Original release date: December 8, 2023
In 2015, Monarch deputy director Verdugo is frustrated to learn that Shaw has kept Cate, Kentaro, and May in the dark about the true nature of Hiroshi’s activities in Alaska. Duvall suggests releasing the three to track their movements. After returning to San Francisco, Cate convinces her mother, Caroline, and Caroline’s colleague James to smuggle them towards Hiroshi’s office in a restricted zone of the city’s ruins. Evading military patrols and dealing with Cate’s PTSD, they eventually reach Hiroshi’s office. While they fail to find further hidden files, Kentaro concludes from Hiroshi’s maps that he likely headed to Africa in search of Titans. May secretly contacts Duvall, asking to go home in exchange for her cooperation.
In 2014, two days before Godzilla’s emergence, Cate is in a relationship with fellow teacher Dani. On G-Day, feeling guilt over having cheated on Dani, Cate chooses to leave her behind to chaperone a bus of children across the Golden Gate Bridge. Many of the children are killed when Godzilla crashes through the bridge during his clash with the military.
* * *
I know what this is.
[chuckles] You think you can intimidate me with all this secret “black ops” bullshit?
[scoffs]
Good luck.
[yelling]
Hey! [breathes heavily]
[yelling] Where is Colonel Shaw?
I know you guys can hear me! [breathes heavily]
[in Japanese] I want to talk to someone in charge!
My father is
Hiroshi Randa!
Randa!
[door beeps, opens]
[in English] Feeling better?
I can still count to ten on my toes. [sighs]
You’re very lucky we rescued you when we did.
You didn’t.
Kentaro did.
What were you doing out there?
I assume you were following the data on our stolen files.
We couldn’t recover anything.
Maybe you’re not as good as you think.
But a smart girl like you would have a backup, no?
Out there in the ether.
Shouldn’t you be off
chasing big, scary monsters or something?
You know, there’s one not too far from here.
We have a team in place.
They’ve never seen anything like it. [sighs]
You know, traditionally, when someone discovers a new species,
they get to name it for themselves.
But we have a dilemma here.
Should we call it…
Titanus May Hewitt?
Or…
is it…
Lyra Mateo of Tacoma, Washington?
That picture doesn’t really look like you.
It’s not crazy to think we could help each other.
Like I said, it’s always good to have a backup, no?
[door lock clicks]
[door opens]
The Randa children know nothing.
W-Wait. Hang… Hang on a sec. No, no, no. That-that’s-that’s…
N-No, they… they are Hiroshi Randa’s kids.
They are Bill and Keiko Randa’s grandkids.
We’re treating them like they’re criminals.
Says the man who tried to abduct them.
Okay. Mistakes were made.
She’s a schoolteacher, okay? No record. The son is “an artist.”
What about her?
[agent] This one is interesting.
From the way she swept her apartment, she knows how to disappear.
Why?
What is she hiding from?
Unclear. There’s no outstanding warrants. No one seems to be looking for her.
At least, not officially.
So, what do we do with them?
This organization is in their blood. We-We can teach them who they are.
You don’t mean recruit them?
Monarch is their legacy.
Legacy hasn’t served people well around here, has it?
You end up dead… or close to it.
Well, he’s right about one thing.
They’re looking for something.
It has to do with their father. So, fine, it has to do with Monarch.
And I guess they’re not going to give up, right?
So I say we put them on a long leash, see where they lead us.
What about him?
[sighs]
He’s my problem now.
[engine hums]
[engine stops]
[footsteps approaching]
Hi.
Why don’t you guys go ahead and come on out? Um…
Please do watch your step though. It’s slippery.
Passports.
[clears throat]
New and clean.
And, uh, plane tickets, money, phones.
Courtesy of Monarch.
I’m, uh, very sorry about all of this.
Prick.
Asshole.
I’m genuinely sorry for your loss.
Aw. Thank you, prick-asshole.
What do you think?
That you’re on some, uh, righteous crusade to uncover the truth, huh?
Wake up!
You stuck your noses in shit you don’t understand.
