#Shifu Subodhi

[starsfic]

"see the thing is i think my kid deserves better not worse"

Holy fuck!

Azure is gonna need ice for that burn!

Azure and Subodhi are standing off in the hallway of the station while Xiaotian is hovering and going "Can I see my dad? Can I please see my dad?"

[ghost-tripitaka-au]

Mathias:…

Shifu Subodhi:…Your journey has just begun…

*The curse starts to come back*

[sketching-shark]

Happy Sun Wukong Sunday who else is thinking of how that monkey's first shifu Patriarch Subodhi told him he was doomed to be wicked & that if Sun Wukong ever revealed who his teacher was then Patriarch Subodhi would torture him to death & then centuries later Tang Sanzang told Sun Wukong he was the very embodiment of evil & he'd rather go to hell then continue being his shifu.

[lmk-aus-galore]

Ok Wukong HAS to at least know something about MK because just look at the location MK is born in where Shifu Subodhi takes him to.

It’s a mountain range filled with Floating Islands

This Flower Fruit Mountain, it looks absolutely NOTHING like the mountain range we saw.

Sure the first photo of FFM I took was from the pilots it could vary depending on the episode but the second one is from Season 4 Episode 2 sure, it’s a flashback but Season 4 episode 1

Shows that it’s the same mountain.

But THIS

This is obviously NOT Flower Fruit Mountain. So that means MK was in a COMPLETELY different Mountain range before somehow ending up in fucking Pigsy’s.

Hell if he was in a completely different mountain, how the in the everloving word of god did he manage that, BY HIMSELF, WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO USE HIS POWERS, ONLY COVERED IN DIRT WITH BARELY ANY INJURIES TO BOOT? AND MANAGED TO DISGUISE HIMSELF AS A HUMAN?

It’s also the fact we NEVER see any floating islands around Flower Fruit Mountain or in the whole island, in ‘Impossible Delivery’ we get a glimpse of the island of Flower Fruit Mountain but there’s no floating islands whatsoever Hell, I bet’cha they’d still float no matter how much Wukong demolished them.

Wukong HAD to have dropped him off, otherwise the boy be dead before the series ever started.

[zephyra-in-the-house]

hi!! I was gonna ask if it’s not a spoiler, roughly how old were macaque and wukong when they met in Second Chances? also I love ur story and can’t wait until the next chapter!!! I hope everything’s going good!!!

Thank you! Things could be better at the moment but we're working through it 💪

In any case, I have been meaning to make a proper timeline of major events for Second Chances for a while now. So, since this question was asked twice, I finally got the motivation to draw up a rough timeline!!

(Disclaimer: These are not exact dates/years. They're just rough estimates of what happened and when. Also, there is a slight spoiler if you squint.)

The timline goes as such:

4300 years ago- PIF was born

4000 years ago- Macaque was born.

3930 years ago- DBK was born.

3900 years ago- Macaque left the village he was born in.

3800 years ago- Wukong was born on FFM.

3500 years ago- Macaque joined Sijumu.

3100 years ago- Wukong began training under Shifu Subodhi.

3000 years ago- Macaque was forced to bond with the shadow lantern (Yong Ye).

2901 years ago- Macaque escaped Sijumu.

2900 years ago- Macaque arrived on FFM (The Solar Eclipse).

2700 years ago- Snowy Days

2400 years ago- A group of assassins found Macaque and injured both him and Wukong (beginning scene of Ch. 3).

2300 years ago- Macaque and Wukong found their scarfs. (Shopping scene in Ch. 11)

2250 years ago- Wukong “borrowed” armor and Ruyi Jingu Bang from Ao Guang.

2000 years ago- They met DBK.

1800 years ago- Founded the Brotherhood.

1500 years ago- Wukong got recruited by the Heavens only to be positioned as a stable boy.

1400 years ago- The War on Heaven began.

1350 years ago- Princess Iron Fan was tried and acquitted for having relations with DBK.

1260 years ago- PIF and DBK got married.

1220 years ago- The 8th and final siege on Heaven ended with Wukong becoming subservient to the Jade Emporer in Heaven.

1200 years ago- The siege of Flower Fruit Mountain. Wukong was captured and thrown into the furnace while his home was burned.

800 years ago- Macaque left FFM to find Wukong.

