#jttw analysis | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

pitofpurple · 6 months

Text

the true horror of Sun Wukong at the beginning of the journey was his complete lack of empathy. He could kill hundreds in the blink of an eye and not feel a thing for them. That’s why he needed the golden fillet, To make him feel what his victims felt.

And yet it didn’t work. Sun Wukong kept killing until he had to fight his biggest enemy, himself

The Six Eared Macaque represented his hostility, his lack of empathy, his malice. He was the part of Sun Wukong that wanted to get revenge on his master for banishing him from the journey, the part that thought he did nothing wrong and didn’t deserve punishment.

When he looked at the Six eared Macaque he realized that he didn’t want to be that person . so when he killed macaque he killed that part of himself and he went back on the journey, this time much more willing to change.

#jttw #chinese mythology #sun wukong #six eared macaque #jttw analysis #literary analysis #Sun Wukong angst #journey to the west #Lmk

231 notes · View notes

imminent-danger-came · 2 months

Text

One detail I've noticed is that Wukong's outfit is different before and after Tripitaka places the circlet on him (and Wukong was notably unwilling to be chained):

Which is distinctly different than every other iteration of this scene we've been shown:

Other retellings of this moment have Wukong kneeling in servitude...when the reality is he was kneeling after being subdued—continuing lmk's tradition of biased/false narratives (like what was done with the multiple explanations of the samadhi fire). I think it's interesting to see the ways in which Wukong's past was made easier to swallow as time went on (or if you were Azure and didn't want to believe that Wukong had been changed by his journey lol)

#me pointing to MK's visions of Wukong's past in AHiB where Wukong is specifically wearing his jttw outfit: WAIT A MINUTE #WUKONG U FUCKING LIAR #U were not born out of the stone with clothes. Smh. What is this fake version of the story you're revealing to MK #I've decided amnesia rules makes me crazy #(<- could say this about literally ANY lmk episode)#lmk #lego monkie kid #lmk SWK #lmk analysis

359 notes · View notes

ryin-silverfish · 21 days

Text

Heart and Mind: An Analysis of Tripitaka

I've been wanting to write this since…since I came across some good ol' Tripitaka discourse in the LMK fandom ages ago. Couldn't remember the specifics, but as y'all probably know, it falls under the "Is him an abusive master" and people's strongly worded retort to that question.

On one hand, I dislike the "abusive" take because so often, it is an excuse to reduce a character to an 2D caricature for cheap angst purposes, and both JTTW and its historical context deserve more nuances than that.

On the other hand, I don't agree with some of the defenses either——that Tripitaka is Kind and Wise and The Virtuous Monk, Actually, and people who said otherwise just had their views colored by adaptations, or were ignorant westerners misreading the book.

Because trust me, Chinese readers absolutely have gripes with Tripitaka too, and sass him mercilessly.

We may have a better idea of the historical context, namely, the common usage and acceptance of corporal punishments, but quite a few of us don't think he's a good Buddhist either.

Instead, I'd like to focus on his allegorical role, and how it ultimately forms the basis for my interpretation of his character.

It is commonly acknowledged that each pilgrim represent an aspect of the enlightenment seeker: Monkey is the Mind, Dragon Horse the Will, Pigsy the Desire, Sandy the Determination/Ideation.

Tripitaka is either the enlightenment seeker as a human, or the Heart, the Compassion.

But how can someone represent Compassion when his behaviors don't look all that compassionate, when he seems to care more about what a good Buddhist looks like on paper than in spirit?

How can a compassionate man punish his disciple with a migraine spell and disown him twice, be okay with some violence but not others?

Well, to answer that question, I feel like you have to look at Tripitaka in conjunction with SWK, and what the monkey represents. He is literally the Mind Monkey, the boundless potential of human intellect, and that, by itself, is neutral.

In the word of one of the best poems in JTTW:

"He could be good; he could be bad; present good and evil he could do at will. He'd be an immortal, a Buddha, if he's good; wickedness would cloak him with hair and horn."

To put it simply, SWK is one's wits, one's problem-solving skills, the ability to discern good and evil on a cognitive level.

Whenever Tripitaka, the Compassion, is deceived, it falls to the Mind to see the opponents as they are, and take action to protect the human from harm.

But just as blind compassion without judgement can be exploited by evil, the reverse is true for a mind without compassion, driven solely by their own ambition and whims and practical knowledge.

The Mind knows that robbery is a crime, so these robbers deserve death, but has no idea how disturbing it is for a regular guy to witness six people being brutally murdered in front of him.

The Mind knows that abandoning your wife and family to become a bandit is shameful and unfilial, but cannot comprehend why the bandit's father may not want his son killed for these offenses.

The Mind knows right and wrong, but has trouble seeing the human behind those acts, and why one should care in the first place.

And to see what the Mind looks like without any of Compassion's restraint, one needs to look no further than SWK's "Second Mind", the Six-eared Macaque.

Just like how "Heart" sounds like a lame power for a character, Compassion isn't flashy, nor as useful in a strictly ultilitarian sense. In fact, having compassion makes you vulnerable. It hurts. And unscrupulous people will absolutely use it against you.

So why hold onto your weakness and wallow in it? The world doesn't need another sanctimonious wuss, it needs strong, clever people making hard sacrifices, ruthless, logical decisions! Tough up! Stop caring, and you'll never be hurt again!

Much like a certain crowd who think basic human decency is somehow political propaganda, perhaps, when SEM struck Tripitaka, he was trying to do the same thing.

Kill the embodiment of compassion, the sniveling, useless, fragile human that keeps holding SWK back. Replace him as the true Mind, the one strong enough to break all bonds and seize glory with his own two hands.

But without compassion, without humanity, one is no longer a whole person, and cannot reach enlightenment. In fact, just like how Buddha would only give the True Scripture to Tripitaka, if you are not brave enough to make yourself vulnerable, to suffer and feel other's suffering, you will never transcend it.

At best, you can have some pale imitations of the parts you have willingly shut out from yourself.

And that's what SEM does. He thought he could do it on his own, singlehandedly replace SWK and reap the benefits of enlightenment, but he is no Monkey Awakened to Emptiness.

