Everyday I think about Sun Wukong, I remember that there’s too much angst potential for this stone monkey king.
Sun Wukong can never truly be 100% himself. Because he’s too strong and he can hurt people just by being slightly above averagely strong (by his standards).
In a scene in 2010 JTTW, he and Lady Bone Demon were best friends at one point. However, years later when they meet on the journey, she’s an enemy and HATES him, but Wukong has no idea why until she reveals that in her past life, he pushed her so hard, she actually DIED.
Wukong had been shoving her away to safety, but unintentionally killed her with his own strength.
That level of power has got to be terrifying.
Lego Monkie Kid Sun Wukong has clearly held back for centuries and understands how to because if he didn’t, his companions wouldn’t have survived being with HIM.
The other versions of Wukong in media are also weakened because:
1) canon strength Wukong would absolutely one shot every enemy and any movie/tv show with him in it wouldn’t last longer than 1 minute.
And 2) He would hurt both allies and enemies alike.
On the journey to the west, I notice people say he’s “weaker” after he’s released after 500 years.
First off, the book is a metaphor so plot isn’t the MAIN focus or point. But Second, it’s been shown that the ENTIRE journey is STAGED and planned just so they would suffer 81 trials. Think of the whole journey as a bunch of actors/actresses working together to complete a giant play/storyline. That’s what the journey was. Wukong wasn’t weakened. The journey was tailored to BE DIFFICULT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PILGRIMS. So they could repent from their sins.
We could also say it’s cause the golden headband and Tang’s “Wukong, NO” tamed him significantly.
And before the journey, he could’ve won against Erlang (maybe) but his giant kaiju form terrified his monkey armies, so he weakened himself for their sake.
During his fight with Bull Demon King, a similar incident occurred and he had to stop.
So yeah. That’s my rant about Wukong’s strength, which is both his greatest asset and worst enemy at times.
(THESE ARE PERSONAL RANTS IF YOU DON’T AGREE DON’T ATTACK. IF YOU DON’T AGREE, DISAGREE POLITELY PLZ)
(*in my JianKong heart, I like the ship between Erlang x Wukong because they are equals and Wukong would never have to worry about harming him. Like he could shove and push and try to hurt Erlang as much as he wants and he wouldn’t have to worry at all*).