700 years ago- Macaque was killed.

~502 years ago- DBK and PIF found out that Macaque has been dead for over 200 years. DBK went on a rampage and was then sealed under what would become Megapolis.

400 years ago- Macaque was revived by the Lady Bone Demon.

350 years ago- Macaque and Wukong met again for the first time since Macaque died.

100 years ago- Macaque was taken in and healed by Wukong on FFM.

1 year ago- LBD was defeated.

So, to answer your question, Macaque was 1100 years old and Wukong was 900 when they first met~

Thanks for the question!

[foxgonyoom]

I don't think MK is worried about being a demon monkey thing.

I think he's worried about becoming LBD.

(My theory below, with pictures and colored text, so you don't get bored of course!)

Now I thought this idea up a while back, when I first watched the Jade Emperor episode (which was probably in Chinese when I originally watched it). And what made me think of it was this scene:

(I think I saw someone somewhere say that there weren't any MK reflections in S4, which is a lie because there's one right here. However it's possible that this is the ONLY MK reflection in S4, which actually ties into my theory because his face is reflected over a skull (and guess who's associated with those in this show?))

Now after a while I forgot about it for the most part, but recently I recalled it, and after looking through some of S4 a bit, I've realized that it's actually probably canon.

Now why don't I start by addressing the conversation MK had LBD when she was defeated, the one they had in the white void.

LBD: "Save your hero speech, child. I've existed long enough to know when it's over." MK: "You still think that the universe really wants anything from... any of us?" LBD: "Don't you?" MK: "I try not to think too hard." LBD: "So it would seem." LBD: "Know this, monkey. You and I are not so different. We both fight for what we think is right. That pursuit only leads to one thing." MK: "Mhm, to destiny, right?" LBD: "No. To pain."

Now, while I've noticed several callbacks throughout S4 to not only S3 but maybe even previous seasons (IT'S ALL CONNECTED) I'm mainly going to focus on the fight in Pitiful Creatures and take a look at MK and Subodhi's discussion they had in Show Me the Monster. I've got a lot of thoughts but to spare myself I'm just going to focus on things that relates to my theory.

See if you can follow along.

Master Subodhi: This is not about the Monkey King. There is something more at play here. Something about you." MK: "Wha-? Me? I'm just a regular noodle delivery boy." Master Subodhi: "Ha! Do you even believe that?"

Master Subodhi: "Although this was the stone from which Sun Wukong once sprung, it appears, over time, it was used to form another. A simple creature with no past, no family, and no name. There is a reason you are at the center of these stories. A reason you can harness the power of the Monkey King himself!"

Master Subodhi: "Who or what you are, even I do not know the answer. But of one thing I am certain. Fate has plans for you. Great plans or foul? Time will tell."

MK: "You still think that the universe really wants anything from... any of us?" LBD: "Don't you?"

(Not gonna lie, considering the perception MK's been given on fate (which is a generally pretty cruel and heartless one, considering how it was mainly in tandem with LBD) Master Subodhi telling him fate had plans for him was probably like a giant slap to the face. Like it probably seemed to him like Subodhi was basically saying "lol you're gonna eat shit kid, hope you like being the imposter among us and causing pain and suffering". Especially considering how the one who was always claiming that fate had plans for them was LBD. To MK, Master Subodhi was basically saying that he'd end up like LBD. He was confirming LBD's last words. Hence the "Shifu Subodhi said it himself" line later, even though Subodhi didn't say shit about MK bringing pain and destruction on the world, just fate having plans for him and him being more special than previously thought)

MK: "You're not real. You're just the curse of the scroll trying to get all up inside of my head, just like-" Protective curse: "The Lady Bone Demon? Tell me, what do you think we are? Honestly. 'Cause I have been dying to hear us say it. Out loud."

(Fun fact, when the curse (which is currently formed as MK) says "The Lady Bone Demon?" You can hear LBD's voice in the background saying the exact same thing)

Protective curse: "Seriously? You still think we're just some... 'noodle delivery guy'? You can't remember where we came from, and we got all this power, and you never once thought, why us? What are we?! What is our purpose?!" MK: "Of course I thought about it! I mean, maybe! I was gonna thought about it. I just... I just wanna be me. To be MK!"

MK: "I try not to think too hard."

