that makes things more complicated in a slightly confusing way.

With Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 skipping forward in time due to Season 1’s finale, there are some obvious questions that need to be answered. Notably, these include what Apex’s involvement is and how Lee Shaw comes back into the fold.

Although the latter is answered quickly in Season 2 Episode 1 “Cause and Effect”, the former takes its time to fully answer that question. In fact, Apex’s involvement throughout this season impacts each of the main characters in different ways, albeit with certain levels of satisfaction.

The character that seems to be the most impacted by Apex is May, whose former boss seems to be running the show until Season 2 Episode 5.

She wants to genuinely do right and find a way for her tech to work, making Titan-human co-existence possible. Yet, the way that it does this, with a heist-like episode, results in a weird, but fitting, situation for her.

May’s involvement with Apex also revolves around Tim, who is now one of the heads of Monarch (but is mostly stuck in a boat that serves as the org’s headquarters).

Tim is probably the only character who has a significant change compared to Season 1. He has a bit of an intentional comedic edge, but he’s also much more confident in maintaining Monarch’s original ideals.

There’s also a little debate that Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 tries to break down about the idea about “discovery versus defense.” It’s the classic problem about determining what’s right and what’s best through the conflict that Monarch and Apex have as they try to take out Titan X.

However, Lee Shaw finds himself in that gray area between these two outliers as a somewhat “antiheroic” face. He wants to protect Keiko’s family, which he’s proven to do, but he also wants to protect humanity as well. In a similar fashion, Season 2 explores a relationship the show has only hinted at once: his relationship with Keiko.

What Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 does is explore what’s best for everyone and what’s best for oneself. On a grander scale, it’s the conflict between Monarch and Apex. On a personal level, it’s the exploration of Keiko and Shaw’s bond when Bill isn’t in the picture.

Through these flashbacks, the “love triangle” that’s developed between Keiko, Shaw, and Bill does a good job proving why there’s no easy answer to that overarching question. Not only do they carefully build upon the pros and cons of what should be done, but also how it’s reflected in Hiroshi’s marriages.

There’s also one episode, Season 2 Episode 7 “String Theory”, that really emphasizes this point. Although the specifics of it can’t be said, it also can’t be understated that this Shaw-focused episode really felt impactful and rounds out his character nicely.

Season 2 is definitely a much more character-driven journey, but it also has a need to propel its kaiju-centric storyline forward. There are a few exposition dumps and narrative drops here and there to keep the story going. Some of the dialogue also has a need to point out the specifics of things, which may be a bit much.

However, there’s still some great Titan-kaiju action to be expected from Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2. Separately, Godzilla and Kong do get equal time in the spotlight, and Titan X’s design and powers are wonderfully put together. Imagine a megalodon and a kraken had a gigantic offsprin,g and you get this new kaiju.

The kaiju fights are also explosive and brutal, but that’s a given for any Monsterverse project. What Monarch Season 2 does, however, is literally put the human characters directly in the path of these fights as close as possible. No one’s safe, and there are a few wild kills that certainly prove that.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 continues to confidently propel its emotional, human-centric story forward amidst Godzilla, Kong, and the titanic craziness of the Monsterverse.

Although there are some things that feel like setups for Season 3, this season will continue to captivate fans who already love the series.

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Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 premieres on Friday, February 27, on Apple TV.

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