He is just empty; cut off desires because it is base, cut off determined ideation because it is foolish, cut off compassion because it is weak, cut off the altruism and curiosity and creativity from the mind, and you are left with a grand total of NOTHING.

A shadow of a self, desperately clinging onto external validation and stolen stories, reading the pilgrim's travel paperwork out loud as if that would actually make the journey his.

Tripitaka needs to trust SWK and learn from him, because compassion, much like good intention, doesn't solve problems on its own, and mercy is not the same as enabling harm.

SWK needs his master's guidance, because even at his most selfish and impulsive, he cares, and only by extending that care to others and accepting the vulnerability that comes with it can he truly mature and become awakened to the ultimate truth.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

One last bit of ramble: I feel like there is something to be said about Tripitaka's tendency to trust Pigsy, and how the pursuit of enlightenment is often derailed by worldly desires.

Unlike the demons they encountered, however, Pigsy is not the personification of mental obstacles that must be destroyed, because you cannot destroy bodily needs, nor the very human tendencies to slack off and avoid trouble.

You should stop listening to its advice, sure. Poke fun at it, absolutely. But what Pigsy represents is part of the human condition, just like every other pilgrim, and also something one must make peace with.

#journey to the west #xiyouji #jttw #tripitaka #tang sanzang #sun wukong #six eared macaque #pigsy #zhu bajie #character analysis #lego monkie kid

107 notes · View notes

cherllyio · 1 month

Text

I figured out Lego Monkie Kid's Storyline for Season 5

This is based of @then-be-a-warrior theory that MK, Wukong and Macaque all end up in The Underworld in Season 5. (Here)

And i agree to that theory, i even reblogged it(here), where i theorised why it would make sense for each of them to acutlly end up there.

Now, how could we figure out Seasons 5 storyline from this?

Because...:

While The Mystic Monkeys are down there, we could have some focus on the side characthers (Mei, Pigsy, Tang and Sandy)

We could finally go more in depth with their characthers and learn even more about them! (While they are trying to save the Mystic Monkeys)

Them being down in the place Macaque was for hundreds of years, could mean we finally figured out how Macaque died in the first place. Aka. More shadowpeach lore!!!

In the Underworld, atleast in JTTW, they have a index of "The Ten Species of living creatures". And for someone like MK, who has no idea of who or what he is, he would defienlty want to see that.

Conclusion

This is going to be a big season for characther exploration, their past and their future destiny/fate.

If anyone has other ideas to what the Storyline for Seaaon 5 is going to be, i would love to hear it!

71 notes · View notes

nightmarebunnyking · 10 months

Text

LMK needs to flesh out wukong character and his past better,we barely get anything about him from though his pov,he knows the most about the past and jttw everything but he never does get the change to tell it though his pov.

.his past,this is why the lore is so confusing and muddy,we only get it from unreliability narrative/narrators,(like macaque and azure),that why timeline makes no sense,it also a problem that they change some things from jttw (journey to the west books),we can't trust what from the book,because it doesn't show up in the show as often,they may have shown some of wukong past but it confusing with how they show it,in s4 specials they show his reason for seeking Immortal,but just a little bit,he did most of it for his people and how he got the circlet,tripitaka didn't just put it on immediately,it different in the book,I have a question how the azure seen that??,they seem to dig into a hole with how they handle wukong past and character.

I wonder why they change it that way

#lmk sun wukong #lego monkie kid #legomonkiekid #lmk macaque #lmk monkey king #lmk analysis #lego monkie kid spoilers #lmk shadowpeach #lmk spoliers #the monkey king #lego sun wukong #jttw sun wukong #journey to the west

86 notes · View notes

quitealotofsodapop · 7 months

Note

So what's your opinion on Tripitaka/Sanzang?

A lot of people tend to write him as abusive. Granted the fillet was messed up. Though a lot of people tend to forget that he was only human. Not just that but he was surrounded by confirmed human eaters, I mean Ao Lie wasn't confirmed but I'm pretty certain he ate people too.

This doesn't also consider the fact that Tripitaka was sheltered his whole life, had a complicated and convoluted family, and was basically shoved into this journey with no warnings whatsoever.

My hc for Tripitaka was that he was a sheltered, neurotic, mess surrounded by ex-convicts.

He falls so often for dirty tricks and traps partly because he doesnt *want* to believe that there's so much evil in world. He's human compassion personified.

He probably thought that the fillet was given to him for a reason, no matter how messed up it was as essentially being a shock collar for SWK. But tbf SWK did pretty much tell Tripitaka that he'd kill him if he p-d him off enough. Sooo the monk has reasonable doubt.

A huge aspect of Jttw is that Tripitaka became almost a fatherly figure to Wukong - someone who was willing to geniunely guide his emotions. But Tripitaka was also 20-something human parenting a 1k+ monkey demon. He didnt have books or experience to tell him how to deal with SWK getting murder-y on bandits, or even emotionally tackle the possibility of SWK killing an innocent person.

However from an outside observer (i.e, Macaque), Tripitaka looked like an unreasonable man holding the key that imprisoned a hero just to keep a moral high-ground. If Tripitaka had *known* of Macaque ahead of the deception, then likely would have welcomed the other monkey to the pilgrimage with open arms.

Ofc Macaque would rather die than join some "worthless" holy mission that kept his best friend/mate away from returning home and to him. So...

In the end, Tripitaka *tried* and that meant the world to Wukong.

But the existance of Tang in the present suggests an interesting contradiction to Tripitaka's ending...

Tripitaka was meant to be the *last* Golden Cicada incarnation... unless someone he did/or felt that he did led to him not obtaining enlightenment.

Maybe the monk felt guilt for Macaque's passing? For the pain that could have been spared if he'd just trusted Wukong's judgement? The demons that he could have redeemed rather than let be killed?

Perhals in shedding his mortal form as a cicada does his childhood shell in Chapter 98; Tripitaka may have decided that he still needed some time to "grow up" so to say. His presence at Red Son's ritual many years on suggests that he atleast stays in the mortal realm for some time.

And maybe keep an eye on the next generation, unlike real life cicadas are unable to.

Tldr: Tripitaka is a fascinating character, (especially to a high-empathy, bad-with-detecting-lies autistic person like myself) and its way too easy for writers to interpet him as an abusive jerk when in reality he was just trying to be a good person and survive whilst surrounded by so much danger and corruption.