Protective curse: "We're just like Wukong. A fraud, a trickster, destructive. Why would our legacy be any different? Actually, no, no. The chaos and destruction that we'll bring upon the world will make Wukong's past look like nothing. Shifu Subodhi said it himself, right?" MK: "No. No, you're wrong. I'm-I'm... I'm not—" Protective curse: "Not what? Some monkey demon thing destined to bring chaos upon the world? Come on! Use your words, big brain boy. Say it! What are we?"

(If MK is worried he might be like LBD, then it's possible that his perception of LBD is leaking into his perception of the person he's also been compared with, Monkey King)

(Also, keep in mind LBD posed as a little girl, tricked MK, and tried to destroy the world)

Protective curse: "Yeah, boi! Oh, that's what I'm talking about! You can't escape it. This thing, whatever you are, embrace it. Embrace your destiny!"

(I would once again like to refer to Spider Queen's line of "there's no running from what she is!")

And here's a little treat for ya, several times throughout the show characters have consistently referred to LBD as a "what". Saying stuff like, "There's no running from what she is" and whatnot. Now I want you to go back through the evidence I've presented (heck, maybe even go back through S4), and look for anytime that anyone/anything refers to "what MK is". Go on. I'll be here when you get back, pinky promise. :)

(Fun fact, when MK was telling DBK what LBD was, he said she was an "ancient demon". Now in S4, MK is wondering if he's a demon monkey)

Now, there are many more references I could make here. But, to spare my sanity, and to keep you from getting bored from seeing the same shit over and over again, I'll move on now, and instead invite you to look for connections like this in the show on your own time.

For my final point before I end this post, I would like to say something. I don't think the concept of LBD and MK having things in common started with the white void scene. I think, it started here:

MK: "It's ok. I get it. It's scary being alone."

LBD wasn't the one to make the connection first. MK was. That they were alike in some way. Here, in Minor Scale Major Lift. A season 2 episode. And the one where he first met her.

And, funnily enough, it's possible that there could be more references in Minor Scale Major Lift. For example:

LBD: "You were right, you know. It's scary being alone! I do pity you."

Meanwhile the episode I referenced the most in this post is called Pitiful Creatures. Plus, in that episode, MK tells the scroll to "get out of his head", and in Minor Scale Major Lift, the Lady Bone Demon "got into his head" so to speak.

Ya know, I think it's funny. We all heard LBD compare herself with MK, telling him that they were alike. Yet, we never seemed to consider that maybe MK actually believed her.

[imminent-danger-came]

your lmk analysis posts are so cool and I love seeing them pop up on my dash :) It's really interesting to see how often identity comes up a theme, i hadn't picked up on it

Awwww thanks!

Identity in Lego Monkie Kid is SUPER interesting to me, especially with how it's been set up.

Like, MK is self-reflection the character. That's who he is. Whether he's reflecting on himself and his own actions, or reflecting on others, MK quite often functions as a literal and metaphorical mirror.

What's especially intriguing to look at is how the "Monkey King VS Monkie Kid/MK" dichotomy has been established since the start:

DBK: "Monkey King...?"

(1x00 A Hero is Born)

-

MK: "I just wanted to be good enough..."

"...like you." (1x09 Macaque)

-

MK: "I'm never gonna be as good as you."

SWK: "Not with that attitude!"

(2x00 Revenge of the Spider Queen)

-

And of course, I can't talk about MK and identity and self reflection without referencing the Trigram Furnace scene:

MK: "There was no way I could do this! I can't do anything on my own."

-

Mirror MK: "Oh hey, did you Monkey King was trapped in here once too?"

MK: "Yeah! Difference is, he was thrown in, and I jumped!"

Mirror MK: "Trruuueee, but, know what he did? He stuck it out—found a way out! Ended up getting his golden eyes of truth too!"

MK: "Well, I'm not the Monkie King, okay!

Mirror MK: "You're right. You're the Monkie Kid! You got to figure out your own way to win. So do it."

(2x00 Revenge of the Spider Queen)

-

It's things like this peppered out through the first season that REALLY makes what happens in season 4 just fucking insane. Like, the contrast between these two scenes:

MK, more often than not, takes 2 steps forward and then 4 steps back. He learns to smile at his reflection and then later comes to believe that there's nothing to smile at—he's a fraud. Which...this speaks to me personally. Some days are better than others, and sometimes you really believe you can do it while other times you're convinced you'll only make everything worse.

