#I'm aware that Lilith is from Jewish lore

[the-monkey-ruler]

So my brother bought me JTTW to read when he found LMK so I could compare/contrast with the show and now I come bearing a question about Macaque: I see that he's supposed to be the shadow-self, but there's this emphasis on completely eliminating the shadow-self (which in JTTW makes sense he was terrifying). IDK what message they're going for in LMK other than 'Wukong bad' (but the show seems to have a vandetta against Wukong so idfk) so if it just zoomed over my head please inform me I am l o s t. What if an interpretation came out discussing Macaque in the light more of the Black Moon Lilith? It hits the same beats as being the "shadow self", that being the nastier truths about yourself that you don't want to admit. But I think it would be neat if there was some expansion: In reading a star chart you're meant to use your Lilith as a way to confront the darkest parts of yourself and learn that they're a part of you just as much as the positive sides of you. I feel like Macaque could be a really good example of someone who leaned into his Lilith entirely too much until he was consumed by it, versus Wukong who acknowledged his Lilith (destructive behavior & anger) and didn't obliterate it, he did the healthy thing and acknowledged it (eventually), even moderating it. Outright trying to destroy your Lilith is actually a horrible idea since, whether you like it or not, it's still a part of you. Hurting your Lilith still hurts you. I dunno I just would love to see this,,, If a piece of media has already done this please let me know because I actually study astrology and I would go WILD if this concept was explored (/positive)!!

Well in Xiyouji they don't kill Six Eras being he is terrifying (while he is) but rather they kill him because it is to show Wukong finally standing up to his inner self. This is his first time controlling his own impulses and shutting them down with his own self-restraint.

That being said I really think that LMK just makes their Six-Eared Macaque a guy. Some person. Which isn't the first time Xiyouji media has given the Six Ears an individual past from Wukong, there is a lot actually! There is a lot of Six Ears backstory lore, esp in the last 10 years or so but… I'm not sure if I can say that LMK Six Ears is a Lilith at all.

Considering that 1. trying to wrap other mythos in Chinese mythos. I've seen interpretations where Indian or Japanese lore has been mixed with Xiyouji interactions but this "Black Moon Lilith" looks like it comes from Greek Astrology. I really don't think the showrunners would go that far at least for what is supposed to be a Chinese franchise to add Western mythos… at least I would hope that as that seems a bit tasteless.

And 2. they are really making it that the LMK Six Ears wasn't born from LMK Wukong but rather they were separate entities from the very start. LMK Six Ears is a person all unto his own and yes while he is supposed to represent the worst traits of Wukong as an allegory and is a spiritual monkey that doesn't have to mean every interaction he has to bodily be connected to Wukong. At least in this version from what I can tell he is to be on the same level of connection as Demon Bull King as they are Sworn Brothers.

That being said I don't know a lot about Greek Astrology myself and I've been interested in studying it... so I don't know if other media has used it before.

I would just say to be careful when trying to pinpoint Western mythos and apply them to Eastern mythos. I'm not saying they can't interact but that trying to analyze one through the lens of the other could just lead to confusion. I understand trying to find concepts and trying to make new media more reliable but I think it might be dangerous trying to try to use other media as examples when expressing these ideas when they are not the intended purpose.