Warning: Spoilers for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episode 3
Summary
A scene in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters hints Bill Randa discovered Rodan, and in turn sets up the Titan’s return to the Monsterverse. One of Godzilla’s biggest allies in Toho’s movies, the pterodactyl kaiju made his first and only Monsterverse appearance in Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Known as the King of the Skies in the Monsterverse, Rodan never got a chance to fight alongside Godzilla, but the possibility of that scenario happening on the big – or small – screen remains on the table.
The odds of Rodan returning after the 2019 movie felt favorable at the time. Unlike the other two Toho monsters who joined the Monsterverse in the film, Ghidorah and Mothra, Rodan survived the ending. What’s more, he was shown giving respect to Godzilla, effectively making him a minion to the King of the Monsters for future battles. This setup gave the Monsterverse an easy way to use him again, but Godzilla vs. Kong avoided him, and it’s hard to say if Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire won’t take the same route. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, on the other hand, has seemingly teased the monster, creating questions about a possible cameo on the show.
1 Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters Line Suggests Randa Knew About Rodan
One line in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters creates the impression that a surprising Monsterverse character was involved in the discovery of Rodan. In Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episode 3’s 2015 storyline, May listed off a number of geo-coordinates found in Monarch’s stolen files. These included the Asian Steppes, North Africa, Alaska, and Mexico (Rodan’s resting place in King of the Monsters). Lee Shaw noted that they were in Bill Randa’s handwriting. As for their significance, it’s easy to assume that his interest in each of these locations was tied to monster activity. The ice Titan showing up in Alaska all but confirms this to be the case.
The fact that one of these locations is Mexico is quite telling, especially when considering that this is where Rodan was at the start of King of the Monsters. Randa must have had his eye on Mexico for a reason, and Rodan’s presence there would certainly justify its inclusion in his notes. What’s not clear, though, is how much he knows about the Titan. Bill Randa died in 1973 in Kong: Skull Island, which means any information he had on Rodan must have come to him between the show’s flashback storyline in the 1950s and the early 1970s.
Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters’ Mexico Tease Sets Up A Rodan Cameo
By referencing Mexico, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has set up two different paths for the show to bring Rodan into focus. One way would call for the Monsterverse to show how Randa discovered Rodan’s existence. It’s understood that Rodan was a local legend to the people near the Isla de Mara volcano where he was roosting. These old folk tales could have brought Randa, Keiko, and Shaw to the region in the 1950s where Outpost 56 (the Monarch station monitoring him) could be established later in the timeline. Their investigations could have prompted the reveal that a flying Titan inhabits the volcano.
Alternatively, a potential appearance from Rodan in the series could come in the form of the show’s 2015 timeline. Since the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters characters have already tracked Hiroshi Randa to one of the four aforementioned locations, it’s not impossible that the others – including Mexico – will be visited as well. What Hiroshi is up to remains a mystery, but if the character is looking for Titans, he might head to Mexico in pursuit of Rodan in a future episode. If that happens, Shaw, Kentaro, May, and Cate could follow him there, thus setting the stage for Rodan to make a grand entrance.
A Rodan Cameo In Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters Faces One Major Obstacle
Canonically, there’s nothing stopping Monarch: Legacy of Monsters from openly discussing Rodan or visiting Isla de Mara. Actually showing him, though, is another matter entirely. The scene of Rodan emerging from the volcano implied it was his introduction to the modern world. It was understood in the film that Rodan was born in the volcano and had never left until 2019. Since there’s no evidence to the contrary, the show could struggle to explain a Rodan attack happening before King of the Monsters.
Using him in either of the show’s two main arcs without violating Monsterverse canon would be tricky. That said, a retcon to the Monsterverse timeline for the sake of a Rodan appearance isn’t completely unfeasible. Due to the Hollow Earth concept, Rodan theoretically could have appeared elsewhere in the Monsterverse without exiting from volcano and terrozing the town below. Or, the Monarch team could have encountered one of Rodan’s parents in the 1950s. The canon does present an obstacle, but a Rodan cameo in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters could help the franchise make up for his lack of screentime in the Monsterverse.
Cast: Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett, Elisa Lasowski
Genres: Action, Sci-Fi
Rating: Not Yet Rated
Seasons: 1
Writers: Chris Black, Matt Fraction
Streaming Service(s): Apple TV+
Franchise(s): Monsterverse, Godzilla, King Kong
Directors: Matt Shakman
Showrunner: Chris Black, Matt Fraction
