Critic’s Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
4.5
After what seemed like an eternity, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is finally back, and better than ever.
Seriously. I’m one of those people who tend to lose interest in series the longer they’re off the air, but Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 1 delivered in every area.
It was the series’s finest hour yet, and the fallout promises an even stronger season ahead.
(Courtesy of Apple TV+)
We’ll start with Cate. On the one hand, her desire to save Shaw from the Axis Mundi showcased her growth from the teacher we met on Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 1 Episode 1.
On the other hand, her actions have unleashed holy hell on Skull Island and left Natalia thwacked to the other side of the island, likely to her demise.
Cate never wasted a beat because she couldn’t forget how Shaw followed her into the Axis Mundi and how his courage left him trapped once again.
I can see why Cate was desperate to save him, having witnessed how quickly things can change in the real world when someone is trapped there.
But she didn’t know that he even survived.
(Courtesy of Apple TV+)
When Keiko — who lost 50 years — says a 100-foot fall means no survival, that should’ve been enough to stop Cate.
Granted, Keiko’s apprehension was likely shaped by her shared experience on Skull Island with Bill and Shaw, which promises to take center stage as we delve into a new wave of flashbacks this season.
But let’s get back to Cate. I know what she had to gain by embarking on this dangerous mission to Skull Island to open up the rift, but she didn’t think of the bigger picture.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Features Big Consequences
Will she pay the price in the aftermath? I suspect that she’ll see the repercussions play out in real-time in the wake of Natalia’s death and the fact that she also gave Kong a new foe to fight with on Skull Island.
Cate may find herself locked up, unless May sacrifices her morals and accepts Brenda’s job. Maybe that’s the only way that Cate gets out of this scot-free.
(Courtesy of Apple TV+)
Shaw will fight in her corner because she’s the reason he’s back on Earth, but I believe that she’ll be pushed away from Kentaro and Hiroshi in the process.
Natalia and Hiroshi pointed out the flaws in Cate’s plan, but she didn’t even consider them, which could be seen as selfish, given the other people on the island at the same time.
It was an unimaginable situation for anyone to be in, but damn, I can’t wait to see if she manages to bounce back from this one. The guilt of Natalia’s demise and everything else that happens now will eat away at her.
Away from rash decisions, I thoroughly enjoyed Cate’s conversation with her father. She needed a way to contextualize her father’s life, which was entirely different from hers.
At her core, she hasn’t allowed there to be any rhyme or reason for it because her anger drives her toward him.
(Courtesy of Apple TV+)
It’s an instinct, but I hope she recalls that her mother’s sentiments about having a part-time husband worked out for her in the end.
Admittedly, Caroline acknowledged how Hiroshi’s part-time status also affected her daughter, so maybe that’s a conversation for another day.
However, maybe Cate will understand things a bit better now that she has a brother. Sometimes, life works in mysterious ways, and in this instance, some things worked out for the better.
Can Cate and Kentaro Work Through Their Issues?
There does seem to be some sibling unrest brewing because Kentaro wasn’t interested in entertaining any possibility that Shaw survived. He was mindlessly following his father and sister, mostly his sister.
I hope that these three can work through their deeply rooted issues and overcome the big hurdles plaguing the human race in the form of the monsters.
(Courtesy of Apple TV+)
All of their trauma has to amount to something, and it’d be a miracle if they managed to focus their energy on getting along.
What might complicate things is that it seems that both Cate and Kentaro have a thing for May. The premiere had May in deadly situations with both of the siblings.
The positive of Shaw being alive is that Keiko doesn’t need to acclimate to the real world again, without someone by her side who has also gone through something similar to what she has.
Keiko has been through it, and I’d love for her to find her purpose with Monarch again. It was evident that she felt redundant because of technological advancements during the years she was trapped in Axis Mundi.
Keiko is a natural at leading a team and seems to be a great voice of reason, so maybe she could take over Natalia’s role to shepherd Monarch into this turbulent chapter.
(Courtesy of Apple TV+)
There’s a great sense of dread in terms of what comes next because, for the most part, the good guys have had more wins than losses.
Keiko also has this avalanche of knowledge from her time on Skull Island that will come in handy.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is back, and this premiere proves that every choice carries weight. If the rest of Monarch: Legacy Season 2 follows through on these consequences, we’re in for something special.
What are your thoughts on Cate’s decision? Was it selfish, warranted, or downright stupid?
What’s your take on Keiko’s adjustment to a world that has advanced 50 years in her absence?
(Courtesy of Apple TV+)
Let’s delve into it in the comments section.
And one last note from me: We’re running this review a little later than planned, but we’ll be running the rest of the Monarch Season 2 reviews timed to the episodes dropping on Apple TV+.
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Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 1 balances emotional reckonings with monster-sized action in a premiere packed with consequences.
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