You are goddamn lucky to be alive.
So take your shiny new passports and go home.
I’ve already used what little influence I have
to cover your asses this time.
Don’t expect it to happen again.
[engine starts]
[breathes heavily]
How was that? [sighs]
You’re learning.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” Like they care.
Clearly not. Basic economy.
Hey, what time is this flight boarding?
Tokyo.
Wowee.
That’s a ways from here.
Mm-hmm.
How did you enjoy your time in Alaska?
I didn’t. And that’ll be reflected in my Tripadvisor review.
Two stars tops.
Wait, wait, wait. You’re leaving?
Yeah. You heard the man. We have lives to get back to.
What life?
In Tokyo? The one you said I destroyed.
I have to do…
Stop it. Is there a bar anywhere, somewhere?
It’s not open yet.
One star.
Excuse me. Just…
Sorry.
What about Colonel Shaw?
What about him?
Everything he said turned out to be true. He knew our father was still alive.
No. No, he did not. And neither do you.
But we don’t know that he’s dead either.
[sighs]
Not anymore.
I’m not stopping. I need to know what happened to him.
Okay. So what now?
Monarch may know how to find the Titans, but they don’t know how to find Dad.
[stammers] Do we? I already searched his office an…
Not the one in San Francisco.
Backup family. Backup office.
Worth a shot, right?
[Cate] I’m assuming you have a copy of the files
in the cloud somewhere, May.
Y’all can have the files.
But they could get you killed.
[Cate] Or you.
We can’t split up.
[Cate] We need you.
[projector whirring]
[whirring stops]
[whirring]
[scoffs]
[whirring stops]
[whirring]
[whirring stops]
Ah. [chuckles]
[door beeps, opens]
How’s it going, Lee?
Deputy Director Verdugo.
I should have known.
How is the view from the almost top?
[chuckles]
Almost high enough.
Well, you’re young.
Life’s long.
[Verdugo] The Randa boy had that film on him.
I’d never seen it.
We stand on the shoulders of giants.
[chuckles] It’s kinda funny.
I mean, feels a little more like you’re sitting on them, you know?
Weighing them down, doing what Monarch does best.
And what’s that, Colonel?
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
And traipsing around the globe with Hiroshi Randa’s kids,
that’s doing something?
Those kids have already survived more situations
than half the people you got working in your field out there.
And you nearly got them killed.
Oh, they’re a lot tougher than you think.
Mmm. Not so much.
They’re scared. They’re gullible.
Chatty.
[chuckles] Stop.
They don’t know anything. I made sure of that.
And you already know it.
[Verdugo] You ever think Hiroshi had a reason
for not telling his kids what he did here?
Maybe he didn’t want this life for them.
I have thought about that, actually. Quite a lot.
I’ll ask him when I see him.
I’m assuming you don’t mean in the afterlife.
No.
You’re not going anywhere.
And you’re not getting anywhere, are you?
Deputy… Director.
You say he helped found Monarch. But that was in the ’50s.
Forties actually, though he came a few years later.
So he should be, what? Ninety, at least? How does he look like that?
There’s rumors of a mission gone bad. But it’s classified.
Who is he now?
How did he go straight from an old folks home
to finding a Titan no one in the entire organization knew existed?
What does he know? And don’t tell me it’s all in the files.
Probably is. [clears throat]
The car will be here in ten minutes.
[announcer] Attention, all passengers.
[narrator on television] In uncertain times,
when unspeakable disasters strike without warning,
the lucky might survive…
[siren wails]
…but the smart will thrive.
Straata Secure Homes is a below-ground, multi-level luxury living galleria,
offering titanium-forged subterranean safety
from our violent, unstable world…
But who wants to live in a custom bunker?
Tech bros. Only ones who can afford it.
Hey.
[sighs] You good?
Not how I thought I’d make my first trip to the States.
[chuckles]
What? Feeling lost?
Unsure of what you’re looking for, what you’re gonna find.
You know, that’s how she must have felt, landing on your doorstep.
[tires screeching]
[car horn blaring]
Cate!
Damn it.
