Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season two, episode eight, opens in northeastern Australia. Lee (Kurt Russell) drives through the sand until he’s within eyesight of Titan X. Scarabs scurry from the Titan and toward some sort of lump in the sand as Titan X flails around. It appears its injured limb is growing back.
(The following is a recap of season two, episode eight – “Separate Ways” – and there are spoilers.)
Monarch Director Reddick Barris (Curtiss Cook) watches as the staff monitors Titan X. The Secretary of Defense calls, upset that Australia is pressuring the US to help militarily with Titan X. Barris reminds him that weapons are next to useless, and the Secretary suggests they resort to the one weapon they haven’t used since Bikini Atoll. Barris disagrees due to the fallout, but the Secretary insists the technology is advanced enough now that a limited strike wouldn’t do much harm.
Despite Barris’s misgivings, the US is proceeding with a strike.
Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) and Cate (Anna Sawai) arrive on Monarch Outpost 18 to fill Barris in on what they’ve discovered. (Tim suggests that Cate refrain from mentioning she thinks she has emotionally connected to Titan X.) Tim (Joe Tippett), Cate, and Keiko insist that Lee’s the biggest problem right now since he’s going to try and attract Godzilla to Titan X’s location.
Lee drives closer to Titan X as Barris gets the Monarch team to confirm no other Titans have been spotted. Keiko explains that Godzilla likely showed up at Bikini Atoll because of the Castle Bravo H-bomb’s radiation. Lee believes he can replicate that signature and call Godzilla.
Monarch’s readings indicate that Titan X is increasing its energy output, similar to what Godzilla did before an attack. Barris finally reveals the government is sending a fleet of ships armed with nuclear cruise missiles. They will arrive in three hours.
Keiko and Cate are certain they can avert a Titan attack by getting Titan X back on its migratory course. Barris is shocked when Cate confirms she wants to save Titan X. Tim has her back, but Barris can’t figure out why Cate thinks she’s communicating with the Titan. Tim begs Barris to at least let Keiko and Cate try to lure it back on its path.
Barris reluctantly agrees.
May (Kiersey Clemons) and Kentaro (Ren Watabe) are also onboard Monarch Outpost 18, and Kentaro finally admits he went to Thailand to see Isabel Simmons. Kentaro doesn’t want to talk about it but insists Isabel hates Apex Cybernetics too.
Cate ignores May, not even pausing to say hello. Kentaro is coming with her and Keiko, and she reminds him it’s not his mission. He’s determined to help them get it away from here and keep it from killing anyone else.
Lee turns on the device and drives off, hoping Godzilla will come.
May confesses to Tim that she thinks Apex is up to something and she needs to speak with Brenda. She doesn’t trust Isabel and isn’t sure why Kentaro claimed it was no big deal to visit her in Thailand. Tim suggests that if she thinks something’s up, she should pursue it.
Birds circle over Titan X as it continues to flail around. Lee spots Keiko, Cate, and Kentaro’s helicopter just as birds strike the chopper and force it down. The pilots call in to Monarch Outpost 18 requesting an immediate evac.
Somewhere in the South Pacific, Godzilla wakes from his slumber.
Lee runs to the helicopter and confirms everyone’s okay. Lee and Keiko are equally alarmed by each other’s presence.
May visits Brenda Holland (Dominique Tipper) at an undisclosed Monarch Asset Management location. Brenda claims she’s cooperating with Monarch, but May knows she’s lying. Brenda takes full responsibility for what happened on Santa Soledad. But after a guard leaves, she whispers to May to let this go. However, she’s not prepared when May asks what Isabel wants with Kentaro. She wraps up the meeting without providing May with any useful information.
Titan X has stopped flailing around and has become still, as Lee admits he’s already started the device to signal Godzilla. Keiko’s certain there are better ways to handle this and reveals she and Cate are going to try and get Titan X to leave before either Godzilla or the US military arrives.
Lee asks the pilots to tell Monarch to call back the military. They won’t be able to take down Godzilla and Titan X. Lee disagrees with Cate’s and Keiko’s plan to save Titan X, pointing out the world’s relationship with these monsters changed on G-Day. Cate reminds him she was there, so she knows firsthand what Godzilla is capable of.
Lee begs them both to leave before one of the Titans kills them. After he walks back to his truck, Kentaro assures Cate that she should at least try before Godzilla gets there. Keiko agrees.
Keiko distracts Lee while Cate approaches Titan X. Kentaro follows, but at a distance. The Scarabs bury themselves in the sand as Titan X reacts to Cate’s presence. It rears up and raises two tentacles as if to strike but then settles back down.
Keiko insists that they need to understand the Titans in order to save humanity. Lee disagrees but asks if there’s one single fact she’s learned that allows her to be certain. She can’t name one. Keiko reminds him he’s the one putting them in danger. Lee points out it was supposed to be just him on this deserted stretch of the beach, alone with Titan X and Godzilla. She wasn’t supposed to be there, and neither was Cate or Kentaro.
Titan X allows Cate to see that she’s guarding a nest! Kentaro backs away and calls Isabel. She confirms her team has located his position but now Kentaro no longer believes his father would have wanted this. Isabel warns him that whatever Cate’s doing will only “end up in more death, more destruction.”
Isabel demands to know if the plan will work and Kentaro confirms that it will. He asks her to tell Trissop to forget about the Scarabs because there’s an egg.
Lee finally realizes Keiko’s been distracting him and drives toward Titan X.
Cate informs Kentaro that the Scarabs built a nest for Titan X’s offspring. “This Titan is a mother. That’s why she can’t leave right now,” says Cate. Suddenly, Cate and Kentaro hear Godzilla and see it approaching the beach.
Monarch Outpost 18 is scrambling after seeing Godzilla heading toward Titan X. The rescue time is still five minutes out, which won’t be soon enough. Unauthorized vehicles have gotten past Monarch’s perimeter and are also approaching Titan X.
Barris gives orders to stop the fleet and halt the missile launch.
Three vehicles approach Titan X and Cate remains on the beach as the monster reacts to their presence. Cate’s still by the egg when Godzilla emerges from the ocean. Titan X and Godzilla growl at each other and prepare for battle.
Cate and Kentaro race toward the Apex vehicles, and it’s only after Trissop (Cliff Curtis) and the Apex personnel head to the beach to collect the egg that she realizes Kentaro lied to her. Kentaro insists this is what needs to happen.
Godzilla and Titan X fight as an Apex helicopter arrives to transport the egg. Titan X lashes at Godzilla, and both monsters try and bite each other. Titan X screeches as it watches the helicopter fly away with her egg! Godzilla charges and unleashes its atomic breath but misses the Apex caravan, which speeds away.
Titan X chases after the helicopter with Godzilla hot on her tail as episode eight ends.
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 1 “Cause and Effect” Recap
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 2 “Resonance” Recap
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 3 “Secrets” Recap
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 4 “Trespass” Recap
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 5 “Furusato” Recap
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 6 “Requiem” Recap
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 Episode 7 “String Theory” Recap
