Viewers should not be deterred by the outdated appearance of Netflix's "new" old-school psychological thriller; this Monster creates enough suspense and intrigue to keep even the contemporary mind up at night. With unpredictable plot twists at every turn in this serial killer's journey, the gripping tale of the Nameless Monster is captivating, eerie, and thought-provoking, from beginning to end.
Everyone, good and evil, handles their gut-wrenching run-ins with the Monster in wildly different manners, but essentially all circle around the same drain as they fight for their lives. When knocking on death's door, they each learn the true value of a name and realize that their concept of happiness was askew, all along.
10 "He Doesn't Harbour The Cheap Racism and Prejudices That You All Do... Johan Looks Down on All Humans."
This may be a rather strange flex, but it does speak volumes about Johan's character. Somehow, even as a coldblooded serial killer, Johan is still leaps and bounds ahead of those Hitler-worshipping tyrants who target their next victims based on nationality or race.
Doctor Tenma may be a fish out of water compared to the deadly Baby; however, he is still bold enough to take the tyrant down a peg by reminding him that Johan (who Baby so admires) wouldn't bother himself with mindless racism. Johan has standards; they are twisted but impartial.
9 "I'd Be Better Off Simply Having Meals At The Dining Table"
The financial gain that comes with injustice does not always pay off, nor is it worth the risk. At the end of the day, the top is a very lonely place, and it often takes deplorable sacrifices to get there. Mr. Heitmeyer may be a highly respected crime boss with practically everything at his disposal; however, his biggest regret is not sharing more meals with his loved ones, who are now all either dead or estranged.
Even Baby admits that he has gotten used to paying for companionship because nobody truly wants a seat at the table alongside him. If family and happiness were valued over and above wealth and status, these forsaken criminals may have lived more fulfilling lives.
8 "Once You're In The Darkness, You Just Sink Deeper Into It. Keep Your Light Shining."
Tenma leaves his mark on yet another troubled soul after offering words of encouragement to the young Vietnamese doctor in Munich. The two medical prodigies had just been discussing the disturbing nature of the assault on the Margot Langer impersonator, as Helenka Nováková was seemingly killed just for the sake of bloodshed. Like all of Johan's victims.
The seventeen-year-old Rung has certainly suffered great hardships while running her late father's underground clinic, enough to deter anyone's hopeful spirits. However, Tenma assures the teen that she has all the makings of an excellent doctor; if she focuses on the advantages of completing her studies, the task won't seem impossible anymore, and she can make an even more significant difference in her patients' lives.
7 "There's Not A Human Around Who Can Be Somewhere Without Leaving A Trace. If They Can Do That, Then They're Not Human."
It takes a while for Inspector Runge to get on the right track, but he finally begins to scratch the surface of the truth in the aftermath of the Munich University Library fire. His overconfidence gets cut short the moment he begins searching for Johan, convinced that he must have left a trace of evidence somewhere; he is human, after all... right?
Having never experienced such a phenomenon in all his years of service, Inspector Runge realizes that he must be dealing with "a demon." He immediately changes course and starts looking at the world through Johan's eyes, perfectly epitomizing the heathen by stating: "I was here, but I don't exist."
6 "Everyone Is Burdened With Their Sins. They'll Never Go Away. Even So, We Still Carry On With What We Must Do."
The tables are turned when Tenma is the one in need of encouragement when his self-critical thoughts start to spiral out of control after he assumedly killed Roberto. Similarly, the always-smiling Wolfgang Grimmer is undoubtedly overburdened by his own skeletons, having survived the Kinderheim 511 debacle and the loss of his wife and son; however, he refuses to let his past weigh him down.
Tenma is disturbed by the fact that his hands no longer shake and what this might mean. Now that he is a murderer, does that make him as deplorable as the rest? Adding more red to his ledger will certainly make matters worse, but the only way to stop Johan is with a bullet to the head. And Tenma needs to be the one to deliver it, no matter what.
5 "Munch-Munch, Chomp-Chomp, Gobble-Gobble, Gulp."
This may not be the most eloquent phrase in Monster, but it is certainly memorable, particularly during its spine-chilling delivery via Johan's childhood recordings. Every time The Nameless Monster's story is told, an eerie, nightmarish sensation blankets the scene. Realizing that this story is far from fictional adds a whole new level of unease to the already unsettling situation, fueling the suspense and intrigue even further.
The Nameless Monster will devour every unfortunate soul that crosses its path until nothing and no one remains, but was Franz Bonaparta predicting the future, or did Johan use Obluda as a guideline for his life's mission? A more pressing question concerns Nina's role in the narrative, as she is due to be Johan's last victim at the end of the world.
4 "If You Don't Have Any Happy Memories, Then Make Them."
Dieter is the ray of sunshine in each of the lives he touches, with his stubborn devotion never faltering for a second as he essentially protects all the adults who care for him. The puppeteer, Jaromír Lipský, is fortunate enough to gain some wisdom from the young orphan, who shares the memorable words that Tenma taught him after rescuing the boy from Mr. Hartmann's abuse.
Little do they know, Jaromír is the son of the formidable Franz Bonaparta and was likely subjected to unimaginable trauma, but fortunately managed to evade the Red Rose Mansion massacre thanks to his sub-standard literacy. His obsession over his father's sinister stories wasn't doing the puppet master any good; the time has come for more pleasant tales to occupy his mind!
3 "But When You Die, It's All The Same."
Eva Heinemann undergoes some incredible personal development throughout Monster and is a particularly unlikeable character, that is until Martin Reest unexpectantly steals her heart. Jumping out of the pan and into the fire, Eva attempts to take her fate into her own hands, choosing to die in luxury on Petr Čapek's order, instead of in near-destitution, with Roberto as the last thing she sees.
Eva believes she will find solace knowing she has returned to her throne in Düsseldorf, but quickly realizes that fear has no boundaries, and worldly possessions are meaningless beyond the grave. Perhaps if Eva had cultivated love instead of fortune, she might've found joy, but in reality, her cruelty has been reflected straight back at her. Johan said something similar when he declared that "the only thing that's equal for all... Is death."
2 "Having Someone To Wait For Is Happiness. Whether They Come Or Not."
Surprisingly, after everything that Eva has lost in life, it's Martin's death that hits her the hardest, turning the malicious mogul into a puddle of tears. She finally succumbs to the strange bond formed with her bodyguard and agrees to run away with him, but when he fails to show up at Frankfurt Central Station, Eva begins to fear the worst.
A perceptive janitor simply assumes that the lonely woman has been stood up, completely ignorant of the severity of the situation. His comforting words ring true nonetheless, essentially reassuring Eva that it's "better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." And Martin is arguably the first man she has truly loved, and the inspiration behind her newfound sobriety.
1 "My Emotions Got Lost Somewhere Inside Me. They're Like A Letter I Sent To Myself... That Took Decades To Arrive."
One doesn't have to be a Kinderheim 511 survivor to understand that trauma and mind games go hand-in-hand, as the brain represses memories or emotions in a desperate attempt to cope with distressing circumstances. For Grimmer, his split personality or missing memories weren't the worst part; his emotional inadequacy is what kept him up at night.
In his final battle, Grimmer doesn't allow "The Magnificent Steiner" to assume control when his emotions bubbled over, but wins fair and square, and even allows himself to cry for the very first time. Whether tears of joy or despair, Grimmer is still proud! And at this precise moment, Franz Bonaparta is crushed by the weight of accountability and self-loathing, finally.