I’m sorry. What kind of car did you order?
Who is this?
It’s James.
Cate.
[chuckling] Hey, welcome home.
What are you doing here, James?
I told Mom we’d be fine.
But we’re not fine.
Oh, hello.
I’m James, Caroline’s work friend. Pleasure to meet you.
These are my friends not from work, May and Kentaro.
[James] Welcome.
Hey.
Welcome.
Uh, hop in.
I got us a car.
Cancel it.
I don’t wanna cancel it.
I told Mom we’d take a ride-share.
Uh, she insisted.
And, uh, it’s my pleasure. I’m here already. So grab your coat.
Grab your coat.
She’s okay. Let’s roll.
Hit the road!
[James] FEMA tried relocating people, but most didn’t wanna go.
Hard to walk away from San Francisco real estate.
Is it true they’re selling tours of the destroyed city?
They did. Before the military walled it off.
“Trauma tourists,” getting off on the disaster porn
or trying to prove it was all a government conspiracy.
Sick freaks.
Mmm.
My mother tried signing up for one…
to find my father.
[James] Get over there.
[grunts]
[James] Good?
Yeah. Thanks.
Take care of yourself.
Tell your mom I’ll see her tonight.
Welcome back.
Thanks.
He seems very American.
[May scoffs]
We’re gonna go on a walk.
Yeah. Uh, just give you guys some time alone first.
[Kentaro] Good idea.
You can break it to her gently.
Like I did with your mom?
[door opens, closes]
Wow. Cate, you’re back.
You’re back. [chuckles]
Oh, hey.
And you’ve brought some friends. [stammers]
Mom, this is May and Kentaro.
[chuckles] I’m Caroline.
Hi. Pleasure.
[chuckles]
Nice to meet you.
Welcome.
Wow. So you both come from Tokyo?
Yeah.
[Caroline] Which part?
Because my husband used to travel there a lot…
Mom, this is Kentaro Randa.
You asked what I found in Tokyo.
[chuckles]
You must be so tired, having come from so far.
Why don’t you come on in?
Oh, my gosh. [chuckles] I’m so sorry for the mess.
James and I… James is my work friend…
um, we collect people’s personal items from the ruins.
And it always seems I’m bringing work home with me.
[chuckles] Please have a seat.
Mom.
Um, you know, people are so funny.
They never ask for money or valuables.
They always seem to be asking for these things.
Their personal memories.
[sighs]
Mom, stop.
[Caroline grunts]
Oh, wait, let me help you.
I got…
[glass breaking]
Stop!
I got it. [stammers]
[sighs]
[breathes heavily]
[Cate] Why don’t you guys wait in my room? It’s down the hall on the left.
What the hell is going on?
Quite a lot, actually.
You know what I mean.
Inviting him in to get settled
like your husband’s secret son walks in every day.
[Caroline] What do you expect me to do? Throw him out?
Have a hysterical breakdown?
Go for it. I wouldn’t blame you.
It’s okay. [breathes shakily]
[crying] Cate.
Cate, uh… [sighs]
Your father was never really all here.
And when you found that lease,
I thought maybe that you could… [sobs]
…find out if he was having an affair or had a girlfriend…
So you sent me there.
But…
You pushed and you pushed
because you wanted the truth,
but you were too chickenshit to go yourself.
Don’t talk to me like that. I only wanted what was best for you and…
And this was it?
Yes. Yes.
[cries]
Okay, I… [breathes shakily]
I pushed you.
What was I supposed to do?
You spent all day, every day, wasting away in that room of yours.
You wouldn’t even try any support groups…
Because pottery classes are gonna bring my kids back from the dead.
You couldn’t even lift a finger to help yourself.
It was my choice.
And I wasn’t going to sit around and watch my daughter kill herself.
[grunts]
[Cate] Fine. You wanted to get me out of my room.
Give me something to live for.
Mission accomplished.
We’re going to Dad’s office.
What? Why?
To find what else he was hiding from us.
We don’t even know if there’s anything left of his office.
Well, you can get us into the city to find out.
