Understanding the Pacific Rim Timeline: Where Does Netflix's The Black Fit In?

Netflix's Pacific Rim: The Black is an animated sequel that continues the monster franchise, sparking questions about the order in which to watch the Pacific Rim movies. The original Pacific Rim movie, directed by Guillermo del Toro, introduced the war between Kaiju and Jaegers in 2025. Following that, Pacific Rim: Uprising leaped forward a decade. Then, three years after Pacific Rim: Uprising, Pacific Rim: The Black picks up the story, following Taylor and Hayley Travis as they journey through Kaiju-infested Australia in search of their missing parents.

Season 1 of Pacific Rim: The Black delved deeper into the franchise's mythology with minimal ties to the movies. The Kaiju messiah storyline in Season 2 pushed the boundaries even further. Despite not explicitly stating where it fits in the Pacific Rim movie timeline, Pacific Rim: The Black stands strong on its own. While the show does not directly reveal its place in the timeline, there are subtle hints that suggest when the events of Pacific Rim: The Black take place.

If you want to watch the Pacific Rim movies in order, you can stream Pacific Rim and Pacific Rim: The Black on Netflix. Additionally, Pacific Rim: Uprising is available for streaming on Hulu.

How To Watch The Pacific Rim Movies In Order (By Release Date & Chronologically)

The Pacific Rim Releases Have All Been In Chronological Order Thus Far

Raleigh (Charlie Hunnam) and Mako (Rinko Kikuchi) inside their robot suit in Pacific Rim - The Pacific Rim Releases Have All Been In Chronological Order Thus Far - How To Watch The Pacific Rim Movies In Order (By Release Date & Chronologically)

Pacific Rim (2013)

Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018)

In the world of Pacific Rim, the release order of the films aligns with the chronological order of the stories. The first movie explains that humanity encountered the Kaiju for the first time in 2013. This event led to the creation of the Jaegers, giant robots, and ultimately the victory over the Kaiju in 2025. Pacific Rim: Uprising is set 10 years after these events, in 2035. It is during this time that Dr. "Newt" Geiszler is revealed to have orchestrated the return of the Kaiju and their creators, the Precursors, in a plan to destroy life on Earth.

When Does Pacific Rim: The Black Take Place?

After the events of Pacific Rim: Uprising, where humanity manages to defeat the threat of the Jaegers once again, the movie ends with a warning from Newt. He reveals that the Precursors will come back despite the efforts of the Jaeger pilots. This sets the stage for the events that unfold in Pacific Rim: The Black.

The Events Of The Movies Can Help Identify The Vague Setting For The Series

A jaeger about to punch a kaiju in Pacific Rim The Black. - The Events Of The Movies Can Help Identify The Vague Setting For The Series - When Does Pacific Rim: The Black Take Place?

The show mentions the Uprising Wars, which is what the events of the sequel are known as in-universe.

There are many clues that suggest Pacific Rim: The Black comes after Pacific Rim: Uprising in the timeline. It is established in the movie canon that there were no Kaiju attacks between the original Pacific Rim and its sequel, ruling out the possibility of fitting in there. Additionally, the appearance of Herc Hansen through a flashback to Operation Blackout indicates that it takes place later in the timeline.

The show repeatedly mentions the Uprising Wars, which is what the events of the sequel are known as in-universe. The Travis siblings even discover several destroyed jaegers who fought in that war. All of this further supports Pacific Rim: The Black taking place after Pacific Rim: Uprising and representing the farthest point in the Pacific Rim timeline that the franchise has gone.

Despite these references, nailing down an exact year for Pacific Rim: The Black's events is more difficult. Taylor and Hayley go to find their parents five years after they were last seen right before Operation Blackout commenced. The show doesn't clarify if Operation Blackout is tied to the Uprising Wars at all or if that event happens well after the attack featured in Pacific Rim: Uprising.

Pacific Rim: The Black Is Over – Here's What That Means For The Pacific Rim Timeline

With the movie's events set in 2035, the earliest timeframe for Pacific Rim: The Black to take place is 2040. It is also possible that Operation Blackout happened many years after. As there will be no more seasons after the conclusion of Pacific Rim: The Black season 2, the exact time period of the show may continue to be a mystery.

Will There Be A Pacific Rim 3?

Two jaeger pilots working the controls in Pacific Rim The Black season 2. - Will There Be A Pacific Rim 3? - Pacific Rim: The Black Is Over – Here's What That Means For The Pacific Rim Timeline

Pacific Rim: The Black's second season marked the end of the show, possibly bringing the Pacific Rim timeline to a close. Although there were plans for a third film that could have connected the original movies to the animated series, the chances of Pacific Rim 3 happening seem slim now. The potential crossover with the Godzilla/Kong MonsterVerse, which was hinted at in Pacific Rim 3, also seems unlikely to materialize.

The conclusion of Pacific Rim: The Black suggests that the Pacific Rim timeline and franchise may have come to an end. With the introduction of Kaiju Messiahs, the series may have reached its peak in terms of robot battles, signaling that it could be time to wrap things up.

Editor's P/S:

The article provides a comprehensive guide to the Pacific Rim franchise, including the release order and chronological timeline of the movies and the animated series Pacific Rim: The Black. It effectively explains how the events of each installment fit together and addresses the question of when Pacific Rim: The Black takes place within the overall narrative. The article also discusses the impact of the series finale on the future of the franchise and the possibility of a Pacific Rim 3.

Overall, the article is well-written and informative, offering a clear understanding of the Pacific Rim timeline and providing insights into the franchise's development and potential future. It successfully addresses the queries raised by fans regarding the chronological placement of Pacific Rim: The Black and offers a retrospective on the series' conclusion.