PR in the Philippines

(SeaPRwire) –   The Monsterverse is growing. Though a large part of Monarch Season 2 centered on the ocean-dwelling creature known as Titan X, the closing scenes of the Season 2 finale fully unveiled the comeback of a beloved classic kaiju—one that hasn’t been seen in the Monsterverse since 2019’s Godzilla: King of Monsters. However, in the context of the current Monsterverse timeline, the Season 2 finale of Monarch, titled “Where We Belong,” introduces Rodan about two years prior to his debut in King of Monsters.

So, what role does Lee Shaw play in this iteration of Rodan? And is this the exact same Rodan from King of Monsters? Let’s explore.

Spoilers ahead.

Breaking Down the Ending of Monarch Season 2

Monarch Season 2 wraps up with a decisive win for Kong, and Lee Shaw (Kurt Russell) parting ways with the official branches of Monarch and Apex. Due to some time-travel hijinks, the younger Lee Shaw (Wyatt Russell) gets to bid farewell to Keiko (Mari Yamamoto)—an event his older self, of course, recalls. For fans who know Lee is getting a standalone spinoff set in the 1980s, this scene implies Monarch Season 3 won’t feature any flashbacks of young Lee and Kei, as we’re explicitly saying goodbye to the younger version of the character this season. Additionally, Kei now resides in the present day (relatively speaking), so there probably aren’t any more flashbacks from the 1950s and 1960s left to explore.

While Monarch’s core team scales back, the older Lee remains active. This brings us to Rodan. After settling debts with some questionable contacts, Lee climbs to the top of a volcano, where a winged kaiju—undoubtedly Rodan—is resting. Lee utters, “See you soon,” and the episode concludes. So, what lies ahead?

What Rodan’s Return Might Mean for Monarch Season 3

When it comes to classic monsters, Rodan is among the all-time legends. Following his debut film in 1956 (only two years after the original Godzilla), Rodan joined the expansive roster of monsters in the Showa era of the Godzilla franchise. Though he’s a bit less well-known than fellow flying monster Mothra (who’s likely more popular), Rodan stands out for his ability to reach supersonic speeds and generate sonic booms with his wings.

In the 2019 Monsterverse film Godzilla: King of Monsters, Rodan caused extensive property damage without even making physical contact. For Monarch Season 3, this suggests (in theory) that the show will feature a Titan with even greater destructive potential than Godzilla, Kong, and Titan X.

However, in that film, Rodan is shown sleeping at a Monarch base in Mexico and must be awakened to wreak havoc. Since Monarch Season 2 is set around 2017, this implies Lee Shaw will need to put Rodan back to sleep by the end of Season 3. Alternatively, this could be a different member of Rodan’s species—if that’s the case, the possibilities are endless.

Either way, with Rodan’s reveal, Monarch is revisiting one of the greatest original monsters ever, and it might be building up to an action-packed Season 3 filled with more sonic booms than anyone can cope with.

Monarch is available to stream on Apple TV.