#lego monkie kid #lmk #jttw character analysis #lmk character analysis #lmk tripitaka #journey to the west

46 notes · View notes

novelcain · 1 year

Note

I just realized wukong’s relationship with Tripitaka is abusive…

/j /lh

Yeah I always hate how jttw and its adaptations try to paint Tripitaka as this saintly being that can do no wrong when he constantly abuses and humiliates Wukong for doing things within his nature when he's never had someone to teach him the right way in a non harmful way.

Of course, he kills people! He's a demon with anger issues! Instead of immediately punishing him for it, teach him coping methods and calming techniques!

Of course, he's egotistical! He's a god that took on Heaven and almost won! Instead of humiliating him for being prideful, explain to him the virtue of being humble and how too much ego can lead to bad situations!

Of course, he's sneaky and conniving! He's needed to be for himself and his kingdom to survive! Instead yelling at him for stealing and cheating to win, show him there are other ways such as logic and diplomacy that will make far fewer enemies!

Tripitaka is the toxic narcissist parent that beats their kid for the unhealthy personality traits they developed to survive childhood except he managed to gaslight his way into making everyone including Wukong believe his actions are justified and Wukong is the adult that got spanked as a kid and was gaslit into thinking he was bad enough to deserve it even though no parent should lay a hand on their kid.

Tldr; Tripitaka is an asshole and hurts Wukong instead of trying to correct him in a proper manner because it's easier to just be abusive and abandon him when that doesn't work

155 notes · View notes

antidotefortheawkward-art · 1 year

Text

Not satisfied with this but :/ Sanxingdui-inspired Erlang Shen design brainstorm because I have a pet theory that the numerous blue-green skinned designs of him might be due in part to his Shu heritage (modern Sichuan area, where the sanxingdui artifacts were unearthed). Also his Heavenly Eye being interpreted as a third eye too but that's less so relevant to this design.

[ID: A bust portrait of Erlang Shen, with screenshots of sanxingdui artifacts and three green-blue-skinned adaptations of him beside him. He has light green-blue skin with black eyes and a golden third eye. His eyebrows extend up into a curlicue design and his two normal eyes have golden eye shadow. Atop his head is a helmet, the front of which echoes the design of several of the sanxingdui artifacts next to him. His head and helmet are colored and shaded, but his chest piece is only a sketch. Like his helmet, the chest piece has curlicue designs echoing sanxingdui artifacts. End ID]

EDIT: Link to more of my thoughts on this because I think it's an interesting connection even if I'm unsure how historically supported it is in reality :>

#my art #erlang shen #yang jian #chinese mythology #journey to the west #jttw #xiyouji #lotus lantern #pet theory as in id like for it to be true but im not too sure if im reaching/without basis #read an article that did link his heavenly eye being a vertical third eye to shu beliefs but it didnt CITE SOURCES ):<#blue in the Heavenly Kings kind of way and not blue in the yaoguai way btw #also unlike in 2004 LL sansheng mu and chenxiang would also be blue skinned #[points to my analysis post about blue erlangs] i think thats an important distinction to make thematically-wise #you might recognize sanxingdui artifacts because the two little guard dudes in 2019 nezha were based off them btw #this designs just for fun but i might be slipping more sanxingdui-inspired designs into Erlang's non-Upholder of Heavenly Will outfits now

238 notes · View notes

whynotaskmagiconch · 1 year

Text

JTTW Character Analysis 1: Sun Wukong

Who is the protagonist of Journey to the West?

Some people think the protagonist of Journey to the West is Tripitaka, but this is not accurate. It is true that before this book was written, the protagonist of all the stories and legends of the scripture retrieval was Tripitaka. Those stories all started from Tripitaka’s past, and the monkey protecting him only appeared halfway through the story. However, the author of Journey to the West wanted to create a different story, focusing on a different protagonist. He mentioned little about the background of the Tang monk (even the story about his past was added as an appendix by someone else later) but focused on the story of Sun Wukong’s great havoc in the Heaven Palace. The first protagonist of Journey to the West is undoubtedly the Monkey King.

Characteristics of Sun Wukong

Sun Wukong is a very complex character representing the mind and heart. He cannot be summed up simply as “an impulsive demon” or “a great hero”. His qualities come from the combination of “monkey”, “human”, “God and Buddha”, and “demon”.

Wukong is NOT the stereotyped image of a silly and impulsive monkey. He is intelligent and talented. He practices both Buddhism and Taoism, and his understanding of Buddhism is even far above that of Tripitaka. Wukong comforted and relieved his master with Buddhist teachings countless times, which shows that the mind always leads people forward. For example:

In chapter 24:

“Wukong,” said the Tang Monk, “tell us when we shall be able to reach our destination.”

“You can walk from the time of your youth till the time you grow old, and after that, till you become youthful again; and even after going through such a cycle a thousand times, you may still find it difficult to reach the place you want to go to. But when you perceive, by the resoluteness of your will, the Buddha-nature in all things, and when every one of your thoughts goes back to its very source in your memory, that will be the time you arrive at the Spirit Mountain.”

In chapter 32:

As master and disciples walked and enjoyed the scenery, they found another mountain barring their way. “Disciples,” said the Tang Monk, “please be careful. We have a tall mountain before us, and I fear that tigers and wolves might be here to obstruct us.”

“Master,” said Pilgrim, “a man who has left the family should not speak as those who remain in the family. Don’t you remember the words of the Heart Sūtra given to you by that Crow’s Nest Priest: ‘No hindrances, and therefore, no terror or fear; he is far removed from error and delusion’? Only you must Sweep away the filth of your mind, And wash off the dust by your ears. Not tasting the most painful of pain, You’ll never be a man among men. You mustn’t worry, for if you have old Monkey, everything will be all right even if the sky collapses. Don’t be afraid of any tiger or wolf!”

………

“If Master wants true leisure, it’s not that difficult! When you achieve your merit, then all the nidānas will cease and all forms will be but emptiness. At that time, leisure will come to you most naturally.”

