#hib zhu bajie

[quitealotofsodapop]

[The little comparison between her and Zhu Bajie - he's talking to her at hip-height. Why he think he ever had a chance? XD]

Add in Zhanshi being tall and Rose Quartz shaped, now you have Dasheng and Bajie on the side going, "giant beauty that can snap you in half?" "giant beauty that can snap you in half."

referencing.

Dasheng's type is his partner-in-havoc who he's known since youth. But he has to admit that Zhanshi's height does something to him.

Zhu Bajie's type of woman is someone completely unattainable to him; i.e Chang'e (happily married/longing) and Sha Wujing (lesbian). He wonders if he somehow has a radar for women not interested in him. Zero "guy-interested-in-him radar" though.

[loyaltykask]

Chapter 19

@journeythroughjourneytothewest

Can't believe Bajie just HAPPENED upon a true immortal to get him to heaven, like I wanna know how THAT backstory came about

Immediately thought is how in the HIB Video Game they give Bajie a pirate accent and say he commanded a crew I thought that was just flavor for the game, so forget he was a marshall of sailors deadass

HE IS A WATER GOD APPARENTLY AS WELL SO HE BEST KNOWS HOW TO SWIM

Just like Erlang Shen damn there are so many water gods deadass

I know Wukong teasing but also I got a point, like deadass the only reason Gao doesn't want Bajie is for his looks and reputation What a shallow fella

Wukong playing marriage counselor once again

Bajie: MY DOOR Wukong: Did you woo your wife? Wine? Gifts? You didn't even go to the matchmaker therefore a crime for a crime

I imagine this going like a Looney Tunes cartoon

Low key

Man was REFINED into metal damn. Wukong being just a stone egg

WUKONG NOT THE EAR

Metal (Wukong's element) is the naturally superior opposition to Wood (Bajie's element), as it symbolizes how metal can cut trees and foliage down. Mind always overcomes the desires to put them in place Both are meant to make the trip to the West and as such grow as people

Sun Wukong = Monkey Awakened to Nothing Zhu Bajie = Pig Awakened to Power

These are some boss ass names

Got to admit Bajie is a way better nickname than Idiot

I heard it once said that Wukong just thought his name was Idiot and that is why he called him that for so long

And when he did find it he now just said it as his new nickname

Wukong really said: Marriage was nice but you're divorced and single now SO LET'S EAT

I do appreciate that Sanzang doesn't force his own preferences on Wukong and Bajie, as long as they don't get hammered they can have purified wine

Also Wukong a lightweight confirmed

WUKONG IS SO MEAN

Can't believe Sanzang got a damage buff

+5 on heals, +0 on stealth

He really is out here target on his back

Wukong embodies the "Talk shit, get hit" even when some guy talks shit about Bajie Wukong: Only I GET TO TALK SHIT ABOUT BAJIE! A good way to start their first month together

Also, the idea of Sanzang trying to hold back Wukong who is far stronger than him is so funny to me. Probs picked him up cause he was so little

He is the only thing holding this monkey back for the next 14 years XD

[quitealotofsodapop]

Monkey King: Hero is Back Au/Sequel details:

Old post of ideas and theories - made before I experienced the game.

May name the au and/or fic "Hero Rebound" as a ref to the ship nam eof Dasheng and his LEM.

Mixing some elements found in the video game as the added lore is cool af but a bit messy. Also the old man that raised Liuer deserves recognition.

Putting characters under Read More:

Major Characters:

Dasheng/Sun Wukong/"The Great Sage Equal to Heaven":

Going by the prequel concept poster; Was born/hatched looking like a coconut macaroon.

Secretly a herbalism/medical nerd. In the games he keeps a little guide of the medicinal plants and materials he finds.

Babysat a lot on Huaguo. In the english dub he even seems to default to asking if Liuer needs a babysitter.

Instincts take over a lot. Will pull the kids towards him and groom fur thats not even there.

Is tramatized by his experience in the Trigram Furnace.

Desperately wishes to find Erlang Shen so he can kick his ass.

Tries to play it cool; but Liuer's death actually tramatized him. He fears losing him again.

Don't touch Liuer or Silly Girl. Those are his babies now. He will kill you.

