Monarch: Legacy of Monsters S2.E3 ‘Secrets’

Shaw, Keiko, Hiroshi and Kentaro go roque in an attempt to find Titan X. Cate struggles with feelings of guilt. A buried secret is exposed. (13 March 2026)

The cold start has us where the last episode left us: Santa Soledad in Chile, 1957.

The Scarabs (or what I call Trilobilla), have emerged from that sacred cave, responding to the call of Titan X (Krakilla). None of the villagers is outside and no one will let Young Shaw and Keiko in. Of course, they are also speaking English. Krakilla starts screaming and emerges from the water and a shack is smashed. Young Shaw is trying to get up and then finds Keiko and they both watch Krakilla. Being the scientist who always throws caution to the wind or to the monsters, Keiko runs to the pier and we watching a single Trilobilla scurrying down to Krakilla. Underwater, we see more are converging and attaching themselves to Krakilla.

As Keiko takes photos in the dark with 1950s technology the villagers emerge from their shakes. The high-speed film used in 1950s was 200 to 400 ASA. There was specialized, high-speed films with 1250 to 1600 ASA by 1956-1959 and there might have been special military or scientific stocks. But I’d question the type of lens Keiko uses and the lack of tripod or any attempt to steady herself.

Keiko’s first thought is: “Poor Billy…He missed it.”

Young Lee has lost his gun and he takes Keiko and tries to escape, but they are in a small seaside village. The people, mostly men, surround them. They want the camera.

Lucia, speaking in Spanish, tells the men to let them go. Without the camera, no one will believe them. That’s not what Augustin believes. There is diversity in this island. I see a few Black faces and I’m not talking about the celebratory makeup. “They will defile our land with non-believers. Our land, our village!”

One guy draws a small knife, but Young Lee takes it from him and holds it to his neck, but where can they go? He turns to Keiko and just says, “Run.” And then the titles run.

Now we find ourselves with Cate and May at the Port of Tokyo in 2017. Outpost 18 is docked for engine repairs. Cate tells May she needs to go home. May thinks Cate has a purpose, but Cate says, she doesn’t. “I bought into all of Dad’s crap about this being my legacy.”

May considers this may be true because, “You looked Godzilla in the eye. You went to Axis Mundi and back. I saw you. ”

Yet Cate replies, “What happens when people find out I’m the person that released a new Titan into the world?”

“Well, then you don’t know what’s best for me,” May replies and walks away.

On board Outpost 18, Old Lee is asking Tim if he has any idea how long it will be before the ship can move, but Tim doesn’t know how much damage there is to the engines. They need to get engineers on board because they can’t afford to have them on board while they are searching for Titans?

Tim then says, “In the meantime, it’s been three years since Godzilla and we have our first Titan loose in the world.” The camera goes to Hiroshi. Tim continues, “Barris and the rest of the board want to keep things under wraps to avoid panic. The last thing we need out there is mass hysteria.”

Old Lee asks the question we’ve already formulated: How are they going to hide a Titan?

Hiroshi says, “What if we could” and gives Keiko a meaningful look.

Keiko says, “What if instead of waiting for it to appear, we could lead it to where we want it to go?”

Hiroshi explains, “Away from population centers while we work on a strategy to deal with it.”

Keiko says, “The Titan turned to follow us because the Scarabe emitted a sound.”

Old Lee says, “If we could replicate the sound…”

Hiroshi continues, “I believe I can reconfigure the emitter coils on the Suzuki device to emulate the frequency.”

That would be great, but then Kentaro reminds them all that “Kong destroyed your device on Skull Island.”

Hiroshi has secrets. “I have another one. It’s a prototype in his workshop in Tokyo, just outside of Shibuya.”

Tim thinks this is amazing and “so we build a Titan dog whistle and we lure it out here to the southern ocean somewhere” and then what?

Old Lee says that can wait because they need to get the prototype first.