In JTTW, Sun Wukong’s enlightenment and Buddhism are the highest among the pilgrims. Besides his wisdom and excellent fighting and magic skills, because of his seven years of odd jobs for the Patriarch Subodhi, Wukong has learned many things:

The Patriarch then ordered the congregation to lead Sun Wukong outdoors and to teach him how to sprinkle water on the ground and dust, and how to speak and move with proper courtesy. The company of immortals obediently went outside with Wukong, who then bowed to his fellow students. They prepared thereafter a place in the corridor where he might sleep. Next morning he began to learn from his schoolmates the arts of language and etiquette. He discussed with them the scriptures and the doctrines; he practiced calligraphy and burned incense. Such was his daily routine. In more leisurely moments he would be sweeping the grounds or hoeing the garden, planting flowers or pruning trees, gathering firewood or lighting fires, fetching water or carrying drinks. ——Chapter 2

Therefore, Wukong mastered a variety of knowledge, as shown in the story afterwards: poetry, sewing, carpentry, medicine, law, cooking knowledge, business talent, and so on. The author gave all the knowledge he knew to this monkey because the mind has a powerful ability to master the most extensive knowledge. It can transform into anything it wishes (72 transformations) and can travel 108,000 miles in one somersault (one second your mind is at the North Pole, but the next it may fly to the South Pole. Have a nice mind trip).

Wukong is a very charming character in terms of ability and personality. He has tons of merits. He is clever, humorous, optimistic, brave, decisive, goal-oriented, persistent, and very loyal to his master. Wukong is emotionally forthright and natural. He always laughs, cries, and curses freely without cover. Even the rod in his hand is an externalized feature of the mind. If he is not happy, he can simply raise the rod and hit. So that rod:

A spirit beam filling the supreme void—

That’s how the rod behaves accordingly.

It lengthens or shortens as one would wish;

Upright or prone, it grows or shrinks at will. ——Chapter 7

Besides, Wukong aspires to freedom, has little sense of hierarchy, and has the idea of equality.

“He (Wukong) has become quite chummy with the various Stars and Constellations of Heaven, calling them his friends regardless of whether they are his superiors or subordinates.” ——Chapter 5

In the story, we can notice Wukong uses the same manners when facing the Jade Emperor (the highest god ruling the three worlds) and the ordinary woodcutter on earth, which seems common in modern society. However, it is extremely rare in the feudal society of China. In Gao Village, Wukong was the only one noticing the worn-out straw sandals of Gao Cai, a servant in Gao Village. When Wukong was leaving, he even left money for Gao Cai to buy straw sandals.

Flaws of Sun Wukong

So what about Wukong’s flaws? He surely has many of them, including the characteristics of “monkey”, “human” and “demon”.

Monkey——He is impatient, impulsive, mischievous, easily provoked, and a big troublemaker.

Human——He is arrogant, condescending, overly competitive, likes to be flattered, and shows off at every opportunity.

Demon——He is violent, wild, disobedient, and hard to control. He killed a lot of people.

These are also the drawbacks of the human mind. Wukong is powerful but he lacks control. In chapter 7, the author described him as:

Truly his form was

Tumbling round and round,

Bright and luminous;

A form everlasting, how imitated by men?

……

He could be good;

He could be bad;

Present good and evil he could do at will.

This is not only the image of Wukong wielding the rod, but also a symbol of an exposed, glittering, beating heart. The heart (mind) is precious, powerful, and can be good or evil. It can accomplish great deeds of kindness, or cause tremendous damage. Therefore, it needs to be disciplined. Sometimes the good and evil of the mind lie in a single thought, which is also shown in chapter 17. To subdue the demon, Guanyin transformed herself into a monster:

When Pilgrim saw the transformation, he cried, “Marvelous, Marvelous! Is the monster the Bodhisattva, or is the Bodhisattva the monster?” The Bodhisattva smiled and said, “Wukong, the Bodhisattva and the monster—they both exist in a single thought. Considered in terms of their origin, they are all nothing.”

Wukong represents the mind, and his name means “wake-to-the-void”, which has a similar connotation to the text above. To control the “mind monkey”, Guanyin taught Tripitaka the Tight-Fillet Spell. In chapter 14, she said to Tripitaka:

“I have a spell which is called the True Words for Controlling the Mind, or the Tight-Fillet Spell.”

Some people asked since Wukong can chop off his head and grow a new one, why can’t he get rid of the fillet on his head? The reason is that the fillet is a cultural metaphor for the control of the mind, so it can’t be removed that easily. Journey to the West is a book with profound metaphors while keeping the story entertaining. The other characters in the story are also interesting. I’ll analyze them later.

#jttw #journey to the west #sun wukong #character analysis #xiyouji #the monkey king

144 notes · View notes

funkyglitch · 2 months

Text

hi im fucking alive.

rewatched lmk while shitting,, and uuuuuuuuhhhhhh....noticed smth

IM NOT SURE IF ANYONE DID, SO 😭😭 EAUAUUFHGHGU (if i make ANY grammar mistakes,, uuhh..im not american. i do not do english. its nit my main language 🕴️)

SO WE ALL KNOW, KINGKONG BASTARD KILLED THE EGGPLANT EMO SHORTSTACK, RIGHT?? right !!! peobably— but the thing is, bro always seems to kill him on like. mid-jttw or something.

well, yes, that DOES happen in the book— yk, cus macaque impersonated him and all, making quite a ruckus. so bim bam, wukong kills his ass.

but honestly, lmk is like....a fanon version of jttw i guess??? cus like, some stuff arent..canon, as what i heard 😭😭 so that may not happen, the thing is— we dont know why the fuck bro killed macaque. its not really..confirmed? yet? the only thing we know is that a huuuge fight happened

but when?

look closely

(this one is not really clear uhh...but u can still see his clothing and armor right ?!)

in jttw, during the journey, wukong had a circlet on, all that time. and his attire waaasss pretty different!

yep, and he had his circlet.

now, on the previous screenshots— wukong has no circlet. plus, his attire is COMPLETELY different. and that clothing seems familiar, isnt it???

😐.

