#six ear the 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.

[peony-flowerking7]

Duzhe, The Queen of Darkness

Duzhe, Queen of Darkness

To a Human King was wed

but took a monster for her love,

and away from the Kingdom fled.

Rough Sketch

Clean Background

Cleaned Sketch

Clean Outline plus color

With background, without border

No effects and border

Just an au idea since rewatching Star vs The Forces of Evil, the show's ending was disappointing but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the characters. Eclipsa is my all time favorite queen and this was a good practice for the smoke monster it's not my first time but I rocked it. Yes! Listen! Duzhe and Eclipsa don't have the same personality but the vibe is just there, anyways. Duzhe and Macaque were the perfect candidates ever since I rewatch the lost potential of SVTFOE.

This is just for fun anyways, I might want to do some screenshot editing for this au but it won't really follow a story. But I am super proud of this piece, Duzhe just fits Eclipsa and Macaque can do so good as Globgor. Her cheek marks are butterfly wings, so is her sign and basically the background ALL BUTTERFLIES!! Macaque does call Reader/Duzhe fairy sooo...it's just cute in my opinion. Also I feel like Duzhe would have the same VA as Eclipsa idk, still thinking about it.

I don't have a made up kingdom name so just roll with the ambiguous. Also, Macaque is so damn happy it's SO CUUUTE!! Look at his happy face full of glee and holding his spouse.

[ninjasmudge]

its his first day

[peachysorrel]

Sketchbook scribbles of some of my fave screenshots

[majachee]

I INDULGED. I MADE THE MONKEYS TRANSFORMERS. LOOSELY BASED ON THEIR MECH SETS

[antidotefortheawkward-art]

how fucked up would you be if you were told the embodiment of the worst parts of you was capable of killing members of your family

[ID: A sketchy two panel sepia comic. In the first panel, Sun Wukong is dressed in traditional deep mourning garb and kneeling before a grave, back to the viewer. The second panel is a close-up on his face. He has a hollow, terrified wide-eyed expression and half of his face is in deep shadow. He thinks, "Could I have done the same?" End ID]

[cassettemoon]

A troupe of macaques

[lesdrawsposts]

sorry the image look bad quality click it and would work!

quick artist lmk inspired by @// ic_gener on Twitter

[peachshadows]

As much as I write about wet cat Macaque, I don't want him in canon to be a wet cat. I hope he continues to be a bastard even if he's with the good guys now

[sixteenthchapel]

Hiyaa! I LOVE your artwork <3

Also, have you ever drawn the Six Eared Macaque? If not, what does he look like in your style? I'm curious.

Thank you! and thank you for this ask alsdfj I hadnt thought about that before but your ask did make me sit down and consider what i'd want to do with my own personal iteration of the character. So i brushed myself up on the story around Six Eared Macaque and did some doodling until I found something that I personally liked. Also linking a really good write up by @journeytothewestresearch about Six Ear Macaque and his origins, right here. Particularly about why he has six ears in the first place, stemming from the phrase "The dharma is not to be transmitted to the sixth ear". While Macaque may have been able to listen in from who knows how far and for how long into Wukong's life, enabling him to mimic him and his powers incredibly well, he's still ultimately not privy to the real truth that Wukong attained during his travels. I started trying to draw this skrunkly imposter who while he may desperately want to be like Wukong, and believes he DESERVES to inherit his glory and deeds, he's still this poor imitation.

But! had fun with this guy and now I have some more ideas around him and possible shenanigans. He was fun to figure out and i might work with the idea more, but either way, thank you again for the ask!

[sketching-shark]

I guess he did.

[peony-flowerking7]

Svtfoe x LMK screenshot cycle au

I've been wanting to do something like this, with Duzhe and Macaque

Ugh, they make me sick! Look at them kissing with love, man I've been doing this with Macaque WUKONG NEEDS SOME LOVE TOO! But I have nothing!

Screenshot reference down here

[violetvirus]

How does the six ears macaque play apart in the journey to the west cyberpunk story

i don't have his reference ready yet but i couldn't help but jump at the chance to talk about him

stone monkey 2.0, or the six-eared macaque prototype, is by all means a better version of the first stone monkey prototype. his hearing especially was enhanced, which is why he was given the name six ears despite not having any. almost identical to the first, macaque is much more obedient and harder to rewire than wukong was. because unfortunately due to tripitaka's own tampering with wukong, it was discovered that robots with a set personality are much harder to rewire. so they implemented this same idea in macaque, alongside a circlet kill switch so he could be easily rid of if he goes off mission. because he and wukong look so similar, many people turned on wukong, assuming he had betrayed the slums and returned to the jade city government.

macaque is intensely jealous of wukong. when he first came online, wukong and tripitaka were separated due to wukong's continuous use of violence. tripitaka was firm that if that's the personality wukong chooses to develop, it's fine, but he was no longer allowed to live alongside tripitaka. macaque sees wukong as abandoning a great home, a great life. his hatred bleeds over onto tripitaka as well, partly due to his own programming to kill/arrest him. macaque somewhat knows that it is much less likely he would be given another chance at a new personality like wukong did, because tripitaka would struggle with wiping his old code and rewiring him properly, and it angers him.

macaque is a reminder to wukong of all the things he hates about himself. his original coding, his violence, his origins as a robot created for destruction. macaque is all of wukong's most negative traits amplified, which he despises. so the animosity goes both ways.

macaque has given up on the idea that he may live freely like wukong was able to. but maybe it's not quite as out of reach as he thinks. who knows...

[celestialkiri]

Ok but what if I’m not trying to fix Macaque….

What if I wanna make him worse 👀

Somebody be ready to call to a child-serve bc bruh Imma whoop your little butt for saying something like that in this holy monkey house!

[uselessalexis165]

Macaque 🤝 Peng

Somehow being able to survive getting blasted by a descendant of one of the most powerful dragons known in existence

[wukpng]

mainly I just wanted to draw her scars without drawing her NAKED