Zhanshi/Six Earred Macaque/Liu er Mihou/"Great Sage Informing Wind":

An oc/JTTW character variation; Was a member of the Brotherhood of Sages during her and Dasheng's youth. The LMK OC Picrew was used to create a rough image of her.

Sweetest ray of bustling sunshine compared to her gloomier mate. Will still kill any being that dares touch one of her subjects.

Severely injured during the Burning on Mount Huaguo - permanetly damaging her right eye and ears. Dasheng had assumed she'd died during the battle after he was tossed into the Furnace.

Honorary grandma to the little monkeys of Mount Huaguo. Helped raise many of them after the Burning while their parents foraged and worked the land.

Finds a weird Stone Egg that crashed down after the solar eclipse. Now everyone seems to want the dang thing. Realised what the egg truly was when she heard the flutters of a heartbeat from within.

First time Liuer accidentally called her "Mama", Zhanshi cried for two hours.

Pls do not touch the baby monkeys. She will bite. And crush.

Jiang Liuer/"Tripitaka"/Current Incarnation of Golden Cicada:

Died during the battle with Hundun - but Dasheng basically smashed down the doors of the Celestial Realm and begged the gods/bodhisattvas to bring his biy back.

Is bedbound and near comatose for 49 days as his body and soul heals.

Dasheng sacrificed his powers, freedom, and some of his dao/life energy for Liuer's revival. Liuer may or may not be part-stone monkey now.

Liuer doesn't know what happened to his parents. He assumed he was abandoned. His time in Diyu-Limbo clears this assumption up - learning that his parents died protecting him from mountain trolls/yao that wanted him for his delicious holy soul.

Can be a feral little guy at times. He was raised by a hermit after all.

Calls Fa Ming "granddad" in the english dub, so it's possible he just assumes Fa Ming is his granddad.

Is desperate for a mother figure.

Sha Ya Tou/"Silly Girl"/"A-nan":

A very cheerful baby despite her situation.

Is not 100% human.

Hundun specifically needed her for the ritual.

First word ends up being "Bima!" (horse) after someone mentioned "Bimawen".

Zhu Bajie/"Uncle Pigsy"/Marshal Canopy:

Lies that he's the reincarnated Pagoda King to scare demons. And because nobody outside of Heaven knows who Marshal Canopy is.

Gets real quiet when people bring up the story of Chang'e for some reason...

Amazing uncle figure. Notices that Liuer is sad during the movie's song sequence and uses his transformation ability to let the little guy experience flying.

Most of the time on the road he lets the kids use his stomach as a pillow.

Sha Wujing/"Sandy":

Another oc/JTTW character variation since no Sandy-equivalent appears in Hero is Back. Also made in the LMK OC Picrew.

She/they

Dresses very masculine but loves accessorising with flowers, shells, bones, pretty rock etcs.

Zhu Bajie shot her a wink and Sha Wujing had to politely explain that she wasn't interested in men in general. The two then bonded over their shared love for women.

Encounters the Seven Spider Sisters and... ohhh mama.

Sifu Fa Ming/"Grandpa":

Just some really cool old human dude.

Has a Diogenes-esque view of life, and does not care for monks and religious officials living in luxury. Self-exiled himself from his Vihara so that he could persue a simpler life.

Raised the baby he found (named "Little River Float/Jiang Liuer" cus thats what the baby was) with whatever he could find. Pretty much all alms he gained were used for food and clothes for his adopted grandchild. And from what the opening credits show, Fa Ming travelled with Liuer on his back through rain, snow, and shine.

Considers finding Liuer a blessing from the Buddha. Something he's somewhat correct on.

Was the first one to introduce Liuer to the legend of the Monkey King - as a cautionary tale to not be covetous. He did not anticipate Liuer thinking the monkey demon was the coolest person in all of Buddhist mythos. Fa Ming sighs, maybe that doll of his influenced that too.

His english va is James Hong, aka Mr Ping from Kung Fu Panda and he gives the best english performance imo. James Hong just be playing ancient chinese men who find and adopt a random baby they find.

