Hi, don't mind me while I go on another rant. This is about Macaque again, because although there are many characters I think have a lot of depth to them, I find that Macaque is the most interesting to me because you miss a lot at the first glance. Maybe even the second or third if you're as dense as I am. Anyway, here's more stuff I noticed and thought about pertaining to Macaque's role in the show.
First I'd like to point out that Macaque's debut episode is the one IMMEDIATELY AFTER LBD is released. I don't know if this is an intentional connection, but if it is, I feel like this may imply that if LBD had not been freed, there was a chance Macaque might have never appeared at all.
Second, after making that previous connection, I started to wonder why exactly Macaque showed up in the first place. I mean, a huge shadow monster chilling in the middle of the city, pretending to defeat it for no clear reason?? But then I considered that maybe the intention was just to get MK's attention. To interact with the kid, get a feel for who he was, how strong he was.
Sure, it came with the added bonus of using MK to get Wukong's power, but I honestly don't think that was his initial intention. After all, in show we don't see him before or after this attempting to fight Wukong completely of his own free will, just when LBD orders him to. It's more of seeing an opportunity and taking it.
It may also be that he considered MK to not be useful enough at this point, voicing some disappointment with his strength in training and although saying he's a good kid, maybe feeling like the power is more useful in his own hands.
I think that Macaque's intention initially was truly just to see what MK could do, push the kid in his own messed way in order to gauge how helpful he would be later. That later potentially being when LBD tries to take over.
Third, is of course Shadow Play. At this point it's been a while since Macaque and MK interacted. LBD's take over is right around the corner is Wukong isn't currently around. Macaque knows this, and it appears his way of preparing MK for what's to come is tormenting him by using his friends as puppets. Pretty standard for Macaque, pushing MK by using his friends as leverage is a strategy he uses multiple times.
The interesting part to me though is his reaction to MK almost landing a strike on him (on his bad eye specifically). Macaque seems to just... Back off? He breaks the lantern, frees MK'S friends. He leaves, but not without warning MK about an upcoming danger and calling him a good kid for the nth time.
Even MK is confused by this turn of events. Macaque just leaves him be. He's satisfied, and the reason I think of for this is because MK has proven himself to be marginally stronger and more capable than before.
Fourth, I want to point out that in season three when he's fighting Sandy, Mei, and MK in the desert, MK surrenders when Mei and Sandy are caught. He straight up offers to give himself up. And Macaque DOES NOT take this opportunity.
He instead attempts to rile MK up, until MK unlocks more of the power he lost to LBD and attacks. And his reaction after, despite losing and being in pain (also seemingly having some kind of visceral emotional reaction because the attack was aimed at his bad eye-) is.
Kinda positive? Hopeful even. He seems to take it as a good sign, proof that MK is not useless or helpless. Potentially that there might still be a fighting chance of LBD being defeated.
It almost looks like Macaque, in his own very twisted and traumatizing to most of the main cast type ways, is actually rooting for them. But hey, that's just my take. Please share your own thoughts, I'd love to hear them!
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