Curse MK: "We’re just like Wukong. A fraud! A trickster! Destructive! Why would our legacy be any different? Actually, no no- the chaos and destruction we’ll bring upon the world will make Wukong’s past look like nothing. Shifu Subodhi said it himself right?”

It makes me INSANE.

Anyways, all this to say that MK and his identity are a core part of this show. I think MK is still searching for that something to like about himself, and to actually believe that something.

But hey, just a smidge makes all the difference, right?

[kitofawriter]

LMK season 5 Episodes 3-4 spoilers below the cut!

SWK is very grumpy about the headache he will presumably be having this whole season. Tang, your loud rambling is not helping (JK ILY)

“I didn’t think they were real!!” Tang, you should’ve learned by now, assume any super powerful thing is real until proven otherwise.

Sketch plan section!!

Monkey king brand band aid

Hype man M-M-M-Mei!

I love MK’s little Nüwa drawing!

“It’s burning!” Tang, you guys survived the Samadi fire incident, I think you’ll live

Toasted peach!

Also SWK making sure Tang gets to do the lore dumb is adorable. And Tang is so happy he gets to do it!!

Lots of painted style, love it!

“There’s always a temple” “m-mmhmm, yep”

“Sounds like Tangy’s on board!” Sandy, I love you so much, you deserve so many good things. Hold on while I grab some silver star stickers from Shifu Subodhi just for you.

As someone who just got home from a hiking trip in the mountains, I feel you MK, stairs are the worst. I wouldn’t climb all that either.

Alpine Sandy!!

Tang can’t climb either those weak ankles though!!

Pigsy questioning is MK knows ‘trial by fire’ is a metaphor is hilarious considering he raised that boy, he’s probably the one that taught him most of the metaphors he knows.

Li Jing sitting by his magic tracker muttering ‘hmm, yes, they will use magic and I will find them’ is absolutely what SWK is picturing.

Cloud doesn’t count as magic I guess.

Pigsy, you have to carry him! His weak ankles!

“It’s just my good fluffy boy! Loophole baby!” Alright, cloud as SWK’s pet fics are needed now.

Well if it isn’t the consequences of his own actions.

Pheonix!! Fenghuang to be exact!

MK mocking SWK about the “trial”

Creation flashbacks?? Also since MK was like made directly by Nüwa doesn’t that like, make him the equivalent of royalty? Hand sculpted monkey right here.

“Classic final boss aesthetic” he’s not wrong.

Is MK prophesied to fix the pillar or is this a past life kinda situation?

“I’m feeling confident!” Traps!

The return of smarty kid!!

SWK got free acupuncture

Lots of references this season!

Grumpy SWK

“They represent my many many dads!” They acknowledged it!!!

I love how SWK is the only one with any damage, thus indicating he keeps taking the blows for (the likely oblivious) MK

“First time was just a city, don’t get cocky”

“You know you just gave me a third path I have to choose from right?” “Bud! You know what I mean!!”

“I thought maybe we’d find a map that we’d never end up using” so be fair, you did use the Samadi fire map.

Oooh! Flashback!!

Oh I do not like the implications of this.

OH I DO NOT LIKE THE IMPLEMENTATIONS OF THIS!!!

This was a legend of Zelda dungeon. They even got a shiny stone at the end.

SWK is in denial, but also he’s right.

They made it just in time to turn around.

Did anyone have Tang’s weak ankles on their season five bingo card?

So Nüwa made MK to be there to fix the pillars of one ever got busted again, right? Like we’re gonna find that out and it’s gonna be a big moment of MK realizing he’s not Chaos but was created to stop it. Then it’s gonna be a “you can choose how to be, you don’t have to be what you were made” thing from SWK because MK goes super self sacrificing. Calling it now.

One of these days the end credits will change to MK.

Episode 4!! I’m probably gonna pause after this one to give me time to really soak in the season and watch some more tonight (I saw as if I’m not planning on rewatching this multiple times)

Decisions are not MK’s strong suit.

“Kid takes one how to write seminar and now he wound shut it with macguffins.”

Sandy sees MK getting overwhelmed and steps in!