Canglong/"The Dragon":

Isn't Ao Lie/Bai Longma... but is one of his dads. Canglong and Ao Run are a thing. Ganglong was once a regular rain dragon who saw that the newly-appointed King Ao Run of the "Western Sea" (in the mythos the older three called dibs on the actual seas around China) trying to build a canal from the Yellow River. Canglong called down a great rain to help make the in-land sea/lake that would become Qinghai Lake. The two dragon bonded over their effort and well... dragon pups occured.

I hc that the Western Sea kingdom is a lot more chill than it's empire-like brothers, so these guys are flying and swimming freely all around the place.

In the film the dragon and Dasheng just sorta team-up off screen. In the game they have Guanyin bring the boys straight to the Western Sea Palace (in the sky) to ask for a dragon assist. Canglong fought Hundun and the other three Perils before alongside "Shunwang" - a human with a sword. "Shunwang" is likely a reference to Emperor Shun of the "Three Soverigns and Five Emperors"-era of Chinese mythos (same era as Nuwa, Fuxi, and Shennong) and predecesor of Yu the Great; who ultimately tamed the waters with Ruyi Jingu Bang (Sun Wukong's future staff). Emperor Shun in mythos beat the stuffing out of the Four Perils - though not the same ones that include Hundun - rather Gonggong who broke the Heavenly Pillar.

Adding on to the lore from the HiB game: Canglong teamed up with humanity during the Great Flood to help curb the flood waters. Here he met Shunwang, who's goal was to kill the Four Perils and God that helped cause the Flood. Canglong thought that was cool af and got all the dragons involved to help. The Four Perils are sadly all concepts and you really can't 100% kill them, so they all ended up sealed away instead. By the time of Dasheng's release; Hundun (blind chaos) got out. Canglong was in the same area as the gang looking for Hundun to apprehend him - when Sun Wukong ran up to him with info on what Hundun had planned, Canglong agreed to help no questions asked.

As in game canon: Helps the gang return the stolen children. I hc through amazing sense of smell. Canglong doesn't hang around for long though, as Ao Run immediately flies over, worried out of his mind for his injured mate, and brings him home. Canglong and Ao Run do however have a cheeky white-scaled dragon pup that likes to pretend to be horse and is obsessed with the legendary Bimawen...

Hundun and the Great Perils:

A squad of four primordial concepts set loose when the destructive water god Gonggong destroyed the Heavenly Pillar. Their goal? Take out the newly-formed humanity.

Among them was (as taken from Chinese mythos):

‣Qiongqi/窮奇/"poor and strange": Deviousness. Said to devour the innocent/noble people, and serve evil ones. Said to either possess the body of a flying tiger or a carnivorous ox. Killed at the hands of Emperor Shun.

‣Taotie/餮/"greedy glutton": Gluttony. Said to have the head of a ding/bronze vessel that consumes all. Has the body of an ungulate, and the voice of a baby. Some believe it to be the reincarnated form of Chi You - the decapitated enemy of the Yellow Emperor.

‣ Taowu/檮��/"stupid stump": Ignorance. Personifies the stubborness of man, and the refusal to learn. Resembles a sabre-toothed tiger.

‣ Hundun/混沌/"chaotic torrent: Chaos. Like chaos it's true form is blind and directionless. Mythology says that attempts were made to give it holes in which to see, breath, and eat, but it immediately died and reincarnated into "an evil creature".

Nuwa, alongside Shunwang and the dragons, and a bunch of other allies, kicked the Perils butts but couldn't 100% kill them. The compromise was exile/sealing them away indefinitely. Hundun in his original form was attemtped to be rehabitilated, but upon gaining sight and the ability to breathe - died and reincarnated into the human-reptilian avatar we see in the film.

"Hundun" is an extenstion of primordial chaos itself - a thing that isn't inherently evil and was born alongside Pangu when the World Egg hatched. The demon king however, has merely a chunk of the power held by his original life.

Hundun in his current form may have died... but the soul within has move on into something else. Child-like chaos cannot be contained.

[quitealotofsodapop]

As a nod to season 5, I can imagine in Wukongverse Old Li is the more favorable in Nezhaverse's opinion(I hc him as someone who was like Yunxiang in youth and paid the price hence his personality.)

If he was still alive I can imagine old Li calling out AU Li Jing despite the power difference.