😐😐.

this is pretty much how he looked like after jttw.

after the journey, he has his fillet removed. cus, yk, changed man and all that jazz !! he could pretty much think better, i guess, mellowed down— and all.

what confuses me is WHAT happened? what happened for him to get all cuckoo brains and go ballistic on macaque???

if it was him during his journey to the west, it would be a lot more reasonable. cus, yknow, back then, wukong was pretty irrational with his decisions. did lots of violence. pretty much pow pow..

but after jttw?

he mellowed down !! yknow, but still a bit..questionable- in a way! but hes mellowed down! he had more insight, wukong was taught and he learned, and from that— he changed

so what happened?

what was so bad that wukong killed macaque?

i mean, theres gotta be a reason— cus if i killed macaque, i wouldnt be happy abt it and wont forgive myself at all. but wukong seems to resent macaque when finally meeting him, it was like bro held some personal grudge

so i ask again, what happened that caused the big fight? that drove wukong to kill macaque?

———

ANYWAY SUPER UNRELATED TO THIS...wait no, its related someway— BUT LOOK.

i do not think you get THAT scar from a fucking STAFF. a staff that's..circlish. that seems more like a scar from like, a sharp pointed object honestly.

...dont think the staff could cause that soo...

AHEM ANYWAY, the end. im pretty much rambling my head off here..dunno if anyone mentioned this up yet so ummm...yeeehdhjdjbdbhbhc kay bye

#lego monkie kid #lmk #lmk macaque #lmk sun wukong #lmk monkey king #lmk analysis #i think. yeah probably #GRAAAHHHHH IM JUST RAMBLING MY HEAD OFF ST THIS PPOOOINTT 😭😭#s5 when????? wHEEEENNN—#the fact wukong did that after jttw is..mmm.....confusing...hopefully we'll gain some idk #insight? on what happened??? maybe a hint please omg 🙏🙏 starving #but yeah. i just thought abt this while shitting #sooooo...could be falshehushuahuaaha

7 notes · View notes

pitofpurple · 2 months

Text

Sun Wukong’s Point of view

Thinking about how Sun Wukong declared himself “Great Sage Equal To Heaven”. Not above heaven, equal. He wasn’t claiming to be better than the gods, just equal. He was asking to be seen as a peer and from his point of view he probably couldn’t see why that was so offensive. He was certainly as strong as the gods, (he proved that later on when he beat Li Jing, and Li Nezha) he was well versed in Taoist philosophy, and he was made from the heavens so why was he seen as less than!

In his eyes all he had done was know his worth and not know the proper etiquette due to his upbringing (He was literally raised by animals).

Imagine his hope when he was excepted as an equal. He thought he had finally proved himself, that now he would be taken seriously.

But it was all a lie. A ruse made to truck him into complacency. They didn’t see him as an equal, and they never would! he could win a fistfight with the emperor and still be seen as of lower status. So he decided to make them regret thinking Sun Wukong could be pushed aside and forgotten. he caused as much mischief as he could while also racking up immortality. That way even if they tried to get rid of him they couldn’t. This later worked against him as Bhuddha himself found a way to get rid of him without death.

I imagine him thinking over his life in his head wondering where he went wrong and sure, he would redo a few things if he could but he still didn’t understand why he wasn’t worthy of being an equal before he went of his rampage. and it would take 500 years for someone to show him why and tell him how to be better.

#They brought him to heaven in hopes of teaching him how to be a proper immortal and then proceeded to never teach him anything #Imagine how much could have been avoided if the emperor had assigned him a celestial master instead of pushing him aside #It really took hundreds of years for someone to consider him worth teaching.#Unless you count Master Subhoddi. Though he gave up on him soooooo #jttw sun wukong #sun wukong angst #jttw #jttw analysis #jttw monkey king #monkey king #literary analysis #lmk sun wukong #sun wukong lmk #lmk monkey king #Also I’m pretty sure 500 years under a mountain didn’t teach him anything #It just made him hate heaven and Buddha

34 notes · View notes

imminent-danger-came · 3 months

Note

So, here's a thought about the idea that Qi Xiaotian is Underworld x Sun Wukong- in the original text, Macaque was a metaphor for a person's darker side, Wukong's darkest impulses. We never even saw what he actually looked like because he spent most of the chapter transformed into Wukong and he died.

So, maybe the whole harbinger thing is a reference to that. Wukong's darkest impulses are killed, maybe without a metaphor, and that part of his soul gets sent down to the Underworld. That part is scooped up, repackaged in the stone egg, and left to soak up Flower Fruit Mountain and Sun Wukong energy for an extra boost.

Dots are connecting, I'm probably not connecting shit, but dots are connecting.

I'm reading a summary of the jttw chapters (ch. 56-58) with the six-eared Macaque in them, and apparently "not even the imp-reflecting mirror [could] tell them apart" ("Origin of the Six-Eared Macaque and the Character’s Influence on Black Myth: Wukong" by JTTW Research). In lmk, this imp-reflecting mirror is the demon revealing mirror from 2x02, which I've had a lot of fun thinking about in reference to MK.

During Wukong and false-Wukong's fight, they traveled down to the underworld, and then they were sent to the Buddha who recognized the imposter immediately. The Buddha then gave an explanation of the 4 spiritual primates (which feels relevant to a conversation around MK and his relation to Wukong for obvious reasons), and he's able to identify Wukong's double as the six-eared Macaque. Macaque senses that he is in danger, and he turns into a bee to attempt to escape.

JTTW Research's article also brings attention to Wukong embodying the concept of a "Mind Monkey" (typically paired with the phrase "Idea Horse"), which is a Buddhist concept describing "restlessness, capriciousness, and lack of control in one's thoughts". In the Villains Wiki (which isn't the most reputable source but it brings up an interesting concept), the six-eared Macaque is referred to as representing "what Wukong could become had the latter chose power and chaotic freedom over protecting Sanzang." This is in line with what Macaque highlights in 4x11, "Wukong was on a path of self-destruction—we all were. But when he met the monk, it set him on a different path."

Ch. 58 of JTTW also calls attention to the concept of "non-duality", and as JTTW Research discusses "One mind” (Sk: ekacitta; Ch: yixin, 一心) is a high-level philosophy and core tenet of many Buddhist schools that refers to a tranquil, immovable mind that encompasses non-duality". If an individual has two minds instead of one mind, "disasters he’ll breed; / He’ll guess and conjecture both far and near”. I find this idea of "non-duality" super interesting, especially in context with MK's two distinct identities: his identity as "MK" and his identity as the "Monkey Kid"—his identity as a "Regular Noodle Delivery Boy" and as a "Monkey Demon". MK is constantly at war with himself, and I feel that his path as a "Mind Monkey" involves the restlessness that comes with mental illness and neurodiversity. So MK's own path forward will involve him stepping off the path of self-destruction—which means reconciling the different parts of himself, to be "one mind".