“I love this new commanding Sandy” “didn’t know big blue had it in him” he’s been reading a self help book.

Sandy training! Mo standing guard!

Sandy training is therapy I hope

“Yeah that was a lie”

Have I mentioned Sandy is my favorite?

“Breadstick shoulders”

Sandy: MK you need therapy. Sit.

“I’ve got my trauma bottling process down pat!” That’s the problem MK

As someone who only recently started meditating, Sandy is actually explaining ways it’s helpful really well. So PSA that if you have anxiety, especially if it’s like mine and your mind continuously makes up scenarios that will never happen and you rarely feel yourself in the present because of it, try meditating! It can really help!

MK is also me.

Sandy MK bonding was not something I expected this season but it was something I wanted so badly!

MK that is not a demon that is just a snake (probably?)

Secrets tunnel!! Secret tunnel!!

Sandy’s little worried marker thing!!

Stone snake!!

Sandy looks so offended that the tortoise questioned MK’s worthiness.

“I am not ready for the test” “be here now” “but I don’t wanna!”

Sandy getting a hug until MK meditates

“Hey get off my Sandy!!”

Sandy being so supportive despite the circumstances!!!

Ooooh! MK vs Monkey MK in the mind!! Monkey MK taunting!!

“You like it” dang the voice acting for that line was nice!

MK going into monkey form to try and protect Sandy!!!!

“There’s parts of all of us we don’t like, but it’s always still us.” Sandy hitting with the deep quotes.

Still in monkey form!! With it controlled!!

Sandy angry for MK’s sake!!! “Was it enough? Was he WORTHY?!”

I’m pausing for a second because this episode is so far one of my favorites. It’s so good. I need a minute.

I want more backstory to Sandy.

“Pigsy always said you were this rage filled guy and…I just never believed it”

Mo is a good guard cat!

Mei destroyed the car this time!

I’m sorry Sandy, you deserve a lasting vehicle.

This episode is probably gonna sit next to Amnesia Rules as one of my favorites (I love Sandy too much guys)

[skellebonez]

A Trip For Two?

The final fic for @lunar-wandering's Monkie Destiny Challenge! I WAS doing 8 prompts per "week", sometimes using both prompts per day and sometimes just one. This one includes:

... a lot fdkjgfdkslj. I was only able to implement a few random ones.

Happy Halloween!

AO3 Link!

“I can't believe you convinced me to do this,” Pigsy said with a grunt, hand held against the wall as he followed it toward their destination through the pitch black darkness.

“I can't believe you agreed to it only the second time I asked,” Tang countered, a soft excited but nervous laugh echoing softly.

To be fair, Pigsy had always wanted to try one of these escape rooms. He just never got around to finding the time or the right one close enough to give it a shot. Why Tang wanted to go to a murder mystery themed one specifically was easy enough, he wanted to give all his recent extra study focus a new target.

He’d been extra focused ever since the incident with Azure, no more cramming at the last second for anything. Granted, he DID change up his method of study from the one that Shifu Subodhi had him work with, but this new one seemed to work better for him in the long run when balancing the rest of his life duties. Heck, he’d even applied himself to helping Pigsy research different methods of cooking ingredients to elevate his noodles even further.

But he’d also been getting antsy. Not just because of any reason related to his studies, though he was getting more and more frustrated with not “having a better fitting challenge” every so often, antsy with all the stuff going on around them. The constant endangerment, new enemies at every corner, new powers he seemed to continue to need to master and experiment. He thought they needed something that Pigsy hadn’t had in decades.

A vacation.

So, of course, Tang figured he could kill two birds with one stone. An escape room meant a challenge he could meet head on. And this one was offering a prize to anyone who could beat it within a certain time limit. One romantic getaway for two in Guilin, where Tang promised to take him to the Yulong river when they win this.

Tang was overwhelmingly positive they would.

Pigsy had… reservations.

“Tang, you know I’ve never been good with riddles,” Pigsy protested with a snorting laugh.

“No, but you ARE good at problem solving in other ways!” Tang boasted as he looked their pamphlet over. “I’ve seen you somehow manage to Tetris in all those ingredients in your supply cabinet for the shop.”

“That’s just work brain.”

“Well your work brain and my school brain may be brilliant enough to solve this challenge and get us that romantic getaway prize.”

