Last week’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters delved into Kentaro’s past as he played hero rescuing his colleagues from a Frost Vark. In “The Way Out,” we learn more about his half-sister, Cate, and her backstory. Particularly her experiences during Godzilla’s attack on San Francisco.
Previously, it looked like Kentaro, Cate, May, and Shaw were in deep trouble after being captured by Monarch. That’s why it is a bit disappointing that all the younger trio receive is a stern lecture and a one-way ticket away from searching for Hiroshi Randa. It’s the equivalent of a slap of the wrist, and portrays the group other than Shaw as a bunch of children. The fact that there isn’t any real consequences takes much of the mysterious aura surrounding Monarch away and lessens the conspiracy thriller aspects we have received so far.
But those kids sure are plucky and instead of heeding their captors, they take their investigation to the other side of the Pacific and visit Cate’s hometown of San Francsico. Their visit touches upon some interesting aspects of the MonsterVerse such as the rebuilding process after at titan attack. We see glimpses of the capitalistic nature looking to exploit people’s anxieties as well as the true devastation. In the films, we rarely see what happens to the city following the big kaiju battle.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also captures the emotional reunion between Cate and her mother. The scene between Anna Sawai and Tamlyn Tomita is tense filled with relief, anger, and frustration. Sawai’s Cate isn’t the type to sugar coat things which adds to the stress, and it is even made more awkward as Kentaro overhears the arguing regarding his family. Yet Tomita’s Caroline is sympathetic to her husband’s secret son, and is still comforting and supportive towards her daughter despite their current drama.
Cate’s flashbacks paint a picture of a more selfish and self-centered person who is unfaithful to her partner. A contrast to the person we’ve seen so far, especially compared to last episode when she helps May push on while suffering from hypothermia. More importantly, is the guilt she carries with her for abandoning her partner during the attack, and the survivor’s remorse after failing to save her students. That trauma still haunts her to this day explaining her claustrophobia and panic attacks.
Though Monarch: Legacy of Monsters gives us a better understanding of Cate, her subplot doesn’t carry the same impact as Kentaro’s from last week. First, it depicts her in an unflattering light, and it also fails to give her a heroic moment. The lack of significant monster action combined with the slower pacing of the episode doesn’t grasp you as much. The little interesting tidbits, including the possibility of a mole within the group, are unable to compensate for a less eventful episode.
“The Way Out” isn’t as an effective character dive with Cate as “Parallels and Interiors” was with Kentaro, but it contains some intriguing elements and an emotional family reunion.
New episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters are released Fridays on Apple TV+.
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