Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 returns to the Monsterverse, introducing a new Godzilla rival currently known only as “Titan X.” The new Titan was unleashed at the end of Monarch Season 2’s premiere, an amphibian kaiju that is already threatening global shipping. Making matters worse, it killed Monarch’s Deputy Director Verdugo even as it emerged from the Axis Mundi, meaning there’s a gap in Monarch’s leadership that is already affecting the organization.
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Ironically, it falls to an established member of Monarch‘s cast to run the operation to contain Titan X. Tim is a seasoned Monarch operative who, in truth, is a lot more comfortable theorizing than making decisions; as he himself notes, he used to be consigned to the basement as something of an embarrassment. Now, he’s forced to step up and run Monarch’s mobile base, Outpost 18, and he’s running what may be the most important mission since G-Day. But Tim’s role conceals a surprising truth…
We Still Don’t Know Who Really Runs Monarch
As we’ve seen in flashbacks, the Monarch of yesterday was run by a triumverate – two scientists and a soldier (Keiko, Bill, and Lee). An ill-thought-through decision by Lee gave the United States military an opportunity to take control, with the trio essentially demoted in disgrace. But the precise relationship between Monarch and the U.S. government has been unclear ever since, not least because the Monsterverse has already confirmed Monarch ran bases behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War. It’s likely Monarch has expanded beyond the U.S. government.
Monarch Season 2 is set in 2017 in the Monsterverse timeline, three years after Godzilla’s rampage through San Francisco and two years after Monarch went public. That decision was apparently taken by Deputy Director Verdugo herself, who represented Monarch in a live broadcast announcing their existence and role. Outpost 18 is proof that Monarch has expanded its operations since Verdugo’s announcement, perhaps suggesting there is now United Nations involvement to give Monarch a global scale.
But here’s the catch; after two seasons, we still don’t know who Verdugo reported in to. If she is the deputy, who is the director? Monarch Season 2, episode 2 finally gave us a name, when Tim tried to contact “Director Barris” for orders. That gives us a name. But Director Barris is still notably hands-off, his existence shrouded in mystery, and we know absolutely nothing about him. We don’t know his goals or his agenda. And that’s vitally important.
The World Is Responding To Godzilla & Kong
The world has changed a lot during Monarch‘s two-year time jump. The most notable change is a partnership between Monarch and Apex Cybernetics, a company that has clearly known about Titans for a long time, and that has been working to acquire Monarch’s secrets through some very underhanded methods indeed. We already know that Apex has two goals: to create powerful responses to Titans, and to figure out a way to weaponize them. The end result has already been revealed, the Mechagodzilla seen in Godzilla vs. Kong.
Where does Director Barris sit in this? It’s important to remember that humans have successfully lived at peace with Titans for thousands of years; they may be dangerous, but the kaiju tend to stick to deserted areas, and there are ways of managing them. Keiko and her allies would stand for that, seeing the Titans as a natural part of the world, but there are others who would want them killed; the U.S. military’s first response to Godzilla was to try to blow him up at Bikini Atoll, after all. It’s entirely possible Director Barris takes this view, or perhaps is even engaged in efforts to weaponize Titans.
Only two things can be said for certain. The first is that the relationship between Monarch and Apex is destined to fall through, because they’ll be bitter rivals by the time of Godzilla vs. Kong. The second, more curiously, is that Director Barris isn’t name-dropped at all in movies set later in the timeline. These two facts coincide to suggest Monarch Season 2 is setting up a major schism at Monarch, one that will end the partnership with Apex and potentially bring Director Barris down. This major story is hidden in plain sight, obscured behind the Titans and the kaiju, and it’s a thrilling prospect.
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