Pigsy couldn’t help the soft smile that crept on his face at Tang’s boasting. It was sweet, how much confidence he had in the two of them.

But Pigsy also knew that as brilliant as he knew Tang to be… he also got stuck on the crossword puzzle on the city’s homepage last week. Three letter word for mirthful.

The answer way “gay”.

They were, probably, doomed. But at least this would be fun!

Pigsy chose to believe that as they finally reached the doorway at the end of the hall, Tang eagerly opening the door to allow them inside the main escape room.

The room wasn't terribly big, all things considered. Roughly the size of the entire dining area and kitchen of Pigsy’s, it was styled like a typical western study one might see in a mansion in an American movie. If it was horribly ransacked and clearly burgled, and also meant to look possibly Haunted. If the old stains and spider webs and the creepy doll on a shelf by the exit were any indication.

So Pigsy had to give the Escape Room crew points for detail! Just crowded enough to look realistic, but not so crowded it would make the game too hard to complete at all. But it did make it clear why this room took over the prize time limit to complete for most participants. Even he was a little overwhelmed and wondering where they should start looking in all of the clutter around them.

It didn't take long for them to find the first clue, or to solve it. Ironically, it seemed like this particular one was timed and they just had to wait a moment for the TV to come on to find the next clue. In fact... most of the clues in the room seemed to come easy to them.

Right until the 6th clue, a note in a vase lead them to a riddle on the wall and, quite frankly, it made no sense.

“I made quick work of the mountain chicken to hide my motive.”

Pigsy didn’t know what the hell this clue could have meant. If a mountain chicken wasn’t a chicken… what the fuck was it? Some other kind of bird? A lizard? A salamander?

“It’s a frog,” Tang said confidently.

“How in the world did you know a mountain chicken is a frog?”

“I didn’t,” Tang said with a shrug. “But this reference book fell off the shelf and the bookmarked page was for that frog. It’s probably meant to be a clue for people who don’t know that already, it falling saved us a LOT of time!”

Yeah… just like how the TV coming on via a supposed timer gave them the clue earlier…

Was this game rigged?

... couldn't be.

But, somehow, it was right there. A broken statue of a frog that looked exactly like the Mountain Chicken in Tang's reference book. And hidden inside one of the cracks was a torn slip of newspaper, revealing who Pigsy assumed must have been the culprit and their motive for this little murder mystery.

“Hey Tang?”

“Yes, Pigsy?”

“Hasn't this seemed a little... too easy?” The chef asked, eyebrow raised in confusion.

“I think we've just gotten really lucky,” Tang said with a smile. “And we HAVE had to puzzle out all but two of the clues ourselves anyway. We're also still really close to the end time and we have one clue left...” Pigsy hummed, nodding as he realized Tang was right. They may have gotten everything pu t together, but they only had 5 minutes to put the clues together in the correct order in the little computer next to the exit door. They were still going to have to work fast to win this challenge.

As they rushed over to the computer he couldn't help but see Tang's wide smile. He was so EXCITED at the idea of winning this. Was he just happy that he could win something that he had to solve? Or was he happy that he was possibly going to win a romantic getaway with his husband? Pigsy didn't know...

But as long as Tang smiled like that? He found he didn't really care either way. He just wanted him to smile more.

“OK, so we have to put this together like... oh gosh, it's Cludo,” Tang said with a laugh. “We have to put all this stuff in like a Cludo answer but with more steps.”

“Well that's easy!” Pigsy said with a laugh. “Mr…uh… what was his name?”

“Chandler.”

“Yeah, Chandler!”

“AH, right, Mr. Chandler stole the study key and killed Mr. Doe -aka Mr. Bennet-, in the kitchen with poison and moved him to the study to make it look like the owner of the mansion did it since only he had the key!” Tang said triumphantly. “Great job, Pigsy!”

He smiled wide, turning around to grab Pigsy and plant a passionate kiss on his lips and-

Wait…

Pigsy pulled back from the kiss as the exit door opened, looking at Tang in confusion.

“I… I didn't remember his name,” he said softly.

“… I didn't either,” Tang admitted, looking around in confusion.

“Then who-”

“You're going to miss your deadline,” the mystery voice said again. From high up. And when they looked up they noticed the creepy doll on the shelf had moved, turning to stare down at them with blank glassy eyes. “… run.”

