As part of my rabbit hole into Jttw, I've been looking at more and more monkey-related articles and science topics. I am an irl biology undergrad. It's my thing.
And I noticed a lot of focus in the LMK fandom on Macaque's scarf.
In the Harry Harlow monkey experiments (tw for distressing stuff) one trait that would frequently occur is that "orphan" macaques would become emotionally attached to pieces of cloth/towels. Even with the presence of a "wire mother" that provided endless food, the baby macaques would cling to bundles of cloth to simulate being held by their mothers. In experiments where the baby was provided a "cloth mother" that had no milk to give, they would still cling even if it meant starvation. If the researchers attempted to remove the cloths, the babies would panic and lash out. Those whose cloth was removed actually died from grief. The reason is simple; it was literally their security blanket.
Btw; These experiments weren't done out of cruelty. There was a really damaging parenting belief during the 1950s that believed that babies should be held as little as possible, less they become "spoiled" from too much contact. Harlow's team was able to prove that yes, you need frequent positive physical contact to survive/thrive as a baby.
The cloth-clinging can also be seen in macaques raised by humans that don't understand their instinctual need to cling. Even when dumped in the wild, former "pets" will cling to their security blanket like their life depends on it. Because it really does.
SO I had a thought;
What if Macaque's red scarf is his security blanket? His "cloth mother"? It being one of the few comforts he had as a baby monkey? Or even the only memento of a life before the Brotherhood? A simple piece of cloth that holds more value to him than all the treasures of Heaven?
I've seen ideas/headcanons that the handkerchief he wears on his armour in the Brotherhood-era is actually his trademarked scarf, and that he began wearing it more loosely because Wukong hasn't been adjusting it for him. Since we don't see an earlier form of Macaque, he is literally almost never seen without his red scarf, save for glamours and at the beach in S4.
Macaque, who tries his best to be a self-sufficient loner, getting panicked when he can't find his scarf or when it becomes damaged. Wukong learned a long time ago not to touch the scarf without permission, and was only allowed to interact with it when Mac was in a good mood.
And you know who else is a monkey with a piece of red cloth that they're never seen without?
You touch MK's bandana - you die. I believe it was likely Tang and/or Pigsy who used the cloth to keep the hair out of the baby's face, and MK psychologically attached to it as a form of comfort. He's not evne sure why he's so attached to it.
