Monarch: Legacy of Monsters – Secrets and Beasts in the MonsterVerse
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is set just after the Godzilla movie – not the first black-and-white Godzilla movie, obviously, and not the rubbish 90s one. This was the 2014 version, which I enjoyed. Monarch seemed like it would be a lot of fun, so, with iron willpower, I waited until most of it had been released.
I started watching it just after episode seven was released, thinking the show would be done by the time I caught up. I miscalculated and binge-watched all seven episodes, then got frustrated that I had to wait. Needless to say, I am a fan. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is fun. It’s not perfect, but I loved it and resented having to pause a binge.
What’s the show about?
Legacy of Monsters plunges us into the aftermath of “G-Day” – 2015 – the seismic San Francisco showdown that ripped open the world’s veil of normalcy. Great, big, near-indestructible monsters roam among us.
We follow two half-siblings, Cate and Mark, grappling with the fallout of losing their father amidst the chaos. Yet, their grief hides a deeper mystery – their dad’s secret connection to Monarch, the shadowy organization tasked with studying and containing the Earth’s newly awakened giants.
As Cate and Mark embark on a globetrotting odyssey, Monarch becomes their unexpected compass and something to either avoid or embrace. It’s mysterious. We journey alongside dedicated scientists, stoic secret operatives, bluff military men, a couple of nerdy types, an angry hacker, and some adventurous but dedicated scientists. It also flicks back and forth between various time periods as we see the mysterious Monarch start and grow into the whatever-the-hell-it-is now.
The show’s true strength lies in its deft juggling act. The sprawling scale of Titan encounters is breathtakingly rendered and really well done – a feast for kaiju aficionados. Just make sure your TV is large, and the sound system is decent. But “Legacy of Monsters” doesn’t forget the human heart beating beneath the spectacle.
Anna Sawai and Kiersey Clemons breathe life into Cate and Mark, a duo suffering a father-related trauma yet propelled by an unyielding drive to find stuff out. Their sibling chemistry is great, their vulnerability and resilience mirroring the theme of a new world that is struggling to find meaning in a world reshaped by monstrous forces. This theme is established from the outset as we see people scurry for a government shelter when there is a possible Titan attack. It’s 2015, and we’re now in the Monsterverse, people.
Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell, in a clever shared role as the gruff-yet-grizzled Monarch operative Lee Shaw, lend gravitas and a touch of Hollywood legacy. I’m going to be honest: I didn’t watch the credits much and only noticed Wyatt Russel’s surname at the start of episode eight, and it all made sense. He is a great actor and looks a lot like Kurt Russel.
The rest of the ensemble, from Anders Holm’s tech-savvy nerd to Joe Tippett’s conflicted Monarch operative, round out the narrative tapestry nicely.
Is Monarch: Legacy of Monsters any good?
The Titan-sized plot does occasionally get a bit convoluted. And I’m saying this as someone who binged the first two-thirds. The web of conspiracies, family secrets, and ancient mythology woven through the episodes can feel overwhelming at times. Some twists are great, but others can be a bit confusing. Some characters turn out to be linked to Monarch but met other characters by coincidence, and I spent way to much time trying to work out people’s ages as the setting shifted forward and backward in time.
The show’s pacing also throws up occasional dust clouds. Some monster-free stretches, though vital for character development, can feel like detours before the next kaiju clash. But when they do clash, it’s great fun. The characters are all pretty likeable, although the angry hacker/sound specialist/gadget collector lady annoyed me at times.
However, these are mere tremors in the face of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ overall impact. It’s a show that asks profound questions about our place in a universe teeming with colossal forces beyond our control while showing these colossal forces bellowing and fighting. It forces us to confront our monsters, both external and internal, and grapple with the possibility of coexistence in the face of chaos. What would daily life be like if there were massive monsters roaming around and occasionally trashing cities?
Ultimately, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is a lot of fun and all I had hoped it would be. It’s a love letter to the MonsterVerse, a gripping family drama, and a thought-provoking examination of humanity’s role in a world forever changed by Godzilla’s roar and radioactive breath. So, buckle up, kaiju fans, and prepare to embark on a thrilling, messy, and surprisingly poignant journey – with lots of monsters. I look forward to more.