No, not into the red zone.
The military has it cordoned off. They’re arresting looters every day.
Some of them even get shot.
So they’re getting in. We’ll go in with them.
[keys clacking]
[police radio chatter]
[engine stops]
Hey there.
Hey. Where’s Colby tonight?
Kid’s got the flu.
Again?
Here you go. For your troubles.
[Caroline] We don’t wanna hold your line up.
[guard] All right, open it up.
[door opens]
[guard 2] Hey!
[guard 2] Get these folks moving. They’re good to go.
[guard 3 through radio] We’re good to go.
[guard] Roger that.
[breathes shakily]
[guard] All right. We’re good.
[bangs]
[guard] All clear.
Hope you get a day off tomorrow, Carla.
You deserve it.
Thanks.
[Carla] Good to go.
[gates opening]
[engine starts]
[guard] All right. Let them through.
How can anyone believe this is fake?
It’s easier than waking up every day and thinking,
at any moment, the same could happen to you.
[Caroline] All right. This is as far as we can go.
The guards make sure that everybody we bring in comes out with us.
If they catch you, they’ll assume you’re looters.
No questions, no excuses. You understand?
[Caroline] And we need to leave by morning.
All of us, together.
We’ll be here at 8:00.
At 8:15, they close the gates.
Mom, we get it.
[Caroline] I hope so.
[Verdugo] Yeah, I didn’t like what they did to you… [inhales sharply]
…after everything you sacrificed for this organization.
I think you mean that.
Did you lift any fingers to do anything about it?
I did what I could. It wasn’t my day to run the company.
[grunts] Still isn’t, apparently.
[scoffs]
You went decades between escape attempts.
Why start raising hell again now?
The world is on fire. I decided to do something about it.
Mm-hmm.
Do you wanna help?
[scoffs] I’d like to think I am.
We have the smartest people on the planet working on it.
Colonel, you can stand down.
[sighs]
“The smartest people on the planet” have had 60 years to prepare for G-Day.
“Let ’em fight.”
That’s the best they could come up with?
What if Godzilla had lost?
What’s hiding in Bill Randa’s files?
Nothing you don’t already know, and everything you don’t wanna believe.
Word games.
[sighs]
Is that what it’s gonna be, Colonel?
You think you had it rough,
playing shuffleboard and trimming your bonsai trees?
I never said I had it rough. I got pretty good at bocce ball…
I swear to God,
I can bury you deep or I can bury you shallow.
Your call.
Bury me?
Who’s playing word games now?
And wasting time none of us have.
Monarch is wrong.
And has been…
for a long, long time.
[May sighs]
[Kentaro] Whoa.
Were you not listening?
They shoot looters.
I’m eating the evidence.
[rumbling, clattering]
[Kentaro exclaims]
Even if a building looks undamaged, the attack undermined the foundations.
So sometimes you’ll hear one just suddenly collapse.
[rumbling]
Let’s go.
[Cate] I used to grade papers here.
[May] Was this your neighborhood?
[cat meows]
[Cate] Yeah.
It was our favorite little coffee shop.
Hi.
[chuckles] Hey.
I needed this. [chuckles]
[chuckles]
I needed that.
[chuckles]
[both chuckle]
[friend] How long have you been waiting?
I was up and out by 5:30. Trying to dodge Mrs. Yee.
Mmm. Yeah, of course. It’s the first of the month.
It’s turning into a real cat and mouse. She’s got all my escape routes covered.
You know, you’re paying a fortune for an apartment that you’re never at.
And it’s cheaper to live with two rather than one.
Look, you don’t… you don’t have to choose between
your Ethiopian dark roast or food every day.
Haven’t you learned your lesson?
Haven’t you?
Why don’t you tell Mrs. Yee that you’re putting in your notice,
and that you’ll be out by the end of the month.
[chuckles]
So it begins.
[bell rings]
[student] The teacher’s coming. Teacher’s coming.
[Cate] No phones in class.
[student] I told you guys.
Where is everyone?
They stayed home.
Their parents are scared of the giant monsters.
Mine aren’t.