I love the idea of all the Wukongverse wondering who's the worst/best of Nezha's fathers and begin comparing. Nezha (2019) Li Jing barely makes the "OK" ranking for trying to take Nezha's place when the Heavens did the ban hammer on him and Ao Bing - still not a great father. HiB Zhu Bajie is likely pretending to be the Pagoda King for clout so he's disqualified (never refers to himself as Li Jing or as Nezha's dad).

Soon the many Li Jings are compared and graded against one another - only for Ace (NewGods!SWK) to comment;

Ace: "What about you, tudi? Your dad seems cool." Li Yunxiang: "My dad isn't Li Jing though..." LMK!Nezha: "Rule is best or worst "Nezha's Dad". You're our reincarnation. Your dad counts." Whole Room: (*agreeable mummuring*) Peach: "Ok, it is official. Li Yunxiang has the best Nezha's Dad." Li Yunxiang: "Thanks...?"

Old Li I feel can be a bit of hardass on his sons, mainly out of fear/worry. They are living in a drought and economic depression, and he doesn't want either of them going down dark paths. Since the NewGods films take place roughly in the 1920s/Republic-era; I wouldn't be surprised if Old Li experienced the horrors of the first world war and was very much like Yunxiang at his age. And unlike the other "Nezha's Dads"; Old Li isn't a lord or a god, he's a mortal mechanic trying his best to raise his sons + his adoptive daughter.

I bet if Old Li was in a room with all the Li Jings (wukongverse shennangians) and saw how they treat their kids, he'd scold them without a second thought.

Old Li: "A god you call yourself, and yet you cannot even soothe your child's worries when he's made a mistake. I worry for you when he becomes a teenager."

May or not proceed to brag about his kids and how proud he is of them despite all the "god nonsense" his youngest has gotten himself tied up in.

The Li Jings are aghast and furious at the gal of this mortal, and ask him who is he to pass judgement on the Pagoda King?

Ace: "He's the father of my tudi, Li Yunxiang. The reincarnated Nezha."

The Li Jings all suddenly pause and stare. This frail, elderly mortal managed to fully raise his Nezha?! To adulthood!? How is he alive!?! How has he managed to control a demon child that brought gods to his knees and nearly kill them times over?!

Old Li, copying a slang he heard from the modern universes: "Skill issue."

Some of the younger Nezhas actually even prefer Old Li to their fathers. He's a bit tough sure, but he's a good man who's willing to make compromises with his kids.

[quitealotofsodapop]

HiB Spider Sisters idea:

I mentioned the 7 Spider Sisters in a few previous HiB sequel/au posts and I had a cool idea of how they'd work, inspired a bit by the 1999/00's cartoon + LMK's spider gang.

Gonna put these lovely ladies in one photo set to reduce arachnophobia.

Sister #1: Black Widow Spider - the leader of sisters. Not the largest but definietly the one with the biggest ego. Based on the Spider Queen

Sister #2: Joro Spider - thin and spindy, and obsessed with her beauty. Likes short men.

Sister #3: Signature Spider - the more bookish of the elder sisters. Enjoys caligraphy and decorating her webs.

Sister #4: Huntsman Spider - Frustrated middle child. Is a pursuit hunter rather than a web weaver. Ends up having a crush on Sha Wujing. Based on the Huntsman from LMK.

Spider #5: Chinese Fawn/Bird Eater - A lazy web maker who nonethless has a massive heart. Based on Goliath/Strong Spider from LMK.

Spider #6: Ant Mimic Crab Spider - An amatuer actress who takes on most of the chores around the home.

Sister #7: Java Yellow Jumping Spider - Youngest sister. Barely a teenager by demon standards. Can leap great distances.

The HiB gang encounter these fine gals and immediately are on edge about having Liuer or Fa Ming near them (cus demons + monks = bad), only for the seven arachnid demons to crowd around the kids and coo;

Spider Sisters: (*pinching Liuer's cheeks and fussing over him*) Spider Sisters: "Oh he's so short!" "Barely a hatching!" "And he's so chubby, look at these cheeks!" "He's so cute I could eat him up!" Liuer, terrifed cus of what the adults warned him about: "Dasheng! They're gonna eat me!" (;﹏;) Spider Sisters: (*immediately give him more space and make sad aw-ing sounds*) Spider Sisters: "Oh no sweetheart!" "We don't want to eat eat you!" Spider Sister #4, joking: "Yeah, you're not ripe enough." Liuer, sarcasm failed: "....WAAAAHHH!!!" ｡･ﾟﾟ･(>д<)･ﾟﾟ･｡ Other 6 Sisters: (*disapproving glares at #4*)

Because an aspect of the Sisters from JTTW thats often glossed over; is that they are described as the adoptive mothers to seven baby bug demons.