Tim is summoned to the command center and did anyone think that Tim was capable of being a leader? There’s a new team in town led by Jason Trissop (Cliff Curtis who is of Māori descent, Te Arawa and Ngāti Hauiti) taking a “command override access to the whole system.” He is the head os Special Projects at Apex Cybernetics. Trissop compares what his team is doing to “dropping a Ferrari engine into a Pinto” if Tim wants to call it a “tune-up.” Trissop tells Tim they are developing “an ultra long-wave sonar system that can piggyback to your arrays” and it “extends their range and sensitivity.” This will be the best chance for them to find a Titan. Tim thinks he’s still in charge, but Trissop tells him that because they lost track of the Titan, Tim is out and Trissop is in.

Monarch’s Director Barris is allowing a private corporation, Apex, to take charge. Tim argues that he made the right decision by saving the ships. Barris replies that the mission was to follow the Titan X and it is gone. But Barris wonders who really made the call: Tim or Old Lee?

Tim is obviously Team Lee because “We would be idiots not to listen to him and Dr. Randa.” Barris sees Old Lee as a criminal. Tim wants to know if he’s through, but Barris warns him the “jury is still out.”

Barris explains the deal: “Apex has offered us access to technology that may allows us to find that Titan before the public finds out what’s happening here. And to that end I’m going to need you to support them and give them any kind of assistance they need.” Then there’s the kicker. Time needs “to hand over Leland Shaw and Dr. Keiko Randa before they create yet another catastrophic event for Monarch and the entire world…without delay.”

Keiko wants to know about Apex. Tim explains they are into “biomedical research” and that includes “neural implants.”

Old Lee sees this as “Monarch’s farming out its mission to big tech.”

Hiroshi explains that Apex has deep pockets. “They were willing to fund the operation on Skull Island.”

Old Lee wants to know “what’s in it for them?”

Tim leads Hiroshi, Old Lee, Kentaro and Keiko to a Zodiac so they can escape, hoping that Hiroshi’s plan will work.

In Shibuya, Tokyo, surveillance cameras pick up Keiko, Old Lee and Kentaro crossing a major intersection amongst a crowd. A news flash posted their photos on an electronic billboard.

At Hiroshi’s workshop, we see the prototype which he got through customs by bribing many people. It is baed on Dr. Suzuki’s original designs. Although Keiko notes it is much smaller, Hiroshi claims is is “considerably more powerful.” Hiroshi originally used to “to build upon yours [Keiko’s] and Bill’s old theories about the Titan network,” but it ended up calling Godzilla. “We will need to modify the gamma ray emulator to broadcast the Titan’s acoustic signature” that they picked up on Outpost 18. Keiko calls it the “Titan’s song.”

Old Lee notes that the “extensive modification” sounds like a lot of time, but they “got Monarch on our tail and a Titan on the lam so how can they help moves things along?”

Hiroshi and Kentaro will collect some components. Hiroshi needs his original diagrams from his office. Old Lee and Keiko are tasked with this.

Flashback to Santa Soledad in Chile, 1957, we see Young Lee and Keiko running into a forest with the lights and angry voices of the villagers behind them. How do they even know where to do when they don’t have any lights (torch or street lamps)? They must eat a lot of carrots. Young Lee insists that Keiko give him the camera. He takes out the film and then drops the camera in its brown leather case on the brown forest floor. As they hide behind rocks, the villagers find the camera. Lucia sees them after she hears the rustle of leaves but doesn’t give them away.

Back on the streets of Tokyo in 2017, May is eating when Tim finds her: They’ve set up a meeting. May thinks he should be at the Outpost, but Tim confesses the only thing Monarch will be needing him for is “an exit interview.” Of course, May already knows abut corporate disappointment.

“Let me guess, you devoted your life to something, poured your heart and should into it, just to take up one day and realize you might have made a bad bet.”

Tim offers a toast: “To disappointment, the only thing that never fails to disappoint.”

May tells Tim that she intends to eat noodles and get drunk. May also reveals that there is an opening at Monarch, “but I haven’t checked out the perks package yet.” Tim thinks that Apex probably has a better package and Apex does have a barista.

Tim says, “Maybe we should be looking past it. Maybe we should be looking at it. This whole technical makeover of Outpost 18…I mean, if we can use their tech, great, but handing over a Monarch asset to a private company? It does not make sense.” I think we’ve already had that discussion.

May doesn’t have much to add except, “Welcome to the free market.”

