On Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, we’ve watched our main young trio search for the missing Hiroshi Randa. So far this season, we’ve received episodes that focused on the backstories of both Cate and Kentaro. In “Will the Real May Please Stand Up?” we finally learn what brought the third member to Japan.
Previously, there were vague references to May’s shady past, and this episode paints an engaging and sympathetic picture of a young adult who is gifted but arrogant and naïve. What begins as curiosity and ambition leads to the opening of a Pandora’s box and a moral dilemma. Kiersey Clemmons conveys the graveness of the situation and the anguish her character faces that leads to a life on the run.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also provides May an opportunity of growth and redemption. Following her recent betrayal of the group, she is afforded a chance to stop running from her problems and finally take responsibility for her actions. Those years in solitude have taken a toll, and she can finally rejoin her friends on her own terms.
More interesting is May’s old company. Dominique Tipper makes her presence felt as May’s recruiter at Applied Experimental Technologies (AET). She is equal parts charming and chic with a cutthroat and cold demeanor when she wants. The final reveal of AET is unexpected but will have resonating effects. It makes you realize this is a shared universe other than the presence of familiar titans and Monarch. The offhand namedrop earlier in the episode, turns out to be a significant Easter egg after the closing minutes.
Although May is the focus, there are other parts of the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters narrative that take peculiar turns. There is a clearer picture to Shaw’s agenda, and it doesn’t appear to be anything good. He is now an x-factor and he is lighting a fuse that could lead to an explosive final episodes. Meanwhile, the Randa siblings are processing briefly seeing their father in different ways. It has only steeled Cate’s resolve to reunite the family while Kentaro is feeling rejected and unwanted. These varied emotions could lead to more internal group strife, particularly when Cate and May are also only growing closer. Both developments only add to the intrigue.
One aspect that fails to resonate are the actions of Monarch themselves at the behest of Tim, the corporate stooge. It is played as a significant and momentous gesture but lacks the impact it should. The entire outcome feels rushed and inorganic. More importantly, it didn’t seem necessary and makes the organization come off as sanctimonious despite the candor.
“Will the Real May Please Stand Up?” brings much needed insight on one of the more enigmatic characters while taking others in interesting directions.
New episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters are released Fridays on Apple TV+.
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