#and wuzhiqi born evil

[the-monkey-ruler]

Wouldn’t Wūzhīqí make a better dark counterpart/opposite to Wùkōng? Six-Eared Macaque seemed more like an evil What-If.

I do think there is a difference between a counterpart and an opposite. A counterpart is something that completes another person. and an opposite is a person or thing that is totally different from or the reverse of someone or something else.

Wuzhiqi sadly does not have a lot of lore around them to be a proper counterpart to Wukong, nor would it be fair to deprive them of their individuality for the sake of this story where the Six Ears is meant to be Wukong’s doppelgänger. Six Ears is an evil what if but that is what makes him the best counterpart to Wukong as well. Six Ears isn't meant to be the opposite of Wukong, he is meant to be his foil. Exactly like him in every way but choosing every wrong path to instill fear into Wukong of what he could be. Wuzhiqi rather is what Wukong could never be, which could be argued as a better 'opposite' would take away the impact of being a good counterpart.

Wuzhiqi is a great character but from what I have seen is more treated like a force of nature rather than a deliberate opponent. Wuzhiqi has a nature of chaos within them but it seems to be treated as a part of their nature rather than a conscious choice for them to wreak havoc due to any hubris or ego they might have. Not saying they that can't have that but it is just never explored enough to be anything concrete. It is very vague even on even what Wuzhiqi's crimes as they were mostly seen to cause flooding or bring trouble to sailers but it never seems to be out of malice but rather just in their nature as a water spirit.

Similarly, both Wuzhiqi and the Six Ears both do not have a connected past with Wukong. I think that there are too many disconnects to really hone in on how Wuzhiqi is supposed to be “evil” one, but rather I see that about is how Wuzhiqi could be seen as the “defeated” one. With Wuzhiqi, their story is set up that they were born to cause destruction while in the case with the Six Ears he is meant to show what Wukong would be if he kept choosing to be destructive.

This could lead to a different but still wonderful literary analysis about the difference between "born evil" and "becoming evil" and comparing how Wuzhiqi is framed to be a beast that is meant to be captured and contained and how this point of view is forced on Wukong in a similar manner. When Wukong commits a crime he is treated the same as Wuzhiqi where heaven's only goal is to capture and contain him. But where Wuzhiqi's story ends, Wukong's story is just beginning as he is given a second chance, proving that he isn't a mindless beast that needs to be caged but rather he is capable of self-reflection and understanding his actions have consequences. We get that deeper level of understanding and even humanity with Wukong.

Wuzhiqi isn't given a sympathetic viewpoint, but rather to be treated more as a flat character. While Six Ears isn't given a lot of backstory, we are given that he is a spiritual monkey. While he is undoubtedly mean to be Wukong's evil 'what if' he is still created in a frame that he is his own person, and thus has his own choices that he has made. He is meant to be seen to have the exact same tools as Wukong, and the same conscious awareness. He is meant to be the worst aspects of Wukong but only because he made those CHOICES to where he is. Six Ears is meant to show a Wukong that doesn't change his ways, and always chooses to do wrong when he knows better. Six Ears is unique in that he is always meant to show the worst parts of Wukong and while Wukong may NOT be like, he is it as a warning that he COULD be like that. That is what makes him a counterpart, showing all of Wukong's parts and he still is able to face the worst of himself.

Wuzhiqi could offer a different threat to Wukong but still in a similar way. The idea is that while Wukong isn't born "evil" such as the Wuzhiqi is described but rather that he has the choice to do evil. Wuzhiqi is never given an inner monologue or much of a backstory but we are given the idea that Wuzhiqi is a demon that was born out of nature and is doing what comes naturally, thus having Yu the Great having to come down to stop them. There is no hope for redemption for Wuzhiqi cannot change what they are, a flood demon.

Wukong on the other hand could be forced to face that he isn't the same. That he can't blame his nature for why he is what he is, and yes he is a yaoguai who grew up around other yaoguai, but he is still an intelligent and emotionally competent man who, in the end of the day, made his own choices that lead him to where he is. He chooses to be antagonistic and undermine heaven at every turn. Mostly done under impulsive choices where he didn't think it though, but he can't blame anyone else when he was the one that he didn't think his actions through. That is where Six Ears is meant to represent that side of Wukong that keeps choosing to make mistakes even when he knows better, but can't let go of his own ego or pride.

Wuzhiqi has the excuse that they are following their nature, but Wukong has to fight their impulses every day to do good. This could be a good point that Wuzhiqi could show what Wukong could never be, a mindless yaoguai who is a slave to their impulses and only looking for destruction. But because Wukong was never meant to be framed as such, as it would take away the impact of being a solid counterpart to Wukong. Rather he needed a foil character that is similar to him, another demon that is meant to represent Wukong's choices in life, rather than saying it was in his nature. To blame Wukong's nature for what he is would be taking away agency from his choices, and that is why Six Ears is meant to be a good counterpart by showing that 'what-if' side of himself.

At most the greatest similarity these two have is definitely how they are trapped under the mountain however, while Wukong was able to gain another chance and find redemption Wuzhiqi is still under the mountain and being guarded because they cannot change. It is because of that lack of agency that Wuzhiqi is given that they couldn't be utilized to the fullest extent to show Wukong's actions having consequences. They could offer a good insight into what a true mindless beast would be like and what stereotypes Wukong is forced to face with but there Six Ears offer more of that interpretation battle within Wukong of facing the worst aspects of himself that wouldn't be able to find within Wuzhiqi.