Tim believes they are up to something and “we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg. I just think it would be nice to know someone on that particular iceberg.” May is too drunk for metaphors and the scriptwriters want to make sure people understand what’s happening here. Tim says, “What I want is for you to task Brenda Holland for a job. I want you to be a mole at Apex…They’re up to something that could start another G-Day.”

May explains how she got her job in the first place: “The best way to get a job is to have something that they need. And that, I have.”

Then we’re in San Francisco 2017. Cate has returned home wearing a “Tokyo” sweatshirt in case we forgot where she had been. She looks at the family photos on the wall, one of which shows her mother has married James. Her mother is so happy to see her, she cries. Cate has dinner with her mother, Caroline (Tamlyn Tomita) and James (Charlie Hewson). James wonders what Cate can tell them about her adventures. Caroline knows that “there’s really another world where those creatures live.”

Caroline mentioned, “I saw Martin and a couple of your teacher friends the other day. Maybe you should all get together?” Cate’s not too keen on that idea, but Caroline says, “Whatever happened to you, Cate, it’s over now. It’s in the past.”

Back in Tokyo, Old Lee and Keiko are looking for the plans. The blinds are down Hiroshi hasn’t labeled anything and did Young Lee or Old Lee read Japanese? This is the point that Keiko realizes, from looking at the framed photos on the desk, that Cate and Kentaro have different mothers. She wants to know if Hiroshi was a widower or divorced. This is too awkward for Old Lee to explain. “It’s not my story to tell.”

“I guess we all have our secrets,” Keiko concludes.

Flashing back to Santa Soledad in Chile, 1957, Young Lee and Keiko are walking through the rain. They find a deserted hut with a relatively clean bed. Young Lee tends to Keiko’s arm wound. He finds some alcohol to use as antiseptic. Keiko finds he has an impressive bedside manner. They obliquely discuss the wine and dancing and what they felt.

In San Francisco 2017, Keiko goes to a seafood place to meet Martin, but she doesn’t get out of the taxi and goes somewhere else.

In Pensacola, Florida, 2017, May/Corah is heading with Brenda at Apex. “I have to admit I was surprised to get your call. Have you finally decided to start taking yourself seriously?” Brenda doesn’t want Corah to try, she wants commitment.

May/Corah tells Brenda, “I feel like I need to have some type of purpose. I want to use what I know to stop Titan X.”

Brenda reminds her, “The last time we worked together, you tried to burn my house down. That can’t happen again.” Then there’s a question about the code. Did May/Corah erase all the copies?

“I erased all of your copies of the code,” May/Corah admits.

Brenda knows that Monarch can’t keep all their secrets forever. “The world will find out.”

Back in Tokyo 2017, Hiroshi is asking Kentaro if he’s heard from Cate. He has not. Hiroshi reminds Kentaro that Cate is family. “Kentaro, we all makes mistakes, but that doesn’t mean we need to bear the consequences alone.” Hiroshi, Kentaro, Keiko and Old Lee meet up. Old Lee complains about all the cameras in Tokyo. Old Lee asks Kentaro to go with him ahead of Keiko and Hiroshi, giving Keiko time to question Hiroshi.

“I saw photos of Kentaro’s mother and Cate’s. You were married twice?…I know I left you a long time ago, but I’m here now. I want to know you,” Keiko says.

Hiroshi’s explains, “I wasn’t married twice. I loved two women. Kentaro’s mother here. Cate’s in San Francisco. I gave in to what my heart wanted. I don’t expect you to understand.”

Of course, we then flashback to Santa Soledad in Chile, 1957. Young Lee has been keeping watch while Keiko slept. Keiko then sees that Young Lee was also injured. Keiko says that death has always been a possibility and if Young Lee can’t handle it, he can always leave. Young Lee admits he can’t leave Keiko. Keiko kisses them and they fall on to the bed.

In San Francisco 2017, Cate has gone to a bar and called a gal pal, Alex (Anna McGahan). She had been with a woman named Dani (Courtney Dietz), Cate’s girlfriend from Season 1. That’s over. Now she’s ready to get drunk and get comfy with Alex.