Now, this doesn't offer an explanation for MK's origins, but I do think the concept of pre-stone MK being "what Wukong could become had he chosen power and chaotic freedom" is worth discussing. I've always posited/enjoyed the idea that Wukong gave MK a second chance (with the reincarnations of the pilgrims), just like Wukong himself was given a second chance. With MK being given the title of "Harbinger of Chaos" in s4, and Wukong's original trajectory being one of chaos, MK has the potential to go/have gone farther than his mentor ever did.

#Mind Monkey....Idea Horse....MK and Mei are best friends even in metaphors...#i'm gonna throw up #anyways these thoughts are kinda disorganized but I am losing my shit honestly #lmk #lego monkie kid #asks #eamk theory #lmk theory #jttw #lmk analysis #lmk MK #lmk SWK #lmk Macaque #The lmk writers are fucking geniuses #They made the modern day Tang Sanzang stand in gay and they made MK a mentally ill Mind Monkey #RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

22 notes · View notes

k0fii · 8 months

Text

Kim Dokja has this reoccurring fear of being forgotten. It's brought up in multiple arcs, from the 73rd Demon Realm/Revolutionary Arc to the Glorious Return Scenario to Kaizenix..It's always been a present - not exactly subtle fear that's often brushed off by his unreliable narration. In the Epilogue, this fear is realized by both 51! Kim Dokja and 49! Kim Dokja in different ways.

This fear is a natural one, but it also stems from Kim Dokja's identity as a reader and his tendency to distance himself from other people as an 'outsider' of the story (which physically manifests in the Fourth Wall).

The 73rd Demon Realm conversation between Yoo Joonghyuk and Kim Dokja is one of the more direct mentions of this fear. After Yoo Joonghyuk updates Kim Dokja on the lives of their companions while he was in the Demon Realm, Kim Dokja says this;

'As I listened, I felt somewhat sweet, sad and nostalgic.

"Everybody is busy living."

I felt a strange loneliness at the end of the story. I see. Everyone was living well.

[The exclusive skill 'Fourth Wall' is shaking.]

I realized that I was an 'outsider' of this story.'

In Reading Again, Kim Dokja says a similar line in regards to his loneliness at the end of Yoo Joonghyuk's story;

'The protagonist and supporting characters walked off with the sentence 'They lived happily ever after' and I was left alone at the end of the story.'

Although a story needs a reader, it will eventually end and leave its reader behind that full stop. Its characters will continue on living past that full stop, but for the reader, it will simply end there. In a similar sense, Kim Dokja's companions continued living on when his story as Incarnation Kim Dokja ended.

In both instances, Kim Dokja, the reader, is left alone. In both instances, his absence doesn't matter. They would continue living on without him.

'Without me, people were still continuing the scenarios. Just like Yoo Joonghyuk repeated the regressions. The 4th, 5th, 6th rounds… it led to an endless story where I could be easily forgotten. Meanwhile, people would move towards the ending. It was natural. It might be natural but I felt pained at the reminder.'

In the end, it's painful and it's lonely. Being forgotten like that is only natural as an outsider of the story - as someone who loves that story with every fiber of their being but could never truly be part of it. A wall separates the reader and the characters, and it isn't easily breached.

Still,

'Then I heard Yoo Joonghyuk's voice. "In addition, everyone is telling your story."

I slowly raised my head at the words. Yoo Joonghyuk's face was still expressionless. "They say it a lot. Your story."'

Even if they could've continued living on without him, they wanted him back.

'"Let's go back to Earth, Kim Dokja."'

And they tell him this.

The next time a similar situation to the 73rd Demon Realm where Kim Dokja is away from his companions or separated from them for a lengthy period of time happens is during the 1863 arc where Kim Dokja was gone for 3 years.

Kim Dokja returns as a disaster and can't communicate with his companions anymore. In this time, his companions would have grown and changed in ways he wouldn't know. He changed as well. Still, he hoped they would recognize him even with the scenario and all of its changes. (Quietly, he hoped they didn't forget him.)

'Maybe I had hope. The others were different but they would definitely recognize me. Perhaps I wanted to believe that.'

They don't, however. It's still a bit painful, a bit lonesome.

'Somehow my hair looked like tentacles to the other side. They didn't know it was me but I couldn't help feeling sad.'

It's not their fault. They ended up recognizing him - they've never forgotten. Most people don't intend to forget, afterall.

The next time, his fear does come true. He was 50 years too late this time and no one remembered him.

His loneliness, his sadness, his pain, and hope all swirl in his chest as he tries to make them remember.

'I was holding onto a certain expectation, a hope.

"I asked you if you have any last words."

If it was her, wouldn't she be able to remember me?'

Wasn't there anyone who remembered who he was?

Wasn't there anyone that cared not to leave him behind?

And then,

'"I've come to save my dongsaeng."

I was greeted by this overflowing sense of happiness.

..

There was someone who'd never change even if the worldview or scenarios around him did. Indeed, there would ever be only one such person even if you searched through this entire world-line.'

There was someone who wouldn't forget about him.

'But, I closed my lips just as they opened up half-way. I wasn't sure why, though.

My companions so far had forgotten about me. I was sure it'd be the same story for that dude, too. In a way, it might be the best thing for him, I thought.'

But, did he even deserve to be remembered? All this time, he had been afraid of being forgotten - of being left behind at the end of the story and so he continued reading. Now as the sole reader of that story, he was partially to blame for this man's suffering and yet he dared to hope that he would remember him?

Kim Dokja sinks into his guilt.

Yoo Joonghyuk glares at him.

'– You fool. You must be Kim Dokja.'

And he doesn't forget.

..

Kim Dokja reaches his ■■.

He splits himself in two - 51% and 49%.

One had to stay behind on the train and continue as a reader - as an outsider.

The other becomes the character, becomes the one who lives past the full stop.

