‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Recap – ‘Secrets and Lies’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Kurt Russell, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, and Anna Sawai as Colonel Lee Shaw, May Oloewe-Hewitt, Kentaro Randa, and Cate Randa in Episode 103 of ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ – ‘Secrets and Lies’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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There are some who could easily claim that Godzilla movies and Kaiju stories are more or less devoid of deeper meaning, and they would have merit to their words. After all, most of those movies do indeed feature Godzilla beating the living hell out of another Titan or Kaiju, and they’re fun and boisterous at times. But you don’t often hear people say such things, simply because once you get into the world of Godzilla, it becomes clear that these stories are often so much more than two Kaiju slapping each other around. For these are stories about mankind’s helplessness against nature, and how it can take charge when it pleases because the planet was here first, not us. Not to mention, these are very human stories about what matters most in times of crisis, and never was this more evident, than during the next episode of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on Apple TV+.

For ‘Secrets and Lies’ pondered upon both of those concepts, with the former even adding a twist to the matter, courtesy of Lee Shaw’s days back in the South Pacific in the 1950s. Since he helped bring Monarch to bear with what he learned on that wild mission to the heart of the Philippines, and he convinced the United States Government to fund it, so they could begin their humane work of coexistence between mankind and the Titans. But alas, that was nothing more than a pipe dream since the infamous Bikini Atoll test in this franchise was revisited to inform us, that it was an attempt to bring Godzilla and other Titans down. Giving rise to that enhancement commentary wise, since that act spoke to our arrogance regarding our place in the food chain, and how that arrogance can set the stage for surprises… as evidenced by G-Day. 

Which was some fine and timely commentary for certain, the kind that was wonderfully counterbalanced by the other element we spoke to. Since in present day, Colonel Shaw and Cate, and her friends… finally figured out their mission. In that, there was a fair chance that Cate and Kentaro’s father was potentially alive since Monarch kept everything secret and dealt in lies, and well… since Shaw wanted to do something more than just sit in a room clipping Bonzai trees, he led the crew out of that retirement home and into a thrilling cat and mouse game around the globe. One that brought them within inches of trouble in South Korea before an old friend bailed them out and agreed to fly them up north to Alaska. Wherein they could figure out what happened up there and what secrets and lies needed to be transformed into truth. 

As it turned out, there was a good chance that dear old dad ran into something surprising, something Titan related, and was unable to say or do much because of that surprise and well… that was indeed the case. For a strange storm and the arrival at a perfect landing site, revealed signs of life. Or at least, that someone once lived on this site. For there was wreckage present, and a tent, complete with hints of a father. But alas, that’s about as far as the group was able to get in fact finding. Since it was discovered that this icy place was home to a very dangerous Titan. An Ice Titan that lived beneath the snow and could in fact, turn anything frozen solid with its breath. A fact that came forth via its attack on the plane, stranding the crew and putting them in grave danger. All because… what mattered most in that moment for Cate, Kentaro, and Shaw… was the preservation of life and closure.

For in times of crisis, we truly do need that in some semblance and that made for a powerful story to say the least. One that even pointed out, how much more important that need was, than say… using Shaw’s knowledge and the data they collected to expose how Monarch threatened the world by keeping the Titans a secret, and by working with the U.S. Government to deflect and keep a status quo going. But that’s an issue for another day, for in the here and the now, we were treated to quite the tale. One that once again featured a surprise Godzilla cameo and took us on quite the ride. One that continued to reveal just how many Titans are around the world, and how they are suddenly so active after Godzilla’s reveal to the world, and now that we’ve reached the harrowing end of this intense adventure, we must wait impatiently to see what awaits our impromptu heroes now that they are stuck in the cold void of the world with no signs of help on the horizon. Until next time.

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Godzilla in Episode 103 of ‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ – ‘Secrets and Lies’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple.)

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