In Pensacola, May/Corah is looking at restricted data, searches for “Randa, Tokyo.” She finds 534 recorded results in Hamamatsu-cho, Ikebukuro, Nipper, Tamachi and Meguro. Clicking through on one recorded event, she sees the camera recorded Old Lee, Hiroshi, Kentaro and Keiko at that street crossing. “They’ve been following us since the beginning.” Going to the live feed, she sees Apex agents breaking into somewhere. The team finds the prototype and intend to send it to Pensacola.

Back with the foursome in Tokyo, Kentaro opens the door to the workshop and finds the prototype gone. “Why the hell did they take it?” Kentaro wonders.

Back to Cate and Alex on the dance floor getting drunk and sloppy. The lights are red; the music stops as the sirens go off. On the TV, the reason for the sirens is explained; “This is the Monarch safety alert.” Alex is worried, “Do you have an evac plan?” Cate admits she doesn’t and isn’t worried. “It was me. It was all my fault…”

Alex wants to leave. Cate does not.

Back in Santa Soledad in Chile, 1957, Young Lee is leading Keiko through the forest. Young Lee is worried about getting off the island. Keiko is worried about their personal lives. Billy comes to the rescue. He’s in a boat calling Keiko’s name. This doesn’t make any sense. Billy is sorry and believes he should not have left, admitting that Young Lee was right.

Back in San Francisco 2017, Cate is walking around, looking at fliers about the children who died on G-Day on a wire mesh fence. The official signage reads: “No Entry: Unauthorized Entry Is Strictly Prohibited Under Penalty of Law.”Cate ducks under the chain that secures the gate. She hears Keiko’s voice: “But if you open that rift again, you don’t know what youth could unleash.” Walking on the sand, she climbs on to a rock. She remembers opening up the rift, but also G-Day in San Francisco with Godzilla breaking down the bridge. She remembers seeing Kong waist deep in the water as she left Skull Island in helicopter.

Flashing back to Washington, DC, 1957, while going through confidential papers, Lee, dressed in casual slacks and a tank top, receives a hand-delivered letter from Keiko. She confesses that she loves him, “but Billy has my heart. So what happened between us can never happen again. It would destroy everything we have built together.It would destroy a good man who we both love. I won’t allow that to happen.And I don’t believe that you want that either.” We see Keiko writing the letter, dressed in emerald green with a pale yellow scarf around her neck. Crying, she writes, “In another lifetime, in another world, this could have been about us. Maybe in the next lifetime, we will find each other again. Until then, I remain your Kei.”

Now in Tokyo area in 2017, Keiko encourages Hiroshi. “We’ll find another way.” She believes they can build another device, but Hiroshi explains, it took him six years. The time it will take for the components alone will allow the Titan to kill too many people. Keiko believes they can go back to Monarch, but Hiroshi bitterly asks if that’s all she can think about? Monarch? He complains that Keiko is like Billy and “Chasing monsters mattered more than anything. It certainly mattered more than me. ” He speaks English with a Japanese accent because Billy sent him to live with Keiko’s parents and disappeared when Hiroshi was 11.

Now we flash back to 1962. Hiroshi opens a chest and finds two dog tags. Hiro takes a knife out and sharpens is. Billy calls Hiro to dinner. “My knife got dull. I was hoping Uncle Lee would have something to help.” Hiro tells Billy that he misses Uncle Lee. Billy tells Hiro to get a glass of milk and is closing Lee’s chest when he finds the letter and we end only with Billy holding the unopened letter.

Creatures Featured:

Godzilla (Season 1 flashback)
King Kong
Krakilla or Titan X
Trilobilla or Scarabs

Krakilla is based on Cai Cai Vilu or Coi Coi-Vilu which is a powerful, angry sea serpent deity of Mapuche mythology. The creature rules the oceans and the sea-dwellers. According to Chilean folklore, the serpent created the Chiloé Archipelago. By fighting the land and attempting to drown the world, the creature fractured and caused the mountainous landscape. In the flood myth, the angry Cai Cai raised the sea level but the serpent Tren Tren raised t he lands to save the humans. It is Cai Cai’s sleep movements that can cause tidal waves.