Exploring the Trauma of Cate in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Anna Sawai's Real-Life Connection to Cate's Trauma

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters star Anna Sawai has opened up about her own experiences with a real-life disaster, and how she used it to connect to Cate in the Monsterverse series. In the show, Cate Randa has traumatic flashbacks to the events of 2014's Godzilla, where the titular Titan fought MUTOs in San Francisco. This resulted in her losing a school bus full of children that fell off the Golden Gate Bridge when Godzilla arrived there.

Cate, Hiroshi, and Keiko Randa in Monarch Legacy of Monsters-1

Speaking with Yahoo News, Sawai revealed how her own experience with an actual disaster better connected her to Cate's backstory in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The actor said she was in Japan during the 2011 earthquake, explaining how her own trauma influenced the character's.

The whole thing about her being traumatized, I've never had anything to that extent, but I was in Japan when the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake hit and whenever I hear a buzzer, I'm always like, 'Oh my God is the same thing going to happen.' ... So I just related to her on a different level.

The Importance of Cate's Trauma in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Following her traumatic experience during G-Day, Cate's father, Hiroshi, vanished, presumed dead following an absence from his families in both California and Japan. This leads her to finding out about his other family, including her half-brother, Kentaro, who she never knew she had. Her Godzilla trauma and familial problems are major moments that spur her into action, deciding to uncover the truth behind her family's history with Monarch.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 1 ended with Cate learning her grandmother, Keiko Randa, was still alive in the Hollow Earth. This brought her character full circle, as she was able to engage with the dangers of the unexplored world while also helping a family member return to the surface. While it's unclear what the state of her trauma is, the fact she was able to see Godzilla in the finale without flashing back to what transpired means her new friends may be helping her heal.

However, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2 could continue to explore Cate's traumatic experience in a new setting. With the core team members now on Skull Island with Apex Cybernetics, the story could go in a multitude of new directions. No matter what the future holds, though, its protagonist's trauma will still be an important factor in how the series has developed - and how she is still learning to heal.

The Future of Cate's Trauma in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 1 is available on Apple TV+.