Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is back for a second season, and this time the focus has initially been on Kong rather than Godzilla. That’s largely because the opening episode is set on Kong’s home of Skull Island, a mysterious location where it’s much easier to open gateways into the Axis Mundi. By the end of Monarch Season 2’s first episode, a monstrous new Titan had been unleashed on the world – Titan X, a creature actually able to swim away into the open sea. The first season kept the kaiju in the shadows, but now they’re about to make their presence felt.
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It’s easy to focus on Titan X, the main “villain” of Season 2; it doesn’t really seem to have a parallel in Godzilla or Kong lore, which means we don’t yet know what it’s really capable of. But, of course, the real draws in the Monsterverse are the more well-established names – and it’s certain both Godzilla and Kong are going to return as Season 2 continues. For one thing, the opening credits alone make that pretty clear.
We Know Both Godzilla and Kong Will Be Back
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 opens with a new title sequence (accompanied by the familiar theme from the first season). It’s very different, with imagery evoking the sense of a radar sweep – appropriate for a story dealing with an aquatic Titan. There are also some pretty brilliant clues about Season 2 sprinkled in, with some deliberately reminding viewers about the main characters. Sketches tease the Titan as the truth behind the legend of the Kraken, and there are curious hints about a missing island. There’s a Titan Watch alert for the California coast, hinting where Titan X will go.
Most striking, though, is the fact that both Godzilla and Kong feature prominently in the title sequence. One shot sets up a battle between Godzilla and Titan X, which makes sense given Godzilla tends to keep the rest of the Monsterverse’s Titans in line. This is followed shortly afterwards by an artistic representation of Kong and Godzilla on a flag indicating they’re in one place. It’s obvious setup for Monarch being forced to bring them together against Titan X – an exciting prospect, to be sure.
There’s just one problem; Kong and Godzilla are both alphas. That means, as we already know in the Monsterverse, that any encounters between the two are likely to start out as fights. That’s right; already, Monarch Season 2 is setting up a Godzilla versus Kong rematch, albeit one that follows a pretty traditional format – where they fight against one another to begin with, and then team up against an even greater threat. It’s the pattern of so many movies, and it’s oft-repeated simply because it works.
All this means the stakes are higher than ever before for Monarch Season 2. The Monsterverse TV show had a fairly strong first season, but it looks as though the creative team has decided to up the ante at last. That title sequence should really be seen as a promise, a hint of the epic story we’re about to see. Monarch‘s characters have let the Titan out of the bottle, and it will take both of the world’s greatest protectors to deal with the crisis.
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Image Courtesy of Science SARU
