TV Review | Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters (S1:EP’S 4 & 5 Parallels And Interiors / The Way Out)
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Carl Roberts 
Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters continues on Apple TV+ with episodes 4 & 5. But can the show continue its momentum towards unravelling the mystery?
The Monsterverse continues with episodes 4 & 5 of Apple TV+’s series, Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters. The series, as well as bringing Godzilla back to the screen, also brings more creatures from the Monsterverse to our attention, while unravelling the mystery surrounding Monarch itself. After the cameo from Big Zilla himself last week, and the shocking finale to episode 3, can episode 4 deliver a satisfying conclusion to the attack of the Frost Vark? And can episode 5 continue the momentum the series has built up to this point?
SYNOPSIS
Episode 4: The team is left stranded in the frozen tundra after a narrow escape. Kentaro reflects on his relationships.
Episode 5: Cate’s painful memories of G-Day come flooding back as she treks through the ruins of San Francisco with Kentaro and May.
EPISODE 4: PARALLELS AND INTERIORS
The series goes from strength to strength. The two episodes bring action, frights, emotion, and more drama than we could throw a Titan at. The fourth episode alternates between events in 2014, where Kentaro meets May while waiting for his first art show to start. He decides to spend the night with her instead of attending his own gallery showing. He explains to her that he has a desire to make his father, Hiroshi proud. And it is the final time Kentaro sees his father alive.
We also continue our journey where we left off last week in 2015. The Frost Vark’s emergence is detected by Monarch. The foursome, Cate, Kentaro, May, and Shaw manage to escape the Titan, but May falls into a pool of water and develops hypothermia. Kentaro splits off from the team in an attempt to find a way for them to be rescued. All the while, Shaw tries to learn a way to distract the Frost Vark so that they can all escape.
EPISODE 5: THE WAY OUT
Episode 5 deals with the aftermath of the fourth episode. Again, we jump between 2014 and 2015. In 2015, Cate, May, and Kentaro manage to persuade Cate’s mother Caroline to smuggle them into San Francisco’s ruins in an attempt to access Hiroshi’s office. Evading military patrols, and overcoming Cate’s PTSD, they make it, only to find no further files.
In a throwback to 2014, we see Cate in a relationship with fellow teacher Dani, two days before G-Day. However, Cate has been cheating on Dani and is guilt-ridden. On G-Day itself, Cate chooses to leave Dani behind and chaperone a bus of children across the Golden Gate Bridge. Of course, Godzilla appears and smashes through the bridge during his clash with the military. SPOILER ALERT: it doesn’t end well.
THOUGHTS
Both episodes keep us on the edge of our seats. Events and information come at us thick and fast, keeping us on our toes, and making us watch and listen very carefully. Any distraction could lead us to miss a vital piece of information, a vital plot point that we need to know going forward. While it answers a few questions, both episodes hand us more mysteries for us to ponder. Is Shaw (once again played brilliantly by Kurt Russell) keeping more secrets than he’s letting on? Does Monarch know more about what’s going on than they are admitting to?
We also get a few questions thrown at us about our three main characters. Why has Cate not revealed her trauma to anyone before now? Is she suffering from guilt about what happened on the bridge in 2014 or is there more to it than she is telling? Is Kentaro deeply emotional about what’s going on or is he hiding something? And what is the truth about May? Is she really part of the team or does she have a deep secret, something that’s affecting her judgement or is she playing for the other side?
THE PERFORMANCES
Once again, the acting from the cast is superb. Kurt Russell, we know will turn in a performance that will endear him to our hearts. But the rest of the cast are equally as good. Anna Sawai as Cate Randa continues to turn in a heartfelt, emotional but strong performance. Ren Watabe as Kentaro Randa can be annoying at times, such as how his character is written. But especially in episode 4 displays a side of the character we wouldn’t expect. And it is a revelation. Instead of being a whiny character as he has been up until now, he shows a spine of steel and a strength we wouldn’t expect. While Kiersey Clemons as May continues to be the spunky character we have come to know and love. There is more to come from May over the remaining episodes, and some surprises along the way.
CONCLUSION
The series continues to throw up more questions than answers at this point. And the mystery deepens with every passing week. Rest assured, the answers are on their way, and they will surprise and astound the audience. It is safe to say that at least one character isn’t what they seem to be, and the revelations that come with finding this out will probably come as a shock. But seeds that have already blossomed in the cinematic Monsterverse are planted here. And they are slowly starting to grow into the threads we know are coming. The series has also done the brave thing in moving away from the Titans for the most part and concentrating on the human element. While, as yet, it is an unequal balance, we get the feeling that this will balance out as we move into the last half of the series.
The mystery continues to build while giving us small bits of information regarding the answers we seek. Throw in the time jump back to the beginning of Monarch and Shaw’s (Wyatt Russell) journey back in the 1950s and we are again rewarded with episodes that have us hooked. The look of the series remains brilliant, and the effects of the Titans are superb. The writing remains a strong point, the direction is assured, and it all adds up to hugely enjoyable entertainment. The big Titan himself does manage to sneak in another brief cameo but it is the backstory of Monarch and the lives of these characters that have us enthralled. Yet another pair of great episodes that will keep fans and non-fans happy. The Legacy Of Monsters continues in earnest.
Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters continues every week on Apple TV+
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
