Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2, episode 6.Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2’s latest episode builds on the show’s shocking time travel reveal, and it results in one of the most intriguing additions to the Monsterverse so far. In the last episode of Monarch season 2, the Apple TV series ended with a game-changing moment. Wyatt Russell’s Lee Shaw spoke on the radio with Kurt Russell’s version of the same character.
The brief conversation between the young and old versions of Shaw was the result of Dr. Suzuki using him as a conduit to test their new Titan phone. As expected, episode 7 did not turn back on that reveal, instead choosing to dive deep into it, as the main story of the episode rested on the interactions between the father-son duo of actors as Lee Shaw in different eras.
Monarch’s Changes To The Past Explained
The Apple TV sci-fi series makes the most of its time-bending narrative, as the conversation between both versions of Lee Shaw leads to changes to the show’s timeline. It is revealed that any actions taken by the young Lee in the Axis Mundi in 1962 will reverberate through the time stream, changing the reality of Kurt Russell’s version of the character.
That is shown physically when the young Lee gets cut on the face while navigating the deadly Axis Mundi, and the older version of the character suddenly receives an aged scar that had never been present thus far. Likewise, as the conversations between the two escalate, with old Lee initially pretending to be a Monarch officer before revealing his real identity, he comes to remember that as something that happened to him.
Once he tells his younger self the truth, Wyatt Russell’s Lee Shaw chooses to change the past and save Keiko Miura, only to be dissuaded from doing it by his older self. Instead, Lee changes the timeline in another way, by putting a tracker on Titan X in the past, which immediately leads to the older Lee and Suzuki being able to track the beast in the present.
Why Lee Did Not Save Keiko Explained
As shown in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2, episode 7, the smallest of actions in the Axis Mundi had consequences in the present day. Due to that, there would be no way to determine just how big a change the world would go through if Lee were to save Keiko back when he was first trapped in the location.
His older self explains to him that Keiko is already destined to be saved, and by following the natural flow of time, Kentaro and Cate have come to exist in the world. Who is to say that Lee saving Keiko years before she was supposed to come back from the Axis Mundi would not have impacted the chances of one or both of them being born?
Had Keiko reunited with a young Hiroshi, the character could have become a completely different man, perhaps one who would not start two separate families. Likewise, if Hiro had his mother his whole life, he might not have ventured into the Axis Mundi himself, leading to the disappearance that led his children to look for him. Letting Keiko go was Lee’s only move not to disturb the timeline.
What’s Next For Titan X?
By the end of episode 7, the young version of Lee successfully tagged Titan X with a tracker, allowing Kurt Russell’s Shaw to track him. This should result in the season’s biggest Titan fight to date, as Lee now has all the pieces of the puzzle to summon Godzilla to Titan X’s location. The problem is, Lee’s actions might be unwarranted.
Monarch‘s latest episode saw Cate and Keiko continue their research on the former’s connection to Titan X. By looking into old lore on the beast, the sound it emits, and a series of tunnels, Cate claims that she does not believe Titan X is a threat or lost. As such, the Titan might have something important to do in Australia, and summoning Godzilla to fight it would complicate it all.
Is Monarch Season 2 Setting Up Lee Shaw’s Death?
Finally, when Suzuki is excited to embark on a new adventure with Lee, Kurt Russell’s character is quick to say it is a one-man mission. It then becomes clear that Shaw believes he might die from the events he is about to unleash. Well, there is a good reason to worry, as he plans to start a fight between Titan X and Godzilla.
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, as well as the other releases in the Monsterverse, have shown the destructive power of the Titans. Based on the fact that Godzilla does not like competition, and that Cate believes Titan X has a specific goal in mind regarding where it is headed, things are definitely not looking good for Shaw. Both Titans should stand their ground fiercely.
Given how we see Titan X arrive at a desert, there will not be an easy place for Lee to hide after the Titans start fighting. That said, it would be quite surprising if the Apple TV series were to kill Kurt Russell’s Lee Shaw. After all, the older Shaw is the most important player in the present timeline. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2 killing him is unlikely.
- Release Date
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November 16, 2023
- Network
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Apple TV
- Showrunner
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Chris Black, Matt Fraction
- Directors
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Julian Holmes, Matt Shakman, Mairzee Almas, Andy Goddard, Hiromi Kamata
- Writers
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Al Letson, Karl Taro Greenfeld, Chris Black, Mariko Tamaki, Amanda Overton, Andrew Colville, Matt Fraction, Milla Bell-Hart
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Kiersey Clemons
May Hewitt