Pigsy and Tang ran faster out of that room than they ever had before. So fast they didn't notice the giggle and the soft whisper of “I hope they like their vacation” they emanated from the room before the door closed behind them.

They did, by the way.

Even if they were very cautious of escape rooms after that.

[blu3cl0v3rs]

Hey, uh, question for the lmk fandom, spoilers for Seasons 3 & 4:

What happens to the Samadhi Fire???

We never see Mei use it again, and judging by Shifu Subodhi's line in their training montage thing (cannot remember the episode, refuse to check) that he says something along the lines of "seeing as you once weilded the Samadhi Fire..." so I'm assuming that means she doesn't have it anymore.

So then did Red Son get it back? Did they reseal it back into the four rings?

I NEED ANSWERS!

[starsfic]

I am guessing that Tang Sanzang and Subodhi bond at some point in the art school au? It’s just I can see Subodhi and Tang exchanging embarrassing stories about Wukong behind his back, or in front of him to embarrass him.

Tang Sanzang, to get in with Subodhi, shares Qi Xiaotian's little kid pictures. He is not expecting for Subodhi to recognize a few of them and whip out some teenage Sun Wukong pictures of him doing the exact same thing.

Wukong is making tea and pretending to hear none of this.

[ghost-tripitaka-au]

Mathias:….

*Now on the mountain*

MK: !!! Guys!

Mei: MK! *Hugs MK*

Shifu Subodhi:… *Looks at Tang*

Tang: *Eyes still glowing*

[sketching-shark]

Imagine tripitaka and heaven's reaction to knowing that wukong not only had a master Subodhi whom he respected and listened to but was also a relatively tame and disciplined student.

OUGH HEY ANON AU STORY WHEN???

But in all seriousness this is a scenario that I would LOVE to see explored! I know @antidotefortheawkward did make a lovely little comic kind of about this of a post-Xiyouji Sun Wukong learning that Patriarch Subodhi is specifically mentioned as his shifu in Wu Cheng'en's classic and traveling to the immortal's cave in a slight panic to explain that he never told anyone about this & that he'd confiscate every copy of Xiyouji he could find, only for Puti Zushi (another name for Patriarch Subodhi) to tell SWK that he himself let that information out into the world as a way to signal he wanted to renew ties with his tudi ;_;

But yeah yeah yeah this presents a really neat scenario to explore! I feel like it would be particularly interesting not just in terms of making it even more obvious how the Monkey King is far more than the undisciplined monster many paint him as, but I think it could offer a really interesting point of conflict and growth for Tang Sanzang if/when he sees & understands how much more respectful SWK was under Puti Zushi from day 1 than under him and thinks about why that would be, along with all the doubts about his own character that could be stirred from Tang Sanzang realizing that he's the shifu that was more or less forced on the Monkey King whereas Patriarch Subodhi was the shifu that SWK spent years seeking out. Like I know numerous recent adaptations of JTTW include a scene of Tang Sanzang apologizing to SWK, but can you imagine one that maybe comes after the monk getting an arc that included meeting & talking to the immortal and asking him about how to be a good teacher??? And maybe also Patriarch Subodhi expressing his own regret about forcing SWK to leave forever & condemning him as an inevitable evildoer at the first sign of the monkey showing off & taking too much pride in his abilities??? AUGH there's so much that could be done with all this!!!

[lmk-aus-galore]

So- I have this uhm…

Theory

Season 4 Spoilers

So uhm…

So I found it strange that the Jade Emperor punished these guys by exiling them.

Like seriously, it’s been confirmed that Wukong was placed inside the Trigram Furnace, in Revenge of the Spider Queen which is how he got the Gold Vision. MK stated so and the fact he decided to shut MK up when he mentioned fighting Buddha means it must’ve happened at SOME point.

Like I get how the Jade Emperor would punish Wukong by trying to execute him, after all this guy tried to take over Heaven. So it would make sense to try and kill him in the Trigram Furnace.

But why spare THESE guys? According to Shifu Subodhi.

‘Alone they can beat a thousand men army, together they are nigh unstoppable’

So why? Why keep these guys alive?!

In JTTW though I’m not sure it’s canon:

Golden Wing Peng is somewhat a Celestial, as he is the Spiritual Uncle of the Buddha and one of the Eight Demi-Gods.

