Warning: Spoilers for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episodes 1 & 2
Summary
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters reveals that the Ion Dragon, a new Monsterverse Titan, was discovered by Monarch before Godzilla, giving it a significant role in the timeline.
- The existence of monsters in the Monsterverse has been known by the American government and Monarch since the 1950s, with Godzilla, Kong, and Mothra all being discovered prior to their public knowledge.
- The Ion Dragon's discovery in 1954 predates all other known Titan sightings and is connected to the sinking of the USS Lawton in 1943, making it an influential creature in the Monsterverse and the reason for Monarch's existence.
While it wasn't until 2014 that the existence of the Titans became public knowledge, the fact that monsters are real in the world of the Monsterverse has been an open secret to people within the American government and Monarch for the better part of a century. The military has known about Godzilla since 1954, Monarch found Kong on Skull Island in 1973, and based on a photo in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, it appears Mothra was discovered on Infant Island in 1961. The sighting of the dragon Titan from Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episode 2, on the other hand, predates all of them.
The Ion Dragon Was Discovered By Monarch Before Godzilla
Dubbed the Ion Dragon, the new Monsterverse Titan made its first appearance in episode 2 as the product of an investigation helmed by Lee Shaw, Keiko Mira, and a young Bill Randa. The creature's unveiling happened as a result of radioactive isotopes being found near Philippine Sea, which was too far away from any area where nuclear tests would likely be conducted. This put Keiko - and in turn, Shaw - on the trail of the Monsterverse's Ion Dragon. As for exactly when this occurred, the beginning of the episode reveals that the story took place in 1954, meaning that the discovery of the Ion Dragon was two years ahead of the Godzilla incident.
Monarch: Leagcy of Monsters releases new episodes on Fridays on Apple TV+.
The notion that the Ion Dragon had Monarch's attention before Godzilla is surprising, but it also makes sense given its connection to another event in the Monsterverse timeline. The Ion Dragon was retroactively revealed to be the monster that sunk the USS Lawton in 1943. The mysterious destruction of the USS Lawton was mentioned in Kong: Skull Island, which was a firm confirmation of Titan activity prior to the Castle Bravo test in 1954. Most were in hibernation at this time, but Kong: Skull Island's Lawton tease meant that at least one was awake. It stands to reason that if a monster were to reveal itself before Godzilla, it would be the one monster known to be active around this time.
The Ion Dragon Is The Reason Monarch Exists
Not only was the Ion Dragon discovered before Godzilla, but Monarch's existence is owed to this creature. Years ago, an official Monsterverse timeline mentioned that Monarch was founded in 1946 by President Truman to find out what happened to the USS Lawton. Since Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has placed the blame for its destruction on the Ion Dragon, it's fair to say that the Titan deserves a great deal of credit for Monarch's formation. By giving it this role, the series has made its new Titan an integral part of Monsterverse lore.