No one would know about the existence of 51! Kim Dokja, and 49! Kim Dokja would get to live out happily ever after with his companions.

"But, I can still see them, right?"

Just like how it used to be, a really long time ago. And so, this story would continue on in that manner.

"…That's enough for me right now."

I stared at the back of the subway disappearing into the darkness. Now, the figures of my companions couldn't be seen all that well.

⸢And everyone lived happily ever after.⸥

I always hated that phrase. However, the current me dearly wished for that phrase to become true.'

And so, 51! Kim Dokja faces his longest held fear.

But. The story didn't stop. It continued on past that full stop.

They remembered him, who stayed behind on that train.

They could've continued on living without that part of him - but they wanted him back regardless.

They regress as a group. They aim to cross the Final Wall that had always separated them from the reader.

As they face it, another Kim Dokja confronts his long held fear.

49! Kim Dokja.

The fear that what's beyond this wall would confirm everything - that he wasn't the 'real' Kim Dokja, that he was simply a fake.

The truth hurts even more. Ah, he was truly Kim Dokja. He was 49% of him, afterall. But he wasn't the Kim Dokja this world wanted.

In the end, they both shared that same fear of being forgotten.

His companions push against that full stop to reach him.

At the same time, they leave him behind.

In the end, they lose both of them.

The Fourth Wall calls them greedy, maybe they were.

2 years pass by. They try to live on. They learn to live on through the story of another. Fragments gather together to make one - the parts one person couldn't recognized were remembered by others.

And now, there are no parts of him that are forgotten.

#orv #kdj #49 #51 #analysis but not really #more like connecting certain passages together #I've connected the dots #(You didn't connect shit)#type of vibes #I would've included the JTTW arc in this #if it wasn't so long already #I might make a separate post for that #the Epilogue just recontextualizes everything for me

21 notes · View notes

bi-pisces07 · 1 year

Text

I JUST SAW THE NEW SEASON 4 TRAILER AND IM READY TO SCREAM ABOUT IT AND ANALYZE THE FUCK OUTTA THIS FRAME BY FRAME

we starts with screenshots of the specials and the s3 one looks fucking gorgeous I love it

New character card screens for these three!

(Mei has one too but it’s not that different from her previous ones)

Feeling very hype about them

-ALSO WUKONG LOOKING ADORABLE IN HIS LITTLE HAT

WHO IS YOU!!!

(LOVIN the braid things)

They turn around to face wuking and the sun family so he obvs knows them and the gesture looked friendly enough.

I’m thinking it’s either an general or an spiritual monkey(but he doesn’t look monkey)

So I’m thinking it’s one of the sworn brothers (friend suggested the Lion one)

There is the eagle and elephant guy from the box sets with DBK, more sworn bros I assume but o can’t remember there being an elephant.

It doesn’t look like they’re in the celestial realm (more like ffm) but idk what the wooden bridge things are, we see the same around Mac and Wukong when they were on ffm

(Also Wukong is fucking drunk it’s great)

We see from left to right

Elephant, probs DBK, eagle on front and either Mac or Wukong (light makes it different)

Fighting against Nezha and his two older bros with the Jade Emperor in the bg

So I’m thinking that this is during the war against heaven before Wukong his captured and put into the furnace

The kids are def going through an portal here (I think even activated by Tang going by the aura color so this might be partially his accident)

So we’re def in the past

Next few ones:

-Tang saving the kids from going smack with his new stick (that he may or may not have stolen)

-PIGSY BEING AN BADASS AND DOING MAGIC

-Sandy standing on a like of bones, as you do king

-The ink magic stuff looks rlly fucking cool

So this is rlly interesting cuz this doesn’t feel like traditional shadow magic (it doesn’t have Macs motief or smthn similar to it. It feels more like an corruption thing, or inky as friend has suggested.

Going from front to back I’m seeing someone who could be Wujing with his skulls, then a dragon, Baije isn’t rlly shown in the shot, then Trip.

And ofc, this is Wukong

SO YEA IM RLLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS SEASON ITS GOING TO BE F U N

64 notes · View notes

the-monkey-ruler · 10 months

Note

Hey could I ask something , I never watched anything related to jttw , but I would like to read and purchase the novels ,hmm my quistion is , is there any kind of bromance in it ? Hear warming stron friendship ?if yes between which caracters ? , I would be happy if i got the answers of thease quistions , thank you :)

@d-genie Wukong in the first seven chapters is pretty solo all his own as he starts a ruckus but once it finally hits the actual journey, you start to see all the different dynamics between the characters.

This is kinda a list of my favorite to my least favorite (but still favs) bromances, because I think you could find that kind of enjoyment from any of them.

In my opinion, the strongest Bromance is between all the pilgrims, I think that Wukong, Bajie, & Wujing trío is like the ultimate bromance as within the story anytime they get into some kind of shenanigans together that has both some of the sweetest moments to me, but also the greatest amount of humor. These guys play off each other so well especially when they’re just picking food or if they are pulling pranks and making bets on who can do what. It’s that just kind of camaraderie that builds up after dealing with someone for so long. And you can see like even later on how much Wujing starts to relax around the guys and Bajie builds up his own confidence because he knows he has a backup and Wukong grows in empathy for those around him. These three or without a doubt my favorite interactions.

My personal fav one-on-one relationships would def have to be Bajie and Wukong, I think they are both hilarious and interesting. Hilarious in that they are always bouncing off each other, they have this deadpanned kinda humor from talking about how they would eat each other from one moment to arguing about how to farm a field properly. The range of conversations that these two have is both fascinating and just such a great read to me. They argue over some of the stupidest things and take it as seriously as lectures. Also from all the pranks they pull on one another. Honestly, they see are the most entertaining, and dare I say I think they are the closest to how much they tease and banter as they don't hold back on one other. They are brutally honest and while at first, they try to annoy each other they really come to rely on one another and Bajie shows major respect when talking about Wukong... Bajie just rather die than show that respect to Wukong's face though. Refuses to brush Wukong's big ego by showing how much he looks up to him. But in all seriousness, I think they are probably my favorite just because they can handle each other the best when it comes to both ego and even strength on some level. I think these two get the most obvious growth and you could see how they play off each other.