My dad said it’s a hoax to burst the real estate balloon.
[onlooker speaks indistinctly]
[machine gun fire]
[creature roars]
[machine gun fire]
All right. Phones away.
Chad’s father’s probably right. This has to be a prank of some kind.
Everyone okay here?
Cate?
We’re fine.
Today’s lesson: Don’t believe everything you see on the Internet.
We’re monitoring the situation closely.
Make sure their phones are charged
and they all know their family reunification plans.
We’ll let you know if we decide to close the school.
[helicopter whirring]
Ms. Randa.
Are they coming here next?
[creature roars]
[clatters]
[cat yowls]
It’s like a cat lady’s fantasy island.
[cat meows]
Or a cat man’s.
Oh, uh, my uncle is a cat man.
O-Oh. Cool.
[cat meows]
We should keep moving.
[police radio chatter]
[guard] Yeah, I’ll check it out.
Over there. Over there.
[guard] Who’s there? Come out where we can see you!
[exhales sharply]
[breathes heavily]
[schoolchildren screaming]
[bell rings]
[schoolchildren yelling]
Where’s this one headed?
North, towards the Golden Gate.
Come on in. Come on.
Come on.
Eva, come on. Just leave it. It’s okay.
How can I help?
It’s up to you.
I’m staying with the kids in the gym until they get picked up.
You go ahead. I’ll be right there.
The mayor said shelter in the BART stations.
Yeah, and we will if the parents don’t show up.
I don’t know where those fools think they’re going.
They’re only letting buses across the bridges.
Cate, are you chaperoning this one?
I can take it if you want to stay with Dani.
[parking guard] Pull up.
[guard] You’re in violation of a federal order. Come out slowly.
[police radio chatter]
[guard] Yo, come on out!
I know you’re around here.
Cate.
[shushes]
I got this.
[police radio chatter]
[guard] You got movement?
[guard 2] Just more goddamn cats.
Think we should start shooting them.
[chuckles] Come on, man.
Yeah.
Yeah, I’m serious.
You all right?
[breathes shakily] I’m fine.
[breathes shakily]
[breathes shakily]
[police radio chatter]
Oh, yeah. We’ll be there in no time.
This way.
[sighs]
Anyone know a good song?
[singing in Japanese]
[in English] Lower the volume.
Get out of my way.
[singing in Japanese]
[May, in English, shushes] Quiet.
[continues singing in Japanese]
[Cate chuckles]
Tastes so good! This is it.
[chuckles]
[in English] Dad would sing these cheesy commercials.
He’d make his serious, time-to-listen-to-me face
and then do something so silly.
Yeah. Yeah.
[singing in Japanese]
♪ What is the secret ♪
♪ of the triangle shape? ♪
♪ The secret of deliciousness is… ♪
♪ I’m not going to tell you! ♪
♪ Tada! ♪
[in English] Let’s use our inside voices.
[chuckles] Do you remember the Arnold ones?
[police radio chatter]
[guard] Hey! Come here! Come here!
[Kentaro] Go, go, go!
[May] Down here.
[sergeant speaks indistinctly]
[guard] All right.
[sergeant] Go around.
[guard] This way.
[Kentaro grunts] It’s okay.
[creature roars]
[screaming]
[guard] They went this way.
[Kentaro] Help me.
[person] Oh, my God! [screams]
[May] This way.
[sergeant] I heard two!
[gasps, sighs]
[breathes deeply]
[guard] They’re down here. I’m with you.
[police radio chatter]
[guard] Let’s go.
[guard] No trespassing in the secured area.
[guard continues, indistinct]
[roars]
[breathes shakily]
Hey, you! Get ’em!
[squatter panting]
Get on the ground!
[guard] You people can’t be living down here!
[squatter groans]
Stop!
[guard panting]
[breathes deeply]
[sergeant] Let’s check over here.
Come on.
Which way?
[Cate] This way.
[May] Let’s go.
[roars]
[exhales sharply]
Hey, hey, hey.
[grunting] Come on. Keep going. Like this.
No. You… You go ahead without me.
