Apple TV+'s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has been a colossal hit, blending giant monster battles with a star-studded cast including Kurt Russell. But the series just dropped its most mind-bending twist yet: time travel. In the episode "Requiem," it's revealed that Axis Mundi—the mysterious realm connecting Earth to Hollow Earth—allows people to traverse time. Lee Shaw (Kurt Russell) discovers this when he investigates a tunnel he first explored in 1982, only to find it's transmitting a signal he sent in 1962. Now, another character plans to use this power to rewrite history.
The episode introduces Isabel Simmons (Amber Midthunder), the adoptive daughter of Apex Cybernetics founder Walter Simmons (Demian Bechar), who appeared in Godzilla vs. Kong. In "String Theory," Isabel tells Kentaro (Ren Watabe) she wants to use Axis Mundi to undo "G-Day"—the catastrophic day Godzilla destroyed San Francisco. While time travel in a monster series sounds wild, it's not new to the Godzilla franchise. The 1991 film Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah featured time-traveling Futurians who tried to prevent Godzilla's creation. Isabel's goal echoes that: she believes the world would be better without Titans.
King Ghidorah has been a major MonsterVerse villain, appearing in Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong. Godzilla killed Ghidorah in the former, and Apex later used Ghidorah's skull to power MechaGodzilla. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters has been teasing Apex's rise, and Isabel's willingness to use time travel to kill Godzilla shows she's not so different from her father.
The time travel element also leads to a deeply emotional moment. In "String Theory," older Lee Shaw contacts his younger self (Wyatt Russell) to prevent a past mistake. This scene is powerful on multiple levels: it's not just two versions of the same character talking, but a real-life father and son acting together. Kurt Russell told Collider that this was a moment he'd been looking forward to, as it changes Monarch's trajectory forever. "I think that's a key to the reality that they are going to experience that is going to help them figure out how to deal with these monsters," he said.
By bridging past and present, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters opens up endless possibilities. The two Shaws can now communicate, potentially altering the future and introducing new Titans. While many sci-fi shows struggle with time travel, Monarch has found a unique approach that deepens its narrative. For fans of the MonsterVerse, this twist makes the series even more essential viewing.
If you're loving Apple TV+'s monster-filled universe, you might also enjoy Matthew Rhys Anchors Apple TV+'s Wildest, Most Unpredictable Horror-Comedy 'Widow's Bay'. And for more on the best twists in supernatural thrillers, check out The Best Supernatural Thriller Endings, Ranked: From Twists to Catharsis. Apple TV+ continues to prove it's a powerhouse with originals like this—see 10 Apple TV+ Originals That Prove It's the Best Streamer Ever.