These broody spiders take one look at Liuer and Silly Girl and start cooing at how much they want one of their own. <3

After the confusion is cleared up with the HiB gang, they quickly gain some new friends in the form of seven giant spider demons. The eldest three sisters do flirt with Fa Ming though - so the monkeys gotta keep on eye on that. And the fourth one has a crush on Sha Wujing. The only one of the demons that show any interest in Zhu Bajie is the youngest jumping spider having a bit of a puppy-crush on him, and that rightfully freaks him out a little too much.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Quick sketches of HiB Sha Wujing based on the AU post. It doesn’t exactly follows the movie style but anyway

HER!!! <3

from this HIB au/sequel post I did.

I love how TALL she is. Sha Wujing is described as being pretty much a giant in Jttw, and that doesn't change if she's a woman!

I love her more "fishy" details like her teeth and nose. Liuer def thinks she's a mermaid the first time he meets her.

The little comparison between her and Zhu Bajie - he's talking to her at hip-height. Why he think he ever had a chance? XD

Thank you so much for this tasty art <3

[quitealotofsodapop]

HiB Sequel/Au Ideas

I have a lot of thoughts on Monkey King: Hero is Back, and I've complied most of them here. It has such a fascinating concept, especially in regards to how the timeline of "Journey to the West" has been permanently altered by Hundun/Chaos.

Timeline changes cus of Events in Story:

Sun Wukong/Dasheng is pretty much "on probation" since he busted out early + asks for a huge favor from the gods at the end of HiB. Guanyin is the one to agree to change the headband to the armlet/chain cuff/buddha ankle-monitor. SWK might get it removed if he stays on good behavior.

Jiang Liuer (same name as the Tang Monk/Tripitaka when he was young), is a small child + dies at the hand of Hundun, but is somehow revived by the credits. Oddly enough, he's said by the production team to be the Ninth Cicada rather than the Tang Monk's Tenth. Maybe literally dying counted as a -1 life? The tie-in videogame shows it more clearly; Dasheng was involved in Liuer's revival and is shown begging/threatening the gods in the credit art, holding Liuer in his arms.

Zhu Bajie isn't married (yet). He also is probably lying about what he did to reincarnate as a pig demon.

Fa Ming is a cool af old man who isn't even tied to any big mythos character. Just a really cool mortal buddhist who went "Hey, free grandson!" when Liuer floated down the river in the prologue.

Sha Wujing has likely *just* been kicked out of heaven. According to a comment by the films director, this version of Sha Wujing may be fem.

Ao Lie has yet to set his dad's house on fire. Might do it on accident in future. Was a real bro and helped SWK get to Hundun during their battle. And according to the credits to the videogame, helped return many of the kidnapped children to their parents.

Theories:

Sha Ya Tou/"Silly Girl" is actually the Red Child/Hong Hai'er. She was kidnapped prior to the story by Hundun's forces to act as the flame for the furnace. Hence her extreme luck, lack of fear, taste for rare meat, and her little "horn" ponytails. If Hundun had pushed his luck, he would have had a Syndrome vs Jack-Jack situation on his hands. Her parents are currently very worried and tearing every village apart trying to find her.

Hundun/Chaos is literally an avatar of the Great Peril, but he loses his identity when he reverts back to the Original Hundun. His ritual was so he could maintain/prolong his humanoid form. He's sacrificed human children before in similar rituals, and initially set his sights on Liuer (the current Golden Cicada) as a baby for this goal - but assumed him lost/dead after Liuer's birth family were slaughtered.

The "mountain trolls/yaoguai" arent inherently evil, but they follow whoevers the strongest. Hence why they started cheering for SWK when he began overpowering Hundun.

