Monsters Of God Episode 5 Ending Explained: Did Anson Wong Get Caught?

We finally meet the head of the snake; the dangerous, mysterious, and elusive Anson Wong. HBO/A24’s “Monsters of God” introduced us to this name in its opening episode, and slowly hyped him up as the “final boss” of the reptile smuggling industry. The finale of the show is indeed a testament to that, but Wong, in front of the camera, is not quite what you (probably) expected. Let’s get into the details, one last time.

The Extinction of the Ploushare Tortoise

The finale of “Monsters of God” opens with Eric Goode introducing the audience to this rare breed of tortoise, the Ploughshare, which can only be found in Madagascar. Goode himself has been playing an active role in the conservation of this species, which is going extinct. At one point in the episode, you get to know about as many as 75 Ploughshare tortoises being smuggled out of Madagascar, making it the biggest heist in the wildlife smuggling industry. Needless to say, Anson Wong had a direct hand in everything that happened.

George Morrison and His Purpose

George Morrison was the guy who caught Anson Wong. He was a special agent working for the United States Fishery and Wildlife Service, and he made bringing Anson Wong to justice the biggest purpose of his life. And to achieve that, George went to the extent of creating a whole different persona, George Ross, who posed as a coral businessman, with an interest in reptile dealing. George Ross was based in Hawaii, so Morrison had to move there and stay for quite some time; fortunately his family also accompanied him. Once George established his cover, he opened a reptile business called “Pac Rim,” and started venturing into shady deals. All of this was part of Operation Chameleon, and the main agenda was trapping Wong somehow. Of course, Anson Wong was smarter than everyone else, and very hard to get to. He mostly stayed hidden, never set foot in America, and was probably connected to the Chinese mafia, aka the Triads.

Reaching Wong was no less than climbing to the top of a mountain, and Morrison (posing as Ross) needed some way to get there. That opportunity came when George found this young guy, Beau Lewis, who was pretty much obsessed with Wong. Beau was a reptile person, who once wrote a handwritten letter to Wong, and the two connected. When Beau contacted George and started bragging about his connection with Wong, the undercover agent realized he had finally found his way to the head of the snake.

How Did Anson Wong Get Caught?

The thing about this docuseries is, every time you hear about these reptile smugglers, be it Hank Molt or Tommy Crutchfield or Ray and Michael Van Nostrand, Eric Goode makes sure that these people appear in front of the camera. Not only does this humanize the characters, you also get to understand things from their perspective as well. That said, getting a hold of Wong, who never gave an interview, was not at all easy. But this show wouldn’t have come together if Eric Goode hadn’t been able to interview the notorious reptile smuggler from Malaysia. The reason Wong appears is that it gives him an opportunity to set the record straight, as per what he says. And then possibly there’s a whole lot of money in play – I’m only speculating, but how can there not be any financial dealing?

The strangest thing, which can even be called a twist, is that the Anson Wong who appears in front of the camera is not the menacing, manipulative, and cunning man you were imagining him to be. Instead, Wong appears as a calm, slimming, middle-aged, white-haired man. Not that he denies anything. He confirms that he is indeed Anson Wong, the most notorious reptile smuggler in the world. But what he does is speak in a soothing voice, about his childhood, how he has always been a reptile person, and also how he felt breaking the law and making “some” money was alright. 

The reason for Wong getting caught was of course, Beau Lewis. Wong’s fanboy was the reason George Morrison – as George Ross – managed to form a working relationship with Wong. All George needed to do was get Wong out of Penang, where he was pretty much untouchable. Once that happened, George surprised Wong by arresting him at the Mexico City airport. George duped both Beau and Wong, who thought the agent was their friend. Beau still refused to say a word against his idol; however, this guy, James Burroughs, who used to do the smuggling work for Wong, ultimately snitched on him. This ensured Wong spent a substantial amount of time in jail – two years in Mexican prison, and then six more years in American prison. Beau also had to serve time, and by his own admission, it led him to becoming depressed. George Morrison, of course, successfully achieved what he set out to do. Although he has to live with the anxiety of Anson Wong coming for revenge, I bet a man of his caliber can deal with that. Anson Wong got caught mainly due to his hunger for money, and also lust – he was a womanizer and George promised him a yacht filled with prostitutes; Wong could never say no to such an invitation. 

What Is The Takeaway?

I thought the reason the finale was titled “Head of the Snake” is not because of Wong, but the fact that this snake, i.e, the reptile smuggling industry, is no less than a hydra. No matter how many heads are chopped off, there will always be someone breaking the law and making money off these animals. One interesting aspect of the finale was the fact that agent McCloud and his wife had a Ploughshare tortoise at home. While there’s no doubt about McCloud’s love for wildlife, the topic of raising a Ploughshare outside of its natural habitat is uncomfortable and hard to avoid. The series does end with a ray of hope, that says that Ploughshares can now be bred, scientifically. However, the fact that people do business with these exotic animals is genuinely disturbing. I would agree with what Tommy Crutchfield says at the very end – these animals are monsters created by god, and perhaps mankind should have just left them alone. If only Tommy and men like him engaged in such introspection earlier, just saying!

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