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the-monkey-ruler · 10 months

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why is meihouwang 6 ears ur bias?

Bias? Like why he's a favorite?

Well I really enjoy him! I do love Xiao Shihou a bit more in the series cause he has a special place in my heart for me but I really love how they did Liu’Er in the series as well! Not only is his design super interesting and iconic but something about the changing of his looks when how his mental state is just always making me love a character more!

The thing I think Mei Hou Wang made Liu’Er such a well-defined character, giving so much time to build Liu’Er's personality and even his own relations to other characters! Liu’Er clearly was more of a daredevil himself at the start of the series, willing to do outrageous stunts for fun and it's clear that he is close to the Monkey Elders of the troop, already taking missions with them. But most important is how he regards Monkey King Yeye and how has nothing but respect for him. He never wants to question Monkey Yeye and is always seen at his side as a loyal helper (COUGH son COUGH). He has a strong sense of justice, wanting to help others that have helped him, being the first and ONLY person (besides Monkey Yeye) to be on Shihou's side at the start when he was being considered an outsider because he was saved by him, even unintentionally! He is quick with a plan and cautious but he can be too quick to run or too quick to jump in but he his heart is in a good place. They gave him a lot of time to set up his character in the start and it just creates the foundation of what he goes through afterwards!

Kinda spoilers.

What matters is that the series gave him his own agency early at the start when he starts to feel slighted by the attention that Xiao Shihou is getting. He got his first taste of recognition when he brought back the Rishi plant even though he tried to explain that it was Xiao Shihou, he found that he didn't really want to lose that admiration. He loved it! And as time goes on as he sees Xiao Shihou being the one to save people from his increased strength and quick thinking he starts to let those feelings of envy fester. And the audience sees that kinda fall of him feeling both insecure about his place in the troop and starting to take risks himself. He is the one to try to take on Havoc alone and the only one that stood up for HIM was Xiao Shihou! Shihou agrees that it is risky but he fundamentally supports Liu’Er the entire time! He is more than ready to go out and fight Havoc alongside Liu’Er even if the risks are high. And he doesn't hesitate for a second when he hears that Ginseng Fruit and Yutu are in trouble!

And in the end, while it was Liu’Er's idea to go in it was Xiao Shihou that took down Havoc and set fire to the cave. And Liu’Er, while he did want to take down Haovc, still wanted that recognition for being the one to set up the plan. He wanted fame and glory as well. And he wanted to be king. Because to him, being king means that he could finally be the person that everyone looks up to, just like how he looks up to Monkey Yeye. Despite going on mission at such a young age (he is like the only teen there with only little kids and adults) he isn't given the respect he deserves or at least wants.

But he wasn't chosen by his Yeye. Instead, he was passed over to his best friend. The guy that has saved him time and time again and always stood up for him and never doubted him for a second. And yes Monkey Yeye never SAID it was going to be Liu’Er and even SAID that if there was anyone that could save their troop he would make THEM king. There was never a lineage or promise or anything to be had beforehand but like... IT WAS IMPLIED with how much Liu’Er spent at Monkey Yeye's side and always trying to help. He did come off a bit as too much as a yes man, which is why I'm sure that Monkey Yeye thought it was best to go with someone more strong-willed and not afraid to speak his mind for the troop, but he still bit in a lot of work nonetheless. He even was trained with Monkey Yeye's weapon! He trained with him!

More spoilers

At this point the audience understands where Liu’Er is coming from as no one likes being passed over, even if Xiao Shihou was the one to do more work, Liu’Er's feelings of being looked over are still very real. But him starting to show how Xiao Shihou wouldn't be a good king and pointing out his flaws to bring him down is where it hits harder. He is angry and lashes out at the one causing his anger, his best friend. Calls him hot-headed and temperamental when Shihou was the one following HIS plans. The BETRAYAL on Shihou's face and he doesn't UNDERSTAND why his best friend is saying these things. He doesn't know what he did wrong when he was trying to help and he WAS helping, he was the one that made Liu’Er's plan work and they saved their troop. But Liu’Er wanted to be the one to get the credit while Shihou would have to look up to him for once. Despite Shihou also being the one to risk his life again and again like Liu’Er, Liu’Er thinks that he was the one who should be rewarded. And maybe Liu’Er could have had a point about Shihou not being fit to be king as he is more impulsive but at that point he would have to point the finger at himself as well because he also jumps the gun.

Xiao Shihou leaves the island with them still at odds and THEY CUT OUT SCENES of them having a final goodbye because YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE CREDITS! And what I wouldn't have given to know what they said to each other.