Fic things under Read More:

Potiential Fic Timeline:

LEM has already made a name for themselves by hunting humans that prey on demons, and by spreading the tale of their thought-to-be-lost friend Sun Wukong. Then a Stone Egg smashes down next to him one day just after a solar eclipse. Coincidence? >:3

Meanwhile, Sun Wukong is busy beating down the door to the Underworld wanting his son/tudi/friend/ pest back. The Kings of Hell are hesistant to do anything cus you know, until...

King Yama, uninterested: "Gee, thats a tall order. Buuuut death is a mortal inevitablity, and you're still supposed to be under the mountain so..." Guanyin, phases in: "The child is the Golden Cicada." All the Kings of Hell: "HE'S WHAT!?" "Sweet buddha, get that kid's soul back in there pronto!" "He's not suppose to be dead yet!" Dasheng: *gives Guanyin a thumbs-up* "thanks" Guanyin: "Don't think you get off scott-free, sage. You're still supposed to be getting punished." Dasheng: *nervous gulp as he accepts his fate* *the chain cuff from the mountain is slapped back on Dasheng's wrist* Guanyin: "However, your actions towards this little monk has succesfully reduced your sentence. I believe as long as you stay by him, you won't run into too much trouble" *cheeky wink* Dasheng, relieved: "I suppose I could do a lot worse."

Liuer is able to be revived, but is in a comatose state for around 49 days as his soul internally "reincarnates". In this state he manages to pass on messages between SWK and an "unknown warrior" (LEM) via their dreams.

Pigsy, SWK, Fa Ming, and the newly-welcomed Ao Lie spend a lot of time reuniting the stolen children with their families.

Fa Ming bonds with SWK over the weeks caring for the cometose Liuer. SWK is reminded of Master Subodhi and gets wistful. Fa Ming entrusts SWK to care for Liuer when he's gone. SWK agrees, but is internally panicking.

Bonus complication; Silly Girl's parents have yet to be found. And even with his weakened powers, Dasheng's gold-vision tells him that she's not what she seems...

One night, Liuer manages to convey to SWK that Mount Huaguo is under attack by hunters. SWK in his haste; bundles all of his new little troop onto the Sommersault Cloud and flies towards Mount Huaguo.

SWK goes to rescue his missing/captured subjects from the main hunters camp. He finds the hunters already being torn apart by LEM. They have a mutual "oh shit, its my old crush/best friend I thought died in the war"-moment. Liuer reveals himself to be awake at the very end of the encounter.

Both monkeys see eachother alive + a kid (SWK and Liuer, LEM and the Stone Egg) and a romantic comedy ensues. Until...

Guanyin: "Hey gang, sorry to burst your bubble. But the big guys upstairs are a little peeved. Seems like the manifestation of primordial chaos messing with things on earth, has literally thrown the entire timeline off course. The Buddha needs you to check in on places where chaos is at it's most rampant. Don't worry about directions, I'll cc them to the little cicada. Ok? Byyyeeee!" *leaves* The whole gang: "wut." Liuer, eyes glowing: "We should go westward." Dasheng, groaning: "And I just got back home!"

+Stone Egg Bonus:

After seeing the poster for the upcoming prequel to HiB, I have determined that the baby monkey inside the egg would most likely be born/hatched out with white/cream-coloured fur and very fluffy. Therefore I will declare this little "MK" variant; Xiaoyún/小云 (Little Cloud).

[quitealotofsodapop]

More than one Wukong would, after calming down from the freak out, actually be happy about the possibility of a baby stone egg.

referencing.

Dasheng most likely. After he calms down he realises "Oh wait. I like being a dad. I'm cool with it." and he gives his squad a heads-up that he might be cooking a mini-him.

HiB!Zhu Bajie bellows out a laugh that cuts off suddenly when he remembers; "Wait. If you're pregnant, does that mean I got my ass beat by a pregnant monkey?" Dasheng glares at him in response.

Liuer just assumes thats how babies get made normally - Sifu Fa Ming hasn't got to The Talk yet.

And if they got their LEM (my Zhanshi idea) there? you better believe Dasheng and his mate are already talking about names and what the kid might look like. They can get super-sappy when the topic of kids comes up between them. <3