The next best, Bromance, I can think is Wukong & Sanzang I know that some people don’t see that in the OG novel and I could be a bit biased and how I greatly see the 1986 and 1996 as better examples of that relationship, but I really think that there’s a lot of respect for one another even if they butt heads, you could definitely tell these two are the most dedicated to the mission and each other. At first, Wukong does leave Sanzang unguarded but later on, he becomes so good at making sure that he stays safe and even cries so much throughout the novel if anything happens to him. Also that Sanzang does have an uncanny knack for knowing when demons are close and get very worried but Wukong always says with confidence he can protect them and they continue on… only for him to get kidnapped later. And again that kind of was not listening to the other, and later on that is flipped again. He goes from making fun of Sanzang for crying so much to becoming the actual crybaby and honestly, I really enjoy that transition. And Sanzang isn’t so obvious in his favoritism, but honestly, he is always looking to Wukong for the most guidance, and no matter what he says he does know that Wukong has his back. And I honestly love that we even see in later chapters when he knows that demons or after him, and he does agree with Wukong that they could be going into a trap but he doesn’t want to compromise his own values and humanity just to protect himself if it means he could save someone else. It’s just these two have such different viewpoints, but I still feel like there’s a whole lot of respect and even care between them especially when you see how much they grow because of each other.

The next best relationship I can think is Wujing & Wukong as well. They don’t get a lot of things together they do get some of the best scenes like with Wujing cheering on Wukong or that Wujing is trying to hype up his brother. Honestly, most of their interactions are very sweet if not short-lived. Wukong trusts Wujing so much to protect Sanzang and even says so when he left for the first time. He always trying to look out for the other even if he does tease him every once an a while.

After that, honestly, Bajie & Wujing are hilarious together, especially later on when Wujing definitely gets more outspoken and absolutely demolishes Bajie with his one-liners. It’s like if there’s ever a time to bully Bajie, Wujing is always right there behind the group the show side comments that are absolutely hilarious and just leaves the whole group like “damn that was out of pocket” but honestly it wasn’t. Love these two together, especially when they have to work together, but more so when they just throw jabs at each other.

Next best relationship would be Bajie & Sanzang to me, as as much as I hate Bajie manipulating circumstances to get his way, I also do like how Sanzang really thinks that Bajie wouldn’t lie just because he’s not clever enough XD and like part of him he’s always worried about Bajie especially when he’s fighting other enemies because despite him showing that he can fight really well, he knows that Bajie is also easily trick. These two are both the kidnap duo as they are also both kidnapped at the most. I feel like they both connect in that way they both have a lot of fear and they have different ways of coping with it.

Wukong & BaiLong and Bajie & BaijLong I kind of a tie for me when it comes to the next Bromance because Wukong does have that whole allegorical relationship with BaiLong but also just how much BaiLong looks up to Wukong and clearly respects him and knows that they need him even when BaiLong was the only one left to save Sanzang he took it upon himself to beg Bajie to get him back. And also I just really like that whatever shit goes south Bajie suggests selling the horse, as if this isn’t a dragon that can make his own choices XD I can only imagine Bailongs inner monologue of how he’s going to kick Bajie in his sleep.

Sanzang & Wujing is also a dynamic that isn't explored a lot because despite how much they are together the most (because usually Bajie and Wukong are all fighting Demons) they don’t get to have a lot of dialogue together, which is a shame. I get it it’s like you know, for story purposes you follow the more interesting plot but I like to think these to have the quietest moments and definitely get along the most in that they are both level-headed in situations, though they both can have a temper. It doesn’t lead to a lot of comedy or action, or even philosophical moments but I like to think that these two can definitely get along the most in a quiet setting. Also, the connection I like between them is that Wujing most definitely likely ate Sanzangs past lives, and he feels very guilty for that XD

Sanzang & BaiLong or actually the two that spend the most time together, but definitely have no dialogue between them. And it’s only a level above the last kind of relationship because BaiLong does look at Sanzang as a Master, and actually takes his job very seriously about being a good steed. I like to think that he does try to run away from demons with Sanzang on him but also, he can only do so much pain in his horse form. Also, Bailong being an extension of Sanznag's will and shows how far he is willing to go to get the scriptures.

And definitely, the least developed relationship is Wujing & BaiLong with absolutely no dialogue, and very little time spent together. Make sure they had one conversation during the whole medicine arc but otherwise, it’s pretty low-key as they just acknowledge and respect one another funny enough. Wujing is the one to confront Bailongs cousin and one of the arcs. I think these two could get along very well being very straight men but they just never get a chance despite them being more prone to the water.

#jttw #journey to the west #ask #sun wukong #zhu bajie #sha wujing #tang sanzang #bailong ma #aolie #bai long ma #xiyouji #I can’t believe I forgot to add Erlang and Wukong to this list as well #I think it’s because I was focusing so much on the pilgrims because that’s definitely where most of the relationships are #but def Wukong so nervous to see him again and taking him so much for his great kindness #And I am definitely the one to believe that Wukong is thanking him for being able to spare his family from the burnings #Like that burning was supposed to go for the entire mountain and make it unlivable #I don’t give me wrong it was fucked up but Wukong still had family to come home to and a moutain standing #Compared to what the punishment should have actually done I think Erlang knowing the pain of losing family would hit home #Wukong was able to see his family alive and well #but I could go on Erlang and Wukong analysis but really those just so little dialogue #But such meaningful sub texts #And I’m absolutely Here for it #besides that is the break up of a Bromance rip DBK and Wukong #Never meant to be

21 notes · View notes

witteautism · 7 months

Text

Six-Eared Macaque is my favorite flavor of guy. Monkey guy. Monkey villain

He wants to be someone else so bad so he can gain Buddhahood, instead of trying to reach it in the same way as the original pilgrims. He wants to take someone else’s life so he can have it easier. He’s the definition of “I don’t want what you have, I want to be YOU.” Line of Brutus (the song)

I am sure he has something with struggling identity… oh his psyche… I want to put him under a microscope.

#six eared macaque #六耳猕猴 #jttw #journey to the west #journey to the west fandom #jttw macaque #macaque #liuer mihou #sem #monkeyposting #mihouposting #analysis #character analysis #kinda #I want to study him

17 notes · View notes