[police radio chatter]
[Kentaro] Cate, we need you.
We’re going together or not at all.
Yeah. Come on, you can do this.
You’ve come this far.
[heartbeat thumping]
You got it, yeah?
Okay. [breathes heavily]
Okay.
[mouse squeaks]
We’ll have to try another way.
There’s so many ways.
One of them goes through.
No, you don’t know that.
You can’t know that. We’re gonna die down here.
[in Japanese] You’ll be all right.
I’m sorry, Cate.
But you are strong.
You’ll be all right.
[in English] What do you have to do that’s more important than us?
I’ll just go ahead and find a way out.
Just go. [sighs]
Dad! [echoing] Dad!
Do you wanna sit down?
[sobs]
Give me this.
Okay.
[inhales deeply] Breathe with me. [chuckles]
No, I can’t.
Bullshit. Yes, you can. Come on, Randa.
In.
[inhales deeply]
Out.
[exhales deeply]
Good job. One more.
In.
[inhales deeply]
Out.
[exhales deeply]
Can you feel my hands?
Yeah.
Look at me.
[inhales deeply]
Don’t see anything else but me.
[grunts]
Hey.
You’re not that late yet.
[kisses]
Are you moving? [chuckles]
[kisses]
No, I’ll go. It’s fine.
[principal] Go. Now.
Emily, come on.
Cate, I didn’t learn my lesson.
W-We were good. You just… You don’t want good.
I don’t deserve this.
I don’t think anyone deserves this.
No, I mean that anyone would do shit for me
when all I ever do is let ’em down.
I hate him for leaving. But how am I any better?
You didn’t let me down when I was freezing to death in Alaska.
The only way out is through.
I found a way up.
What?
Just follow the cats.
[sniffs]
[cat meows]
[cat meows]
[Kentaro] What floor is it on?
Dad loved a view.
[exhales deeply] Okay.
[panting]
[Cate] Okay.
Hell, wouldn’t it be funny
if there was nothing left behind this door? [chuckles]
[sighs] Hilarious.
[Cate sniffs]
[breathes deeply]
At least we know where to look.
What? No, no. There has to be something.
[May] Okay… [stammers] …the sun’s coming up.
So, let’s just remember, we gotta get out of here soon.
That’s not being helpful. Be helpful.
I don’t know your dad like that.
I used to think this had something to do with his satellite work.
What do you mean?
The orbital arcs of satellites are sine waves.
These pathways… they’re something else.
You listened to Dad when he was talking about that satellite stuff?
I teach science to middle schoolers. They ask questions.
Let me see the files.
Okay.
[Cate] These… These points…
They’re like constellations.
But it’s not a star map.
No.
It’s a world map, but he’s hidden the continents.
Give me that.
What are you doing?
Can you hold that up over there?
Why are we doing this?
My first art installation was about projected images.
How putting one image on another can reveal something completely new.
Yeah, I remember.
[grunts, sighs]
[chuckles]
Yeah.
San Francisco.
Alaska.
Africa.
This must be the path he took.
Yes, this is… this is it.
This is what we wanted. High fives all around. We gotta go.
So, you and James.
Are you guys…
He’s waiting for me to be ready.
I’m sorry for what Dad did to you.
Thirty years. You wasted your life on him.
No. No, I…
I could have found out that he was cheating on me.
I could’ve asked.
I could have gone to Tokyo.
But I didn’t wanna know the truth. I liked having a part-time husband.
But that meant that you had a part-time father…
and you deserved more than that.
[breathes deeply]
Dad didn’t die in Alaska.
What?
He worked for some secret organization like the CIA, but for Godzilla.
I’m gonna find him.
So, how are you feeling?
Good.
Like, for the first time since my father disappeared,
maybe everything isn’t shit, you know? Is that weird?
I’ve recently updated my definition for weird. So, I don’t know.
I’m gonna call my mom.
Okay. Remember the rule.
Nonspecific.
Yep.
[sighs]
I wanna go home. Tell me what I need to do.
Smart girl. I’ll be in touch.
