Monsterverse Delivers On Its Dragon Setup 4 Years After Teasing It In Godzilla: King Of The Monsters

Warning: Spoilers for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episodes 1 & 2

After four years, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is finally delivering on Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ mysterious dragon teases. Like his Toho counterpart, the Monsterverse’s Ghidorah and the main villain of the 2019 Godzilla sequel was introduced as an all-powerful, three-headed dragon. But while his origin story suggested he was unique to all other Titans in Godzilla and Kong’s world, certain setup indicates he wasn’t the only dragon.

Several decades before Godzilla and Ghidorah’s brutal grudge match in King of the Monsters’ ending, Monarch discovered the presence of a different dragon in Legendary’s Monsterverse. Referred to as the Ion Dragon, the new Titan made its debut at the end of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episode 2. Based on what was established in the show, this menacing new creature was responsible for the sinking of the USS Lawton, an event discussed briefly in Kong: Skull Island. His grand entrance in the Monsterverse serves as a massive development and perhaps adds a new threat for Godzilla to deal with. But while his reveal is big news, it’s also a twist King of the Monsters set in motion.

Godzilla: King Of The Monsters Teased Multiple Monsterverse Dragons

Prior to Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episode 2, Ghidorah was the only live-action dragon in the Monsterverse to appear onscreen, but a scene in King of the Monsters heavily implied the existence of a few more. Monitor screens unveiled the names of several more Titans and the locations of the Monarch outposts observing these creatures. Some, such as Methuselah and Behemoth, were included in the movie, whereas others remained hidden. In total, there were 11 Monsterverse Titans King of the Monsters confirmed but didn’t show. However, it did provide clues about their identities through their names. Based on these hints, four are suspected to be dragons like Ghidorah.

All of these Titans are named after beings from mythology, the bible, and folklore. The historical connotations attached to the names help create a picture of what these creatures might be. Yamata no Orochi, for instance, is traditionally portrayed as a dragon in Japanese myths, so that name wouldn’t make much sense unless the Monsterverse’s Yamata no Orochi is a dragon as well. Dragon imagery is less prevalent with Typhon, but this creature is also depicted as a dragon in certain stories, as is the case with both Tiamat and Bunyip.

How The Ion Dragon Can Be Retconned Into An Existing MonsterVerse Titan

Despite the apparent addition of multiple Monsterverse dragons, none have shown up in live-action – until Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Theoretically, the show’s new mystery Titan could be just another dragon. Or, the monster may very well be one of the specific dragons set up by King of the Monsters. His whereabouts in episode 2 – the Philippines – don’t line up with the locations of any of the Monarch outposts noted in King of the Monsters, but that doesn’t debunk a potential connection. After all, the Ion Dragon could have relocated to one of these places after Monarch: Legacy of Monsters – assuming of course, it survives the story.

Which Missing Dragon Monarch: Legacy Of Monsters’ New Titan Could Be

If it’s true that he changes location, he could have been one of the Titans named in King of the Monsters. As for which one of the suspected dragons it could be, one can already be ruled out. As revealed by Godzilla vs. Kong graphic novel prequel Godzilla: Dominion, Tiamat is a sea serpent Titan. Since this monster already has an in-universe design, it’s safe to say Tiamat and the Ion Dragon aren’t one and the same. Yamata no Orochi is a possible candidate, but his heavy association with the image of a multi-headed dragon casts doubt on that idea. As for the Monsterverse’s Bunyip, it’s never been classified as a flying monster, so it’s hard to imagine why Monarch would pick this name for the Australian Titan.

A much more feasible option would be Typhon. Typhon is the great and powerful, dragon-like monster Zeus fights in Greek mythology. Interestingly, Typhon represents evil and destruction, which are qualities that go hand in hand with what’s known about the Ion Dragon. Unlike Godzilla, who doesn’t purposely attack humans without good cause, the Ion Dragon viciously targeted the USS Lawton and does seem to be in a position to fill a villainous role in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. If and when the creature reemerges, the show will have an opportunity to create an official link between the two monsters, finally giving a live-action look to one of King of the Monsters’ missing Titans.