And Yellow Tusked Elephant is actually the White Elephant of the Bodhisttava Shakyamuni- Representing Happiness. He actually escaped and became a demon.

Since in LMK Azure Lion is a former Celestial Guard, he should have the capacity and battle capabilities of a Celestial Guard standard.

So in a way, these three HAD Celestial positions in power and in some way, becoming a demon doesn’t actually remove one’s power. (Look at Zhu Bajie, Sha Wujing and Sun Wukong) so why would the Jade Emperor risk them going after the throne again? Why would he spare them?

I can kinda explain Macaque and Demon Bull King.

Princess Iron Fan probably helped in sparing his life and Macaque escaped since he can basically teleport.

But these three make no sense???

The Jade Emperor should have killed them if they were THAT dangerous (Especially with Peng) they SHOULD HAVE, so why didn’t they?

Then I got this sort of speculation.

Out of all the people in the Brotherhood it seems the only one severely punished was Sun Wukong.

We didn’t see Demon Bull King and Macaque speak of any punishment other than possibly being exiled from Heaven.

The Camel Ridge Trio were ALSO exiled.

Sun Wukong meanwhile, was placed in the Furnace…

So…what’s the possibility of Wukong taking the punishment instead?

What if Wukong took the punishment that his brotherhood? What if the The Furnace, was going to be their execution?

[purble-turble]

I just realized something, for the Prince Red AU for season 4 (if you already answered this question, you don’t have to answer it again) what about that scene in Season 4 where MK had the breakdown and then left his friends so he could “clear his head”. Would Price Red try his best to call MK back, or would he just watch him fly off sad, like Mei did. (Also I love your series so much!!! Keep up the great work!!^^)

Oh yeah Prince Red would definitely yell to try and get MK to come back, and he'd want to go after him as soon as possible too. His whole thing is he wants to be there for MK and look out for him, so when MK flies off in such a state, Red is going to be desperate to get to him. Of course, they all get scooped up by Shifu Subodhi before he can do so, so it doesn't matter much. Red definitely gives Subodhi a piece of his mind when he interrupts him trying to go to MK, though, so that's gotta be an interesting scene. Prince Red probably gets smacked on the head even more than Mei during their little training session lol

[prettycoolforaperson]

MK’s Strength

Through the last 4 seasons it has become increasingly more obvious that whatever MK is, it’s definitely not mortal. Whether he’s a demon, crypitd, past person, reincarnation or whatever, it’s been shown that he has a ton of unchecked power.

An example of this could be any of his fight scenes, especially in S1. With little to no training MK is able to lift the Monkey King’s staff, gain and learn to use those powers, and beat DBK and other demons. Even Wukong had to learn how to use his powers from Master Shifu Subodhi.

(Sorry for the awful image quality)

Looking back this is a HUGE indicator that MK was special. In this scene he is diving headfirst to go save Mei, who both holds and is using the Samadhi fire at that moment. Everyone’s cowering from the pure power the fire radiates, mind you even the immortals like Nezha and Sun Wukong, MK has no issue (aside from some burns and lightheartedness) running directly into the flames. This fire has world destroying capabilities that scared Heaven so much they split it apart and scattered it across the world, then placed in a host that neither wants or knows how to control it and MK receives almost no injury’s. Really makes you think.

This fight.

This fight was awesome, it was amazing to see MK go batshit and the animation was stunning and everything was perfect-, but I think people really gloss over what happened here in this fight. MK using his Monkey form, that was brought on by accident, for one of his first times single handily takes down the Jade Emperor. The equivalent of God (kinda the hierarchy is different). You could say this was because that the others were fending off Yellow Tusk and Peng but I believe that MK could have most definitely slaughtered them if they tested him in his Monkey form while that pissed. You could also say that the reason MK was able to take Azure down was because he didn’t have a great hold on his powers. Even then MK had gained abilities similar (cough cough stronger) than his in the same amount of time that he had no control over. And when he finishes his massacre of Azure and is released from his form to Azure die? He doesn’t even sustain any injures. This kid came out from a fight with God just sweating. He received more damage from the Samadhi fire.

This obviously isn’t all the examples but I’ve gotten pretty tired of seining these people walk over the terrifyingly amount of potential MK has and I really hope it’s utilized in S5