And from there the audience SEES his fall when being manipulated by White Deer. He lost his best friend the one to always save him and now it reads as more tragic as more time goes on. He is filled with promises by this stranger that takes advantage of his insecurities and he isolates himself from any support group he could have had. He starts to throw himself into his training for the sake of defeating Shihou in battle and he pushes himself to his limits. He doesn't even know at this point that White Deer wants Wukong dead, just that he is training for when Wukong comes back. At this point, he just wants to get strong to prove himself worthy of admiration like Wukong and prove that he can be more than just dead weight. I think he got a lot of that insecurity from being kidnapped so much and it is always Wukong saving him. he is always being saved by Wukong but he is never the one to be strong enough to save himself.

It gets only worse when he starts to hear the Nine Spirit Lion in his mind, poisoning him even further with promises of power. He denies it at first, trying to block out the whispers of a great demon trying to use him. But in his greatest moment of weakness, when he dares to sit on the throne and imagine what it was like to be king is when he is caught and ridiculed. The Marshalls and Generals that once praised him and his efforts were looking down on him for his dreams and ambitions, pointing out how arrogant he is to think he would be king when he is already doubting his self-worth. I don't think Liu’Er was in the right trying to take the throne but I don't think that the Elders were right to try to reprimand Liu’Er not for his attitude but rather for his boasting. He falls into a state of depression after being laughed at, losing more and more of himself as he doesn't want to feel this pain. How he would rather feel nothing than feel more of this pain and rejection. And he gives in to those promises of taking away the pain. He starts to lose more and more of himself, literally having his emotions cut off by a demon because he couldn't bear to burden the feelings of isolation by himself.

He only gets worse when Wukong comes back, he sees him for the first time and puts on the mask that things are back to normal and everything is okay. Liu’Er tries to attack him but EVEN IN HIS SLEEP, Wukong can just brush off his attacks! Liu’Er is desperate to do something...

But Wukong just OFFERS to teach Liu’Er everything he knows. Just wants to help his friend in what he thought was a bonding moment between the two because he has missed his best friend so much and wants to reconnect with him. But the more he learned the wider he sees the gap is between them. The more his resentment builds.

And then Grandpa Yeye dies.

Wukong tried to go to HELL to get him back and Liu’Er closed off his emotions (Not really healthy on either side) but while Wukong got closure by talking to Monkey Yeye before he was reborn, Liu’Er gave into the demon's promise to cut off ALL his emotions. The demon promise to make the pain go away and Liu’Er gave in. He couldn't handle the grief of losing his ONLY family he considers he has left. How he lost the last person he wanted validation from and comfort and the only person that was on his side.

Liu’Er starts to be monstrous, attacking Wukong and trying to kill him at this point. He says how he knows that in his mind they grew up together and how they were best friends but how Wukong has becomes the source of his suffering and that if Wukong was gone maybe he could bear to feel again. He accepts the Nine Spirits Lion to consume him completely.

It becomes clear that he never wanted to be king for the sake of being the island's protector, but rather so he can finally that validation he was searching for his whole life. Yes, he is the antagonist of the story be we see his rise and fall and how he became those villains from giving in to his negative thoughts to blaming others, to even being taken advantage of by far stronger demons.

It ends with a climactic battle and Wukong is HORRIFIED that his best friend, the one person he thought that was also supporting him, like how Wukong supported him was actually his enemy. The heartbreak he sees when Liu’Er has completely lost himself in vengeance and anger and has lost who he is just for the sake of seeing Wukong fall with him. How Wukong never say it coming because he never doubted Liu’Er for a second. However, then Wukong wished he could have seen the signs, that maybe he could have done something different but Liu’Er was already lost in himself. Feeling like he isn't even himself anymore but just a shadow of who he used to be in order to gain power. Even the demon that consumed him admits he was his second choice, and that he much rather would have Wukong as his prey. Like... dude.

But never does Wukong gives up on him!

Every minute the Nine Spirits Lion says that he has already killed Liu’Er, Wukong is too determined and too stubborn to believe it! Even when Liu’Er pushes him away Wukong knows that his friend is still in there and he isn't going to let some JACKASS take advantage of his friend like that. Wukong never gave up on saving Liu’Er, not then and not now.

And in the end, Liu’Er was able to be freed from the demon's control. He regained his emotions, his thoughts, and his own body and he was ashamed of how he acted, taking the blame that this mess was all his fault. But Wukong was just happy that his friend was alive and freed.

I WISH there was a longer ending scene of the two talking about what happened. About their grief over Monkey Yeye. About what happened after Wukong left and how Liu’Er started to lose himself more and more. While Wukong gained more friends Liu’Er only had people that wanted to use him.

Anyone what I'm trying to say is that not only do I love Wukong and Liu’Er in this series but I love the plot behind it as well! I love the characters and the whole idea and while it isn't perfect, it always has a special place in my heart.

#mei hou wang #anonymous #anon #anon ask #sun wukong #six eared macaqu #six ears #liuer mihou #liu er mihou #grandpa monkey king #old monkey king #monkey king #monkey king 2009 #ask

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