#Six Ear is a celestial primate but he is also a yao

[the-monkey-ruler]

Unpopular opinion but I wish six-eared macaque was not one of the four celestial monkeys because monkey king killing him was such a waste. It would have fit the theme better if six-ears was like an actual evil mirror twin or the literal manifestations of darkness in monkey’s heart. Once buddha described the six-eared macaque, he gave him personhood so his death became more jarring I think. I really like the idea behind two monkey minds, the true one eliminating the fake, thus gaining both self reflection and peace. But that becomes awkward when the one that was killed seemed to have a story of his own. Hopefully this made sense sorry it’s a ramble.

I mean I think him being a celestial primate was needed for him to be his evil mirror.

I know its a little confusing but hear me out.

We never get info about the other two monkeys either, we don't know where they came from, if they were made the same as Wukong (made of heaven and earth), or if they were created by other means that give them that special title. What makes them celestial primates? Is it how they are created? Or is it what they did in a past life? Or something they are just capable of great feats in this life?

Hard to say.

But the point is that Six Ears being Wukong's evil mirror is because of this connection. Whatever it means to be a celestial primate could mean that they are connected in a certain that no other species on earth can be created. There are a few theories out there that the reason Six Ears exist is being Wukong created him and that he is a celestial primate because Wukong is one as well and can only create like-him creations. Maybe he is made from Wukong? Maybe is isn't.

But that is explained that they are the same in that regard because they are the same species.

Does that mean that Wukong could have had a hand in creating the other monkeys? Does Wukong have a connection with them as well just as interpersonal as with fighting his own demons as with the Six Ears?

Probably not.

But the point being is that Six Ear is supposed to be "waste" on a certain level because that was such a big feat. That was supposed to be facing the worst parts of yourself and knowing that you could have been better... and maybe they could have as well.

But they didn't. They aren't.

Might being going into a twilight zone-esc verse where Six Ears is meant to be every wrong choice Wukong made, or maybe he was just created out of his mind at some point and he never knew. Either way he could have been just like Wukong with his own story and his own path and make something of his life.

But he is.

He made his choices, each one the same Wukong was given, and he choose wrong.

He is an allegory for the monkey mind, to show that Wukong has reached the next point in his life where he can start true self-reflection, but because this is still a story he can't just be an allegory. He is a still a character in a story. And more than a character he is a villain in this story as well.

It thinks it starts to get a little Author's purpose vs. In-Story purpose (I forget the real literary terms for these but I'm trying) where sometimes we are trying to give too much in-story explanations for something that was seen with more of an Author's purpose point of view.

What I'm trying to say is that while Six Ears is meant to be an allegory he still needs a reason to be on par with Wukong and thus be a celestial primate would give a 1. good connection and 2. good reason to why no other means could tell them apart besides the hearing cat and Buddha himself. In-story they are essentially both of the same built